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Re: Voltmeter wiring

To: "Tom O'Malley" <tomomalley@hey.net>, <triumphs@Autox.Team.Net>
Subject: Re: Voltmeter wiring
From: "Vic Whitmore" <vicwhit@octonline.com>
Date: Thu, 20 Nov 1997 08:55:52 -0500
This brings up an interesting topic. Can anyone explain the operation of
the voltage stabilizer? In my mind, I always thought it operated similar to
a voltage regulator and could easily be replaced with an electronic
version.
Same issue with the fuel sensor. The one that I know of is just a
wire-wound variable resistor. The amount of current isn't large and I doubt
that it heats up and I don't think that you would want a heat source in the
fuel tank. The voltage source that drives the circuit (thru the resistor
and gauge) is the from the stabilized voltage. I don't understand how one
will offset the other.
Dan Masters, have you got some insight on this? Anyone else?

Vic Whitmore
76 Triumph Spitfire
Thornhill, Ontario

----------
> From: Tom O'Malley <tomomalley@hey.net>
> To: triumphs@autox.team.net
> Subject: Re: Voltmeter wiring
> Date: Wednesday, November 19, 1997 5:46 PM
> 
> Dan writes:
> 
> > On a cold morning, the fuel
> >gauge will read less gas than it did the night before when you parked
it,
> >even though you still have the same amount of gas. When it is very cold,
it
> >takes more current to heat the strip, so the readings are low..
> 
> This is an interesting circuit. <to me anyway>  :-)
> 
> *Both* the voltage stabiliser and fuel gauge work with heaters.  For
> this reason they behave in a complementary fashion, offsetting their
> own errors with regard to ambient temperature. Colder temp: Stabiliser
> contacts stay closed longer, more juice to chilly gauge.  Quite
> brilliant actually. On my car it works properly and the gauges read
> correctly whether or not it's 90F or 20F..
> 
> Doesn't mean my car will actually start at 20F you understand. :-)
> 
> This is why you *don't* want to replace the stabiliser with a
> "precision" solid state regulator...you'll get exactly the effect you
> describe above.  The solid state regulator has no feelings. It doesn't
> know how to treat those nice smith's gauges when there's a nip in the
> air or when they're getting hot under the collar. :-)
> 
> 
> Tom O'Malley
> '74, '77 Spits
> 
> 
> 

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