Electrical Gauge tester

[UncleMike]

I've seen some videos (which i can't find now) on building a simple tester for gauges with a potentiometer and 12v supply. I am visiting a CJ grave yard on the hunt for some other stuff and thought i would try and find a factory speedo cluster (mine is hte wrong one and don't want an OMIX ADA and don't want ot spend on speedhut right now). I want to be able to test the temp and fuel gauge. Seems like a simple enough process...ground to gauge, 5v of power to A post and use a potentiometer on the sender wire to create the resistance at Empty/Half/Full or temp according to factory. Not an electrical wizard by any stretch, but want to give this a try just for the fun/learning. Anybody done this and have suggestions for parts or setup?

 

[CJ]

I've made one by as you said using a pot and a bread board. Ugly but worked. Digikey is a good place to buy parts.

Here are some links you might like.

-->> https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...-will-work-with-my-dumb-gauge-thingie.862020/

And the result.

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Another video.

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[Armyvet25]

I've seen some videos (which i can't find now) on building a simple tester for gauges with a potentiometer and 12v supply. I am visiting a CJ grave yard on the hunt for some other stuff and thought i would try and find a factory speedo cluster (mine is hte wrong one and don't want an OMIX ADA and don't want ot spend on speedhut right now). I want to be able to test the temp and fuel gauge. Seems like a simple enough process...ground to gauge, 5v of power to A post and use a potentiometer on the sender wire to create the resistance at Empty/Half/Full or temp according to factory. Not an electrical wizard by any stretch, but want to give this a try just for the fun/learning. Anybody done this and have suggestions for parts or setup?

Probably any rheostat would work, volume knob from a radio comes to mind, I have a cheap 12v power supply I use to test am/fm used car radios before installation, I imagine power out to the rheostat, from there to the gauge, return from the gauge to ground on the power supply. My power supply is low amp so wouldn't hurt anything, only other thing you could ad inline before any gauge might be a fuse to prevent over powering the gauge depending on your power supply.

 

[Armyvet25]

Heck, I forgot, I have a few here from when I repair guitars

 

[Armyvet25]

Oh, and Scott, I'm not getting email notifications again to replied subscribed post.

 

[UncleMike]

Heck, I forgot, I have a few here from when I repair guitars

Thanks...just saw this reply! I wound up sticking the omix fuel and temp gauges. Followed all instructions and they worked great...for about 6 starts, then both pegged and fried. Ordered all Speedhut gauges...don't have the bandwidth to screw around with it any more!

 

[Belizean]

Now you should like those readings.