Flush LED fuel gauge follow-up
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From: PacNW; Beacon of Conservatism in a Sea of Liberals.......AZ Snowbird; Just another Conservative
Flush LED fuel gauge follow-up
Since I bought my '06 Wide in February, I've developed a love/hate issue with the LED fuel gauge. The gauge worked fine for a few months, then I lost a couple of the fuel level LED's and also the gas pump icon LED in the center of the gauge. This prompted my earlier post on the matter of repairing the gauges ( https://www.hdforums.com/forum/showt...highlight=fuel ). Several weeks later (now into summer), all LED's started working after a fill-up, and worked normally until a fill-up in N.Cal. on our 11-state roadtrip in September. This time, I lost just the low-order fuel level LED, and again the center gas pump icon LED.
Three days ago, upon leaving a local watering hole, the two missing LED's came on for about 10 seconds when I turned the ignition ON, then the same two went out again. While riding yesterday, I noticed the two had returned so I went to gas up at Costco, leaving the ignition switch ON after kill-switching the engine. As I filled the tank, all LED's came on and the gauge is once again working normally. So far, I have not been able to piece together any pattern for the coming/going of the "failing" LED's...intermittent problems are Hell!
I am going to see if HD has a Tech Support group that may have a reset procedure when these gauges act up. If I find out anything, I'll post it. Likewise, if anyone else has any tips or ideas, please pass them along. I really like the flush cap and gauge but the on-again/off-again LED's is very frustrating.
Three days ago, upon leaving a local watering hole, the two missing LED's came on for about 10 seconds when I turned the ignition ON, then the same two went out again. While riding yesterday, I noticed the two had returned so I went to gas up at Costco, leaving the ignition switch ON after kill-switching the engine. As I filled the tank, all LED's came on and the gauge is once again working normally. So far, I have not been able to piece together any pattern for the coming/going of the "failing" LED's...intermittent problems are Hell!
I am going to see if HD has a Tech Support group that may have a reset procedure when these gauges act up. If I find out anything, I'll post it. Likewise, if anyone else has any tips or ideas, please pass them along. I really like the flush cap and gauge but the on-again/off-again LED's is very frustrating.
Last edited by PKellyMc; Nov 25, 2008 at 07:12 AM. Reason: Added image
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From: Northwest
Sounds to me like it's internal to the gauge itself. I'm guessing some cold solder joints or something like that, is causing the intermittent LED issue. Does your low fuel indicator still come on in your speedo when you run low? If so, then the gauge is still outputing level indication....
*"cold solder joint" doesn't refer to the outside temperature, but to how well the heat was applied to melt/flow the solder during construction.
** vibration is the absolute enemy of rigid solder joints.... so unless the printed circuit board that the LEDs are soldered to, is shock mounted .. or the construction is superb... you'll get broken solder joints.
Seeing the issues in that other thread you posted, I'm not surprised. I thought about that fuel gauge, but when I thought about the environment it would be operating in, I decided not to get it.
*"cold solder joint" doesn't refer to the outside temperature, but to how well the heat was applied to melt/flow the solder during construction.
** vibration is the absolute enemy of rigid solder joints.... so unless the printed circuit board that the LEDs are soldered to, is shock mounted .. or the construction is superb... you'll get broken solder joints.
Seeing the issues in that other thread you posted, I'm not surprised. I thought about that fuel gauge, but when I thought about the environment it would be operating in, I decided not to get it.
Last edited by archergodwin; Nov 25, 2008 at 08:57 AM.
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From: MA
Did you install the gauge yourself?
I'm not familiar with the install instructions for the flush mount LED gauge.
Did it have 4 wires, including a long gray wire?
If so - did you hook up the gray wire properly to the speedo?
I have a Harley LED gauge with 4 wires - the purpose of the gray wire is to disable the low fuel lamp on the speedo. If you have a gray wire, and you just spliced it in without unhooking the wire that already went to the speedo, you will get bad results.
This may not apply to the flush mount gauge system - just a thought.
I'm not familiar with the install instructions for the flush mount LED gauge.
Did it have 4 wires, including a long gray wire?
If so - did you hook up the gray wire properly to the speedo?
I have a Harley LED gauge with 4 wires - the purpose of the gray wire is to disable the low fuel lamp on the speedo. If you have a gray wire, and you just spliced it in without unhooking the wire that already went to the speedo, you will get bad results.
This may not apply to the flush mount gauge system - just a thought.
I'm not sure how the sensors work on these, but in my other hobby (Corvettes), fuel gauge problems are an accepted fact of life... unless you regularly run Techron through the system. You can try a couple tankfuls of Chevron fuel, or add a can of Techron to your tank. It can't hurt.
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Joined: Nov 2007
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From: Mesa, Az.
I had similar problems with mine. Washing the bike or riding in heavy rain, moisture gets on the circuit board and it starts to corrode.
Try disconnecting the guage electrically, lift it out of the well, disassemble and clean the circuit board. Thought about using dielectric grease on the board, but thought it might mess it up.
This worked for mine until the gas cap fell apart, then I ordered a new set. No problems since putting them on this time..
Try disconnecting the guage electrically, lift it out of the well, disassemble and clean the circuit board. Thought about using dielectric grease on the board, but thought it might mess it up.
This worked for mine until the gas cap fell apart, then I ordered a new set. No problems since putting them on this time..
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From: PacNW; Beacon of Conservatism in a Sea of Liberals.......AZ Snowbird; Just another Conservative
The flush gauge & cap were dealer-installed in Mesa by the previous owner. The amber "low fuel" speedo lightworks fine; usually comes on within just a few miles of the 2nd-to-last LED dropping out. I'm a Maintenance Electronics Tech and I considered bad connections, soldered and otherwise. What's odd is that it's different LED's each time; seemed more like a logic issue. But I haven't opened one up, so I'm not sure what kind of fuel level sensor they use nor how the signal is processed to control the 7 level-LED's and 1 icon LED. If it has control logic on a chip there should be a way to reset things, like cycling the ignition switch 3-times to set alarm codes, check error codes, etc. Thanks for your ideas and thoughts. Maybe I'll get somewhere with HD Tech Support; if so, I'll share what I learn.
Last edited by PKellyMc; Nov 25, 2008 at 07:03 PM. Reason: typo
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Thread Starter
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Outstanding HDF Member
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From: PacNW; Beacon of Conservatism in a Sea of Liberals.......AZ Snowbird; Just another Conservative
WGBob...
Are yours the flush style with the LED's pointing "up", or the kind with the LED's around the outer bezel and pointing horizontally? I've heard that the flush style like mine, have more problems than the other style. Either way, if you do start having issues, don't toss it out; just bide your time and see if it doesn't heal itself like mine seems to be doing.
Last edited by PKellyMc; Nov 25, 2008 at 07:26 PM. Reason: typo
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From: Northwest
Are yours the flush style with the LED's pointing "up", or the kind with the LED's around the outer bezel and pointing horizontally? I've heard that the flush style like mine, have more problems than the other style. Either way, if you do start having issues, don't toss it out; just bide your time and see if it doesn't heal itself like mine seems to be doing.
