Oil pressure gauge issue on new gauge panel.

[Lars Larsen]

I made a new instrument panel for my Boston Whaler 31L, and everything seems to work except the oil pressure gauge. The boat has twin Cummins 6BTA – 315 HP engines, with single station oil pressure sending units. I know there are a couple of different types of sending units for different applications, and I assume it’s a compatibility issue, as I’ve double checked the wiring, and its the same issue on both engines. When I turn either start switch to the run position, the corresponding oil pressure gauge pegs at full pressure. The gauge is a Faria Kronos series gauge, part #19002 – 0-80 psi unit. The old unit is a VDO part # 350-0105 – 0-150 PSI. Any thoughts on the issue would be a help. Is there another sending unit that may be compatible with the gauge and the Cummins alarm board? Possibly a grounding issue?

Topic

[Tony Athens]

If you are trying to using the Cummins (PCB) alarm board, you are in trouble–The alarm board uses the proper senders just like the gauges — In so many words, it will not work as it is trying to interpret the same resistances for oil pressure and for coolant temp..

[Lars Larsen]

Any known issue with Cummins alarm board?

Tony,
Thanks for the reply. The attachment says it all – It looks like the VDO is high reistance at high oil PSI and the Faria is the opposite. Not sure what the signal to the alarm board needs to be – minimum voltage or resisatance to ground , etc. Can you see any issues with the correct signal getting to the alarm board for the engine, if I change the sending unit? Faria / Beede sell sending units, but not sure if the signal from it will cause issues with the board.

[Tony Athens]

Gauge to sender compatibility

100% the issue is the sender to gauge compatibility.. You need the buy the proper sender for the Faria gauge or change the gauge to match the sender.. No clue who sells Faria senders…………………………If you are totally hands-on , happen to be an electronics guru, and have the time, sometimes you can mess with the resistance across the VDO sender to match a different gauge ( 1/4 – 1/2 W resistor) in series or parallel to get what you need.–

Opps–Bogus Idea–the needed sender works opposite the VDO sender…….GOOGLE up a supplier–Easy to find

[Author]

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