Vikingstaff
Moderator
I have one to toss out to our electrical, wiring and gauge knowledgeable folks. Not speaking about Simrad system at all. Involves my Mercury Digital Smart Gauge starting to behave oddly, but predictably after changing batteries. Background - Worked correctly before putting in new batteris. Issue started with first use after installing new batteries. Fuel Guage works quirky as follows now:
- Turn Perko Switch to any setting other than off (1, 1+2, 2)
- Put key in and turn to on (without starting motor)
- I have accurate fuel reading at this point that pops up on the small Mercury digital smart gauge beneath my circular speedometer. Shows both number of gallons and % of fuel accurately at this point
- Push Start/Stop button to turn motor on.
- WIth motor running, Mercury digital smart Guage fuel reading decreases by 1 gallon until showing empty over about a 3 minute time period. Very incremental drop, in line and opposite of how fast it would increase to full tank after a fill up in the past. Remains that way until boat is totally turned off.
- Once off, if I repeat above normal sequence, it behaves in the above manner. Fuel reading showing and accurate when key in “on” position with motor off, but fuel reading decreases incrementally to empty over the course of about 3 minutes once the motor is actually turned on.
I do have a message into the dealership we use to see if their Mercury outboard tech has an idea what’s happening here. However, what/when I hear back from them can be a bit “questionable” sometimes. I also have the Mercury Marine phone number that I might follow up with this upcoming business week as my backup.
However, has anyone ever heard of a digital Mercury gauge doing this? I don’t understand how it gives accurate reading before motor is turned on but then goes down to no fuel within minutes on that digital gauge AFTER the motor is turned on? Would changing the batteries in any way potentially cause some sort of fuel gauge only quirk (I don’t see how it would, but this is totally out of my comfort zone/knowledge zone)? All my other Mercury digital smart gauges are working as normal (2 different gauges with multiple modes, this one under my speedometer, the other under my tach).
FYI, dealership tech changed out my batteries with my watching. Seemed fine, with nothing odd like a missed ground wire, so I don’t feel like it’s a battery wire hiccup. I suppose a change a wire is tight, or came lose when he put battery covers back on…?
Any initial thoughts, or is this a call Mercury directly, let my dealership and warranty deal with it issue?
Major Hinderance: I am 5 weeks into a medical situation where I cannot sit at all, let alone bend or anything. Haven’t been able to boat for weeks as a result. Hence, I don’t have the ability to even actually take my battery covers off and inspect again, or fidget with much of anything myself. I cannot get down to do it (hence dealership sending a tech out to change out my batteries). So that too is limiting “poking around” on my part: although still curious if I could, what would you guys poke around on and check out? Maybe I could direct my wife, or get one of my sons up here, or something….
Just an odd one that seems to fall outside of some of our other fuel gauge trouble shooting threads. Thank you in advance for your thoughts here. Hoping this is some simple and know quirk.
- Turn Perko Switch to any setting other than off (1, 1+2, 2)
- Put key in and turn to on (without starting motor)
- I have accurate fuel reading at this point that pops up on the small Mercury digital smart gauge beneath my circular speedometer. Shows both number of gallons and % of fuel accurately at this point
- Push Start/Stop button to turn motor on.
- WIth motor running, Mercury digital smart Guage fuel reading decreases by 1 gallon until showing empty over about a 3 minute time period. Very incremental drop, in line and opposite of how fast it would increase to full tank after a fill up in the past. Remains that way until boat is totally turned off.
- Once off, if I repeat above normal sequence, it behaves in the above manner. Fuel reading showing and accurate when key in “on” position with motor off, but fuel reading decreases incrementally to empty over the course of about 3 minutes once the motor is actually turned on.
I do have a message into the dealership we use to see if their Mercury outboard tech has an idea what’s happening here. However, what/when I hear back from them can be a bit “questionable” sometimes. I also have the Mercury Marine phone number that I might follow up with this upcoming business week as my backup.
However, has anyone ever heard of a digital Mercury gauge doing this? I don’t understand how it gives accurate reading before motor is turned on but then goes down to no fuel within minutes on that digital gauge AFTER the motor is turned on? Would changing the batteries in any way potentially cause some sort of fuel gauge only quirk (I don’t see how it would, but this is totally out of my comfort zone/knowledge zone)? All my other Mercury digital smart gauges are working as normal (2 different gauges with multiple modes, this one under my speedometer, the other under my tach).
FYI, dealership tech changed out my batteries with my watching. Seemed fine, with nothing odd like a missed ground wire, so I don’t feel like it’s a battery wire hiccup. I suppose a change a wire is tight, or came lose when he put battery covers back on…?
Any initial thoughts, or is this a call Mercury directly, let my dealership and warranty deal with it issue?
Major Hinderance: I am 5 weeks into a medical situation where I cannot sit at all, let alone bend or anything. Haven’t been able to boat for weeks as a result. Hence, I don’t have the ability to even actually take my battery covers off and inspect again, or fidget with much of anything myself. I cannot get down to do it (hence dealership sending a tech out to change out my batteries). So that too is limiting “poking around” on my part: although still curious if I could, what would you guys poke around on and check out? Maybe I could direct my wife, or get one of my sons up here, or something….
Just an odd one that seems to fall outside of some of our other fuel gauge trouble shooting threads. Thank you in advance for your thoughts here. Hoping this is some simple and know quirk.
