Starter battery Gauge/Fuel Tank Idiosyncrasies

[foxbase]

Hello again!

Some more dumb/newbie questions for ya'll

The starter battery gauge on the dashboard of my westy (I'm guessing its the voltage gauge for the starter battery) never seems to go above 13 volts. I had the camper hooked up at the campsite last weekend and it seemed to be charging as the needle moved clsoer to 13v. (I note the dicussion about the hook-up maybe charging the starter battery).

Now, in the rubbish weather tonight I had the lights on and the cd player and noticed the volts drop from 13v to just below 11v. I assume that the lights etc are drawing power from the battery hence the lowering of the gauge. However, will I ever be in a situation where the battery drains completely just through normal usage? I understand the alternator(sp?) charges the battery whilst you are on the move right? Basically I'm asking if this gauge performance is normal? Should it ever get over 13v?

[img:800:600]http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a208/ ... _guage.jpg[/img]

Secondly, my fuel tank has had its filler neck re-fitted to eliminate a leak! So I filled it tonight for the first time. I only managed to squeeze in 34 litres. Having no experience of the tank or its idiosyncrasies I'm unsure about its capacity. The Haynes says its a 60 litre tank as standard - mine looks like it has been on since it was made so assuming its standard. The petrol gauge needle hovered between the red line and the 1/4 mark before filling this morning. So I assumed I'd get in at least 45 litres. I drove 44 miles home tonight and the needle went from full to just above 1/2 full. Do these tanks have dicky gauges? Does the tank appear to empty really quickly and then sit at 1/4 mark for ages? I know these tanks are a funny shape but surely this can't affect the gauge that much? How much does it cost you to fill yours?

Sorry for long winded explanations!!!

[Nicola&Tony]

Now, in the rubbish weather tonight I had the lights on and the cd player and noticed the volts drop from 13v to just below 11v.

However, will I ever be in a situation where the battery drains completely just through normal usage?

Was the engine running at the time i.e. were you driving or parked up? Which lights did you have on; camping interior lights or vehicle driving lights? I'm guessing that the guage in your photo is for the leisure battery, try disconnecting the negative terminal of the leisure battery when you've got a reading on the guage and see if it suddenly drops to zero.

If your cd player is wired up to your starter battery rather than the leisure one, you could run it long enough to drop the voltage on the starter battery to the point where it can't start the engine

Tony

[foxbase]

Hey Tony thanks for the reply,

I noticed the voltage drop whilst driving home with the headlights on and the cd player running. When I parked her up at home I switched the engine off but kept the ignition on (first turn of the key) and observed the gauge drop and rise as I switched from off/side lights/headlights. When all lights were off the voltage returned to where it usually sits (between 11v and 13v). I'm guessing that this gauge is for the starter battery because of the changes on the gauge when messing about with the headlights etc. I have a separate meter thingy for the leisure battery built into the cooker/fridge unit <--- guessing again as I read in the translated Westfalia manual that the meter on the cooker is for both leisure and starter batteries.

Any thoughts on the petrol tank? I know these things are thirsty but I was a bit dumbstruck to see the tank drop to just above 1/2 for a meagre 44 miles of driving. As I said - I was also amazed I couldn't get more than 34 litres in it from what looked on the gauge to be pretty empty.

I'm sure this is all stuff I will discover through continued use but whilst this excellent site is here and you good people are around...etc etc

[asahartz]

The accuracy of voltage gauges is only as good as the wiring behind them; especially if it's not a factory fit. Long - or thin - wiring runs will show a voltage drop so you won't get an accurate reading - I'd be inclined to compare the readings with a digital multimeter connected directly to the battery, because I'd expect a normal charging voltage to be between 14.2 and 14.6.

The fuel gauges tell lies! I can say this with confidence because I ran out yesterday - I thought I'd broken down because the gauge was still in the red area, but the tank was totally empty. I've never filled mine fully because it tends to smell of fuel when I do, even though I can find no sign of a leak.

[Nicola&Tony]

I'm guessing that this gauge is for the starter battery because of the changes on the gauge when messing about with the headlights etc.

Any thoughts on the petrol tank? I know these things are thirsty but I was a bit dumbstruck to see the tank drop to just above 1/2 for a meagre 44 miles of driving.

From the extra info it sure sounds like that guage is for your starter battery, I hold me hands up . . . I guessed wrong!

Can't help with the petrol guage I'm afraid . . . we're running on lpg. Sounds like you might need to start using the odometer to back up what your fuel guage is telling you.

Tony

[banimeuk]

I've got a bronze caravelle t25 1.9 petrol from 85, and I've noticed that the petrol gauge drops from full very quickly, then slows down. You seem to get more miles out of the second half of the tank than the first! I'd be interested to hear about the fuel consumption you get though. I can't work out of there's a big hole in my tank (again) or if 2.5 tons of bus + 1.9l petrol engine = money bucket with a hole in.