Smiths Voltage Stabaizer How It Works !?

[Guest Jonnyround2003]

I have a voltage stabalizer on my ford Sierra set up my gauge don't read acctuectly and when I fit one of these to my temp guage of fuel guage it work and drops the voltage 12 v in 10 v out but as soon as I connected it back to the guage I have no power coming out of the stablizer and the what am I doing wrong ?Do I need to use this stabailzer

Edited August 30, 2015 by Jonnyround2003

[sj-bradley]

Any voltage stabiliser will need a higher input voltage (usually 2 volts) more than the output voltage.

 

They have a current limit though. If you try and short circuit the output, they should self limit the output current and you will get a voltage output of zero volts.

 

Quite often it's a simple device like a 7812 thee pin regulator which has a maximum of 1 amp supply and needs to be bolted to a suitable heat sink as it will get hot if you try and draw the max current output from it.

 

If the voltage across it drops to zero, try measuring the resistance of the temp gauge and the other gauge with the problem. If one reads very low resistance (a 6 ohm resistance will try and draw 2 amps and a 12 ohm will try and draw 1 amp) so if the resistance is that low, you have a problem.

 

Simon.

[cb750]

You may have one of the old regulators that use a bimetal strip to regulate the voltage and not the electronic type. How are you wiring the system up?

[Guest Jonnyround2003]

I'm using this stabailzer one cable is from the sender to the guage the other side has 12 volts if I use this it won't work when connected but does drop the colts to 10 when disconnected from the guage just trying it on the temp gauge at he moment do I need to attach the fuel guage as well ?

[cb750]

Switched 12 volts to stabiliser, stabiliser output to gauge supply, other side of gauge to sender. Don't forget to earth the other side of the sender to earth. Is this what you have?

[Guest Jonnyround2003]

The stabaizer is earthed to the back of my Rev guage mount I only have 12 v and sender to the guage and it works just won't went I put the stabailzer on

[Grim]

Why are you earthing to the rev counter? Does that connect to the chassis via another earth point?

Your description sounds like you are connecting both 12v and 10v to the gauge.

Ignore the +12v to the gauge, that's only for the light. Connect +10v output of stabiliser to the gauge, and gauge to sender.

 

Andy

[Guest Jonnyround2003]

I only have two cables to each gauge one from the sender the other side is 12 v when I put the stabalizer in line it won't work it drops the voltage to 10 v when I put the 12 v into it but when it's connected back to the gauge no voltage comes out the stabalizer !

[steve in stockport]

What dash gauges are you actually using?

If it's the Sierra clocks they don't require an additional voltage stabiliser. Some of the Smiths gauges, usually fuel and temperature, require the stabiliser to stop them fluctuating with voltage changes.

[Guest Jonnyround2003]

Smiths classics guages I'm being told I need to use one ?

[Jez Morton]

When you say your gauge isn't reading accurately, which gauge isn't right and are you using the correct sender for the gauge?

I do believe for Smith's classic you need the voltage stabilizer, this will supply 3 gauges, how many are connected.

You earthed the stabilizer on the back of the rev counter, is the case of the rev counter earthed? Can you add an earth wire to it.

Are you feeding the rev counter the stabilizer 10 volts? It looks a lot like a Telemetrix rev counter from the rear (which I have) so maybe a 12 volt rev counter and should not need 10v. Check the spec!

Try the stabilizer connected to just the 52mm gauges and make sure it is earthed correctly.

 

Good luck.

[Guest Jonnyround2003]

Rev counter works fine it's just the fuel gauge and the temp guage do I need to put two 12v cables to the stabilizers then to both gauges I can't find any pics on the net on how other people have done this .

[Jez Morton]

You can use one stabilizer, one 12 volt wire to its input/12v and 2 wires from the 10 volt output to each gauge.

[Guest Ian & Carole]

Or as I did mine one wire from stabilizer to the 1st gauge then piggy backed from one to the other, same with earths and all the panel lights.

[Guest Jonnyround2003]

Ok guys I've tried with just one 12 v in then connected it back to the guage and it doesn't work so do I need to connect both gauges with 10 v to get them to work as when I connect just one I have 10v out with a multimeter but as soon as I connect it to one guage no power comes out of the stabalizer ?