help please
have just started car for first time and gauges are going mad, believe it is because i require a voltage regulator to step down to 10 volts for fuel level and water temp gauges......... is this the case, how do i achieve this, do i have to buy something to wire in please help

It's a little block that you need to fit in the live wires to the gauges to drop the voltage to a steady 10 (ish?) volts. You're supposed to use one for every 3 gauges. quite easy to fit, but no idea how much they are, although a scrappy with a old car or two with smiths gauges should reveal a couple.

thanks
dont have one with them so guess of to scrap yard unless have any luck on here later


thanks again

Hi

I bought a speedo with one mounted on the back.

I can take a pic if it helps.

Paul G

[Edited on 9/11/06 by 907]

had a look at back of mine and there is deffinately not one there, will have to get one from else where,..... this may sound stupid but how do you wire it in please

12v in. 2 outputs, one for temp, one for fuel


Paul G

was right about stupid question then, thanks just found them for a tenner at speedy cables

thanks for your help

You can use one of these. they're cheaper and are the modern solution.
Barry.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SOLID-STATE-VOLTAGE-STABILIZER-Spitfire-TR6-Stag-2500_W0QQitemZ130044934645QQihZ003QQcategoryZ27383QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZ ViewItem

buy a 7809 regulator from maplins; should be about 70 p; will give you 9 V whcih is what the old type mechanical ones did.

The solid state regulator is the answer. We've run with the old oscillator type, and found they throw a lot of rf, which can interfere with anything with modern electronics, if not properly screened.

Nominal voltage is 10volts, measured on the oscilloscope.

You need an adjustable regulator, if building one yourself. It's a 3pin ic, and needs a couple of resistors and a BIG capacitor on input and output, if it is to remain stable and trouble free.

Cheers,
Syd.

Syd is correct use a adjustable reg to get 10v, though 9v will probably work ok if you don't need accuracy, but it's only a couple of extra resistors and a diode IIRC.

LM317 works well, the bi-metalic strip regulators are horrible.

TI makes 10volt ones.

A7810C

is what you want.

they are free to sample..
(for the locost spirit ones)

Tks

I haven't seen the 10volt ic regs before. They'll certainly save a lot of time and trouble making up small pcb's for the job.

Cheers,
Syd.

would a mini one not do thay have smiths clocks old minis i meen