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73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Interior & Equipment => Instrumentation => Topic started by: Chevy Guy on March 30, 2019, 10:31:24 pm

Title: Testing GM Instrument Gauges
Post by: Chevy Guy on March 30, 2019, 10:31:24 pm

Hello Everyone, new member here.

Would like to ask about testings GM gauges, in referring to an article written in 2013 by moderator bd on how to make a tester to check Function of GM gauges, comment is made in the article that the tester can also be used to bench test gauges.

When bench testing the gauges, what does one use as the ignition source (12VDC) to supply to the gauge?

Can one use a 12VDC battery that is used for flashlights or a 120VAC input 12VDC output plug in type class 2 power supply?

The reason I ask, for one, I don't have a lot of electrical knowledge, (but slowly learning), the main reason, looking for a way to test the gauges found in a salvage yard before buying them, would like for the test equipment to be as compact as possible without having to drag a full size car battery into the picture to do the testing.

Thanks for Your Help.

Title: Re: Testing GM Instrument Gauges
Post by: Rapid Roy on March 30, 2019, 10:52:15 pm

Welcome

Title: Re: Testing GM Instrument Gauges
Post by: Irish_Alley on April 01, 2019, 10:19:57 am

im guessing you can get away with a 12v battery, im going to send this to BD just in case he missed it

Title: Re: Testing GM Instrument Gauges
Post by: bd on April 02, 2019, 10:38:33 pm

GM gauges in 73-87(91) C/K/R/V trucks consume as much as 3 watts of power depending on the resistance of the sender at any given time.  So, any 12 VDC power supply that can safely deliver 0.5 ampere should suffice.

Title: Re: Testing GM Instrument Gauges
Post by: Chevy Guy on April 03, 2019, 09:19:32 pm

Rapid Roy, Thanks for the welcome.

Irish_Alley, Thanks for passing this on to bd.

bd, Thank you for responding, it's appreciated. Thanks for taking time to write the article on testing GM gauges.

Chevy Guy