Wiring Water/oil Temp Sensor.

[Tonks]

Not sure where to put it, but here goes.

Got a water temp gauge and having some trouble trying to wire the sensor up. It's a two wire one and jus trying to figure out where the two go.

Most sensors i've seen have the two wires connected to it already but this one is seperate? (as per pic) The instructions are quite vague and just say attatch to sensor.

Do I need a 12v source going to it or do I just attach red one to the thread and earth the black one on something in the engine bay? tried a few different ways and held a lighter underneath but with no movement on the gauge.

Any help would be great!

[kitto]

Red to threaded section, black to ground, close by to the sensor itself.

Gauge gets 12V+ to it, with a possible separate ground or it grounds through the sensor ground.

[Tonks]

Cheers mate will give it a crack today

[Carbon 34]

Red to threaded section, black to ground, close by to the sensor itself.

Gauge gets 12V+ to it, with a possible separate ground or it grounds through the sensor ground.

Wrong sorry

Switched 12v -not constant but 12v switched on engine?

Red 12v switched @ gauge

Black ground @ gauge

Green sensor from gauge to threaded portion

If your using a inline hose sensor ground the metal hose fitting with supplied screw to chassis close to radiator or engine

Some might have a globe illumination wire as well

[Carbon 34]

My bad 2 wire gauge

Switched 12v on red wire

Ground to sender ring term

Sender must have a good ground on engine or it wont work right

It works with a thermister inside it sensing resitance to ground @ a certain temp which give the gauge the results

Unless its a digital 5v gauge not 12v which requires a sender interface or ecu to get a signal

[Tonks]

Haven't gotten around to it yet been crook,

Its 12v gauge it has its own seperate harness for power and illumination and then this 2 wire harness for sensor.

The bung for the sensor is one of the GKteck coolant hoses so not sure how good that will ground out might just lengthen the ground wire to a decent earth close by, and then what do you mean by switched 12v on red? Sorry being an elec numpty haha

[Carbon 34]

Haven't gotten around to it yet been crook,

Its 12v gauge it has its own seperate harness for power and illumination and then this 2 wire harness for sensor.

The bung for the sensor is one of the GKteck coolant hoses so not sure how good that will ground out might just lengthen the ground wire to a decent earth close by, and then what do you mean by switched 12v on red? Sorry being an elec numpty haha

That would have been helpful to know lol

Post up photo of gauge with wiring

And sensor close up

The radiator hose mount needs a ground or you have a flaky gauge and it also helps reduce coolant corrosion

[Tonks]

haha yeh sorry bout that. I had a play this arvo with it and put the red wire on the thread and started to try and find a good earth.

Ended up finding by accident that earthing against the sender itself it started working. Will have to take it for a spin tomorrow to heat coolant right up and see how it goes though.

[kitto]

Wrong sorry

Switched 12v -not constant but 12v switched on engine?

Red 12v switched @ gauge

Black ground @ gauge

Green sensor from gauge to threaded portion

If your using a inline hose sensor ground the metal hose fitting with supplied screw to chassis close to radiator or engine

Some might have a globe illumination wire as well

In fact it is you who is wrong.

My bad 2 wire gauge

Switched 12v on red wire

Ground to sender ring term

Sender must have a good ground on engine or it wont work right

It works with a thermister inside it sensing resitance to ground @ a certain temp which give the gauge the results

Unless its a digital 5v gauge not 12v which requires a sender interface or ecu to get a signal

Nope

Its 12v gauge it has its own seperate harness for power and illumination and then this 2 wire harness for sensor.

The bung for the sensor is one of the GKteck coolant hoses so not sure how good that will ground out might just lengthen the ground wire to a decent earth close by, and then what do you mean by switched 12v on red? Sorry being an elec numpty haha

Yeah, thought it would be a two harness gauge. Hence my original post. Yes, earth the rad pipe adapter.

haha yeh sorry bout that. I had a play this arvo with it and put the red wire on the thread and started to try and find a good earth.

Ended up finding by accident that earthing against the sender itself it started working. Will have to take it for a spin tomorrow to heat coolant right up and see how it goes though.

Yep, as i thought it would work. You should have been given a wiring diagram anyway.

[Tonks]

In fact it is you who is wrong.

Nope

Yeah, thought it would be a two harness gauge. Hence my original post. Yes, earth the rad pipe adapter.

Yep, as i thought it would work. You should have been given a wiring diagram anyway.

Probably should have mentioned the two harnesses in the first post haha.

It was an ebay gauge so I had retarded instructions no wiring diagram.

Appreciate the help lads!

Edited October 31, 2012 by 4DR_32