Do You Need a New Fuel Gauge? We Can Help with That!

Do You Need a New Fuel Gauge? We Can Help with That!

March 9, 2019

Fuel gauges are most often needed in vehicle and aircraft engineering. They are relatively simple devices that are pretty self-explanatory: they gauge the amount of fuel left in a tank.

When your fuel gauge is acting up or has stopped working, you’ll need to replace it as soon as possible to continue your operation. Fortunately, Royal Brass Incorporated stocks a wide number of fuel gauge products to meet your needs, backed by the expertise of our staff to help you choose the right one.

Before you visit us to select a new fuel gauge in San Jose, CA here’s what you should know.

What is a fuel gauge?

Fuel gauges generally consist of two major parts: a sending unit that measures the fuel left in a tank and the indicator which tells you how much fuel is left. While aircraft fuel gauges and some vehicular gauges use different components, the most common fuel gauges operate with the sending unit inside the tank.

These sending units have a float that moves up and down with the level of the fuel. This float is attached to an arm that is connected to an electrical resistor called a potentiometer. Depending on the level of fuel in the tank, the resistance will change in the potentiometer, which affects the amount of current that flows through the sending unit when the vehicle is running.

The indicator part of the fuel gauge displays the fuel level based on the amount of current running through the sending unit. A high current typically means a full tank, while a low current indicates a nearly-empty tank.

The importance of having a working fuel gauge

Sometimes, the sending unit element of the fuel gauge stops working the way it should, which gives the indicator bad information. The easiest way to tell if your fuel gauge is going bad is if the indicator always shows a full or empty tank. Typically, gauges will always read empty in these situations, rather than full, but both problems can tell you that you’re due for a replacement.

This is not good for a number of reasons. Most importantly, you rely on your fuel gauge to know when to refuel the tank to continue driving or operating the vehicle. If you run out of fuel before you think you need to, your operations will cease or you can get stuck.

If your fuel gauge is stuck or acting erratically, you’ll want to get a new one as soon as possible.

Visit us to get your new fuel gauge in San Jose, CA

If you’re in the market for a new fuel gauge in San Jose, CA, pay a visit to Royal Brass Incorporated! Our hose supply store carries a wide variety of parts for air, water, fuel and more, including hoses, fittings, flanges, regulators, valves, adapters and gauges. Since 1952, we’ve served customers with all the reliable hoses and related products they’ve needed to make their industrial operations go smoothly. Plus, our staff is extremely well-trained and knowledgeable about all our products, so you can rest assured you’ll be assisted by an expert when you need a part. Call or visit us today!

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