GC1705 Fuel & Temp Gage Issue

[Massey2019]

I have a GC1705 that is a great unit. A couple of months ago, the temp gage would stop and start working. I thought I had it fixed, finding some corrosion on the temp sensor. Worked for a month or so after. In the last week the fuel gage and temp gage stopped working. Find the 10A fuse blown. All other functions on the gage panel work.

If I replace the fuse, turn on the key, immediately blows. Checked connections and wiring for defects and see no issues.

My guess is the gage panel has some sort of a dead short in it, blowing the fuse. I've looked and don't really find that this is an issue.
The fuse is the 3rd one at the bottom of the panel, with white letters.

Not an electrical person, is there anything I can check to confirm there is an issue?

Thanks,

 

[lpakiz]

Here is my go-to procedure to find a dead short.
Replace the fuse with a 12 volt seal beam headlight unit. These seal beams will pass about 4-5 amps but no more. This will prevent overheating wires and will not blow out like a fuse. Use a couple jumper wires to splice it bulb into the fuse contacts.
When you get the seal beam wired in and the circuit powered up with the key, your dead short will cause the headlight to glow fairly brightly.
Now go around and wiggle wires or components until the bulb goes very dim or out completely. When the bulb goes out or dim, that is the short.

 

[Massey2019]

Really appreciate your response! I will pick up a headlight tomorrow and see if I can find the issue.
Called the dealer and told him what was going on. He said it is probably a corroded connection and the gage clusters going bad is not a problem in his experience. Replacing it would cost a fair bit.
I will post what I find. May help someone in the future.
Thanks

 

[JWR]

Here is my go-to procedure to find a dead short.
Replace the fuse with a 12 volt seal beam headlight unit. These seal beams will pass about 4-5 amps but no more. This will prevent overheating wires and will not blow out like a fuse. Use a couple jumper wires to splice it bulb into the fuse contacts.
When you get the seal beam wired in and the circuit powered up with the key, your dead short will cause the headlight to glow fairly brightly.
Now go around and wiggle wires or components until the bulb goes very dim or out completely. When the bulb goes out or dim, that is the short.

Great idea...bordering on genius, anyway good enough to applaud loudly !

 

[lpakiz]

While corrosion is certainly a possibility in the malfunction of gauges, corrosion itself will not blow a fuse. Only an overload of current thru the fuse will blow it.

 

[not2old]

I don't have a problem with my temperature gauge but the fuel gage acts up frequently. I smack the side of the console with my hand and the gauge works for weeks at a time. This has been going on for more than a few years.

 

[Dmacleo]

short to ground. bet when it blows headlights also don't work.
look towards your oil pressure sending unit and trace from there, bet small spot (I mean maybe 1/32 inch) touching frame.

 

[JWR]

short to ground. bet when it blows headlights also don't work.
look towards your oil pressure sending unit and trace from there, bet small spot (I mean maybe 1/32 inch) touching frame.

probably right...and readily debugged using Ipakiz's idea in post #2.

 

[Massey2019]

Have time to work on it tomorrow. Appreciate all the feedback. I’ll post what I find.
Thanks

 

[Massey2019]

Well, had time to work on this issue today. Understand, I'm not an electrical guy so you may not be impressed with my troubleshooting skills.
1. Disconnected extra connections and had the tractor back to original. Extras are just aux lights and 12v power at the rear to power a sprayer. All on separate, fused circuits.
2. Checked the fuse block for connections and wiring. All was clean and intact. The fuse that blows is #8 10Amp on the attached image.
3. Removed + & - battery connections. Found some white residue on the positive. Cleaned both and reattached. Thought maybe too much resistance.
4. Checked wiring to the seat safety switch for damage. Switch works fine but appears to be on this circuit, so I looked at it.
5. Put in new fuse, turned the key to on, fuse immediately blown.
6. With my marginal schematic reading skills, it appears this circuit also has the left turn light and left running light on it. Checked bulb, it was fine. No corrosion, wiring looked good.
Circuit also appears to have seat safety switch on it. And then to the multi switch and ignition.
7. What has me scratching my head is, with the fuse blown, both fuel and temp gages now work. Left turn signal and running light don't. The only wire that this fuse sees is a solid green one.
Everything else works just like always. I guess if I never have to turn left, all would be fine.

But, would appreciate suggestions that could aim me in another direction.

 

[lpakiz]

Have you removed, wire brushed and re-attached the GROUND cable where it attaches to the tractor? Altho a bad connection will in no way blow a fuse.

 

[Massey2019]

Have you removed, wire brushed and re-attached the GROUND cable where it attaches to the tractor? Altho a bad connection will in no way blow a fuse.

You know, as soon as I saw your post I thought “ why didn’t I do that when I was working on it today?” Will definitely do that tomorrow and post my results. Appreciate your help!

 

[Massey2019]

Pulled the main ground cable off and inspected. No corrosion, but the copper was a bit discolored. Wire brushed and reinstalled.
Unfortunately, fuse still blows immediately when I turn on the key.
I think there is another stub circuit at the back I am going to look at, just in case it has a problem.

 

[lpakiz]

Again, splice in a headlight bulb in place of the fuse. Turn on the key. The bulb will glow brightly instead of blowing another fuse.
Then wiggle wires, disconnect components, unplug wire connectors, etc.
When the bulb flickers or grows VERY dim, that will be your short.

 

[Massey2019]

Again, splice in a headlight bulb in place of the fuse. Turn on the key. The bulb will glow brightly instead of blowing another fuse.
Then wiggle wires, disconnect components, unplug wire connectors, etc.
When the bulb flickers or grows VERY dim, that will be your short.

Thought I would post a picture of the bottom of the fuse block. The fuse that keeps blowing as soon as the key is turned is the one with the green wire to it. No wire on the second side. I don't understand how a fuse can work with only one wire to it. You can see there is the fuse in front of it with the single white/black wire. That fuse is fine and and shows #7 controlling aux power, which I think is a small connection that is under the seat for rear power.

I'm guessing there is a wire somewhere that is shorting out. I may have to do some disassembly to be able to trace and check each one.
Any other ideas would be appreciated.
Thanks,

 

[Dmacleo]

that position 8 on block? instrument panel and engine start system?
or position 9, work lamp.
if 9 look towards worklight wire on backend of tractor and make sure not bare.

 

[Massey2019]

Yes, position #8. I think it's related to that work light wire on the back of the tractor.
I'm going to pull into garage tomorrow and go through it carefully. Not being an electrical person, gut tells me a wire rubbed through and shorting as it blows as soon as I turn the key on.
Will post what I find.
Thanks,

 

[Dmacleo]

if position 8 its NOT work light. that would be position 9.

 

[WranglerX]

I Think red/white wire (direct from ign switch) serves all three fuse positions (two without wires)... Look to see if there is a common buss between positions.... Don't put a lot of faith in wiring diagram either, my manual has errors on how fuse position serve components and wire colors...

Diagram also says fuse #8 should be red/black wire, BUT it is actually a white/black (in picture)

Fuse #8 serves..

#2 Fuel Pump
#17 Seat Switch
#22 "Safety Switch" (sub change) [neutral switch ???]
#32 Alternator Plug (12 volt to initialize alternator.)
Also fuel and temp gauges (and lot of other stuff in inst.pnl.)

 

[Massey2019]

Appreciate the responses, gives me more to go on. Will see what I can find in the morning.

I'm glad you mentioned manual errors, I found a couple that had me a bit confused.