[majorbison]

Hey all, looking like i’m going to ditch the stock gauges in favor of a trail tech vapor. I wanted to see if there was any way to wire an led to illuminate when the sender reaches the E indicator on the stock gauge. Since i won’t a have a gauge i figured a low fuel led would suffice. Please let me know if you or anyone has done this... i’m sure it’s doable i’m just not smart enough to figure it on my own haha. Thank you

 

[Obo]

Not easily doable as the way our units work.

They are resistance based. More fuel in the tank makes 4-10 ohms resistance, empty fuel makes 90-100 ohms.

Think of it as when the tank is full almost all the power runs to the gauge (it's "on"), and at empty very little power runs to it (it's "off".)

You'd have to make a circuit that triggered a voltage to turn on the LED as the resistance went up - aka turn on the low fuel led when there's less power.
That's not normal without some circuitry

I'm smart enough to come up with something, but I'm too lazy

 

[locojim]

I look at my gauge but pretty much use the odometer to decide when to add fuel.

 

[Doug Hyde]

Fuel gauge is a bit of a luxury item. I rode for many many years before I had a bike with one. The ZR gauge is very inaccurate anyway unless you add a resistor to the circuit like I did, then it's a little less accurate. :^) If you really want to keep an indicator of some sort, the simplest might be to relocate the stock fuel gauge somewhere under the fairing where it won't show but the rider can still see it if need be. Maybe mount it to one of the fairing stays?

 

[majorbison]

I appreciate the input gents - I can't use the stock fuel gauge because I've ditched the fairings for a more aggressive / street fighter look. I fabbed up a bracket to retain the stock 7S gauge cluster but it looks out of place with the front end being so minimal. That's why I've decided to go with a Trailtech Vapor. All the functions a bike on the street needs.

I'll have to look into how to make an LED or circuit come live based on resistance. I noticed the ****ty suzuki 250's used at the MSF course have fuel lights, I may also research what their mechanism is and see if that might be an option to fit it in tank where our float is located

 

[lpscruggs]

If you have a trip odometer and reset it and at fuel fillups 150 to 160 miles you should be thinking about topping off/ filling up the fuel tank again. For me that's to work and home 2 days, filling up on the 2nd day. In my car I fill up at the end of the week. I really don't see an issue. You are building a minimalist "street fighter" be what you ride. If you want to take it a step farther, you have a fuel petcock with a reserve position. When you have run till you engage the reserve portion of the fuel tank you have 30 or 40 miles left. Simple.

 

[anilv]

And these bikes have a reserve tap. When it starts to stumble just twist it all the way up and you're good for another 40kms (24miles).. on a stock bike that is!

Just don't forget to switch it back to 'on' once you've filled up!

Anilv

 

[prerunning]

It’s doable. You’d need an arduino or similar to read the current sending unit and convert it to what the fuel light needs to turn on and off.