Dash Volt Gauge Question

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Apr 12, 2014 | 04:59 PM

brianmorgan17

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Joined: Apr 2014

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Dash Volt Gauge Question

I just bought my truck and am working through a couple issues.
My dash volt gauge only shows around 10 volts. I put a meter on on each battery and I have 14.8volts.
Where does the volt gauge get its signal? Are these dash gauges prone to be off this much?

Thanks,
Brian

Apr 12, 2014 | 05:35 PM

Eddiec1564

Cargo Master

Joined: Mar 2007

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From: Arcadia, Fla

Quote:

Originally Posted by brianmorgan17

Yep, they are not the most accurate gauges out there.....

Depending on year of truck, the oil gauge is just a glorified idiot light too! It will read middle of gauge with any oil pressure over 5psi unless you do the oil gauge mod and make it into a real but not accurate gauge.

Apr 12, 2014 | 07:10 PM

jroehl

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Joined: Apr 2004

Posts: 6,473

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From: Lafayette, IN

The voltmeters I've had in my Ford trucks have always been in line with a DVM reading at the battery terminals. But not everyone here has been that lucky--the dashboard voltmeters seem to be a crapshoot.

Jason

Apr 12, 2014 | 07:34 PM

tjc transport

i ain't rite

Joined: Mar 2005

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From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.

what year truck?
i found with my 88-91 trucks if you smack the top of the dash HARD when running the gauge will work properly.
the way it was told to me by the ford service rep was there was a batch of bad gauges, and the dial would stick on some of them when bottomed out.
so to get them working give the top of the dash above the volt meter a good whack after starting the engine.
if it works, bring the truck back and we will replace the gauge.

it worked, but i never took any of them back.