Need help in tracking electrical problem

[jimw427]

While up at London my Cobra developed an electrical problem, nothing real major, the gages just stopped working. They worked OK the day before, and Saturday mornig at London I noticed they were not reading, none of them, the tach, temp. pressure ect... none of the electrical gages were reading. The lights in the gages worked, and everything else electrial worked bit the gages would not read.

I have not started tracking the problem yet, though I would start looking at the basics I could eliminate, blown fuse, loose / bad ground ect.. but I thought I would look for some help and suggestions from the wise folks here before I tear into it blindly. They are SW gages, and all worked fine the day before then suddenly just stopped reading.

Any and all help is appreciated, Jim.

[computerworks]

If it is all the electrical gauges that stopped... each has their own inputs...but all have a common denominator = ground.

Are all the malfunctioning gauges wired onto one ground bus behind the dash....and that bus has lost it's ground connection to the frame?

The lights in the gauges are usually a separate wiring string.

[strictlypersonl]

It depends on the vintage of the S/W gauges. Up until about 6 months ago, the lighting used the case for ground, so if the lighting worked, the ground was probably OK. On the other hand, it might be that the power for all the gauges comes from the same source, a not unlikely situation.

[sharpe 1]

99% of electrical problems are loose connections or poor ground.
Good Luck

[jimw427]

A lost ground was my first thought, and the first thing I will check. Just looking of ideas and direction if the ground happens to be in good shape.

Thanks... Jim

[trularin]

Follow the voltage.

Simple to do, use a voltmeter and follow 12V from battery through connections and fuses.

Then chase the ground.

Strange, five people I talked to had electrical problems at LCS...including us.