Low Gas Buzzer Shut-off Switch

[henryb]

I just installed the new gas tank sender unit, as my gas gauge was not working. Gas gauge is reading properly now! Also noted that the low-gas level buzzer is also working! The Seadoo Operators Manual says that it should indicate that there is about 10% left in the tank... well, it buzzed with about 1/4 tank full? Well, that is not such a bad thing, but what was worse, was that the Low Gas Buzzer Shut-off switch (on the dash with Orange light) did not seem to shut the buzzer off? The Orange light came on ok, but it would not shut the buzzer off. I filled up the tank with another 20liter can of gas and then turned on the ignition, sure enough the buzzer stayed quiet.

I checked the fuse for the switch, looked good, but I swapped it for the only other 3A fuse on the Nav Lights. Didn't seem to help. I also checked for continuity on the switch connections... the schematic shows that the switch closes the connection between the 2 black wires. So I checked 12v between the blue wire and one of the blacks... good. Then tested the blue with the other black it had 0v, until I pressed the switch, and then it would have 12v... so it appears that the switch is working?

Any suggestions on where to go from here?
Thanks
Brent.

 

[Dr Honda]

The switch could be bad... but on my boat, I have to hold the button for a couple seconds to stop the buzzer.

 

[henryb]

The switch could be bad... but on my boat, I have to hold the button for a couple seconds to stop the buzzer.

I tried holding it for about 2 seconds when a quick blip of the button didn't work... but a 2 second hold did not work either ... maybe I need to be a bit more patient... when you say "a couple of seconds", does that mean 3, 4, 5 seconds or longer?

Any good sources for replacement buttons?

Thanks,
Brent.

 

[Dr Honda]

I don't hold it for that long. I know a "Blip" doesn't work... but a press and hold does. So... 2 seconds tops.

You can get a replacement for the switch......... But my brain isn't working, and I can't think of the company who made them. (Let me think for a few)

 

[Dr Honda]

I remembered....


The company is Carling. If you pull your switch, you can see where the terminals are on the back. Then you can get a matching style, momentary switch. (with a light)

 

[henryb]

I remembered....


The company is Carling. If you pull your switch, you can see where the terminals are on the back. Then you can get a matching style, momentary switch. (with a light)

Thanks Tony, I will most certainly check into Carling replacement switches.

 

[henryb]

Hey Tony, I finally got a replacement switch, installed it yesterday... but unfortunately it still does not shutoff that buzzer. Any ideas on where to go from here... other then to the gas station!!! LOL

 

[Dr Honda]

How low is the tank? Pushing that switch should shut it up for a while regardless.

 

[henryb]

The tank is approximately 1/4 full. With a little movement sloshing the gas forward in the tank causes the sender to dip low enough to activate the buzzer. The orange light on the switch comes on while the buzzer is sounding. But pressing and holding that switch does not deactivate the buzzer. The only way I can shut-off the buzzer is by turning the ignition off.

 

[Dr Honda]

Well... I'd say put some fuel in it... or pull the wire off the buzzer if you are just trying to work on it, and don't want to listen to it.

 

[henryb]

Yes, I pulled the wire on the buzzer for now until I get it figured out. Thanks, for your help. I really hope it is not something wrong with the CPU?

 

[Dr Honda]

I think the new sender made it come back to life... and putting fuel in it will be fine. But I'm not sure why it's not silencing it. On some boats, it will give you a warning (that can be turned off) at around 1/4 tank... but if you got closer to 1/8th of a tank... it was just on.

 

[henryb]

While I had the boat in at the marina last week getting the Rock Grate installed, I had the mechanic look into the "Low Gas Switch" not working. He confirmed that the switch mechanism works, he checked that the sender (which was new from last summer) works, in that it initiates the buzzer when gas level gets low. He also checked all of the wiring for continuity, didn't find any wiring problem. So where does that leave us? Is it something in the CPU... is there a relay or some module that could be swapped out instead of the whole motherboard? Any thoughts?

 

[henryb]

Quick update on this problem... Found that there is a logic module (for the low gas warning buzzer/switch) that is mounted inside the main Fuse Block behind the helm. I took the part number right off the fuse block itself: 204-470-470. But apparently that part has been superseded by part 204-470-597. Which was used on 2001 models and all subsequent years! Bombardier must have found a problem with the original part??? Like it didn't work!!! LOL. So now I'm looking for a good used Fuse Block, as new ones are $269CDN.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Dr Honda]

It's part of the fuse block on your boat?? Wow. Guess I'll have to dig into that one a little. But I know I've seen those boats being parted out on ebay.

 

[henryb]

Yes, I traced it down through the wiring schematic! And it all seems to make sense, as the buzzer/sender/switch are all connected to the fuse block?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[henryb]

And by the way... It's great to hear from you again!!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Windig89]

How timely, I have the exact same snag right now and it's driving me nuts. I ended up disconnecting the fuel sender cannon plug to make the buzzer stop. The switch on the dash has no effect whatsoever. I hope we can get to the bottom of this.

Cheers

 

[henryb]

I would recommend that you make the disconnection at the buzzer, this way the Orange light on the switch will still come on... Rather then at the sender. It's better then nothing!

But I will certainly keep you posted on how I get this fixed. Right now I think it's the logic module inside the fuse block. Need to find someone dismantling their boat to get one for a decent price.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Windig89]

I'm still running the original oil pump gear so not having that buzzer hooked up could cost me big time. After I fill up I plug the sender back in, takes 2 seconds and allows me to do a visual of the tank at the same time. Good thing our tanks are visible and transparent!

 

[Windig89]

My fuel level is about 2 inches above where the tank narrows when the buzzer goes off. I figured that's allot fuel left and not the normal level for a low fuel alarm.

 

[henryb]

I'm still running the original oil pump gear so not having that buzzer hooked up could cost me big time. After I fill up I plug the sender back in, takes 2 seconds and allows me to do a visual of the tank at the same time. Good thing our tanks are visible and transparent!

The Low Oil warning comes through a separate buzzer. As Dr Honda has mentioned, these boats have 2 buzzers... one from Seadoo and and one from Mercury. The Seadoo buzzer sounds for Low Gas. Where as the Mercury buzzer sounds for Low Oil and other things.

If you look under the driver helm compartment, the Seadoo buzzer is physically mounted to the fiberglass right above where the driver's legs would be (look under there and you can see it). The Mercury buzzer is just sitting loose in the helm compartment, attached to the wiring harness.

So if you follow the Seadoo buzzer wires, it will lead to a connector before it gets into the Fuse Block. You can disconnect it there and you will only loose the Low Gas Buzzer, but keep the Orange light on the switch.... which is not so bad.

 

[henryb]

Quick update on this problem... Found that there is a logic module (for the low gas warning buzzer/switch) that is mounted inside the main Fuse Block behind the helm. I took the part number right off the fuse block itself: 204-470-470. But apparently that part has been superseded by part 204-470-597. Which was used on 2001 models and all subsequent years! Bombardier must have found a problem with the original part??? Like it didn't work!!! LOL. So now I'm looking for a good used Fuse Block, as new ones are $269CDN.

I think I found the reason why the Fuse Block has changed part numbers. I just noticed that on the 2001 Challenger 1800 models, that the Low Gas Switch has been elliminated! This model year only has 5 buttons. Thus the Fuse Block probably had to be changed to remove that functionality... So I'm thinking that the 204-470-597 part does not have a connector for the Low Gas switch and buzzer? That leads me to believe that the "module" for the buzzer might just be somewhere else, but the switch connector has probably been removed completely.

So if I want to get this working like it is supposed to, I will need to find a used 204-470-470 fuse block somewhere! Any thoughts?

 

[Windig89]

OK I'm with you, thanks, that is very valuable information. If we cant figure this out, then I might just wire in a simple switch that disconnects the buzzer until next fill up. As annoying as it is, I do find the buzzer useful as things are noisy driving this boat and I don't notice the fuel light come on in the sun (its also kind of hidden by your hand). The buzzer really works to get your attention, I want to keep it functioning in some form or another.

 

[henryb]

I'm beginning to wonder about the buzzer itself now, as this past weekend I let the gas tank go down really low, hoping to hear the buzzer and maybe track down the switch problem a bit more? But it never sounded off? Checked the orange light on the switch as well... Nada??? Always something!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk