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Subject:cheap gauges from JC Whitney
From:Craig Oda
Date:Sun, 20 Jun 2004 09:15:40 -0700

I've recently purchased some cheap gauges from JC Whitney.  I'm not
sure how they''ll perform, but they were cheap and should provide some
entertainment during installation one weekend.

I bought a electronic oil pressure gauge and sender for $20.  This
seems suspiciously cheap to me.  I plan to use this as a fuel pressure
gauge for my injection system.  I have a VDO sender and guage for my
oil pressure.  I was going to get the same gauge and sender for the
fuel, but saw this el cheapo set on the Internet.  My plan is to put
this inline, someplace after the fuel pump, maybe even under the van.
I might even take the sender voltage from the line that powers the
fuel pump.  Does this sound like a reasonable plan?

http://www.jcwhitney.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10101&storeId=10101&langId=-1&productId=218998&mediaCode=ZX&appId=385824

I also ordered this cheap voltmeter for $13.
http://www.jcwhitney.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10101&storeId=10101&langId=-1&productId=218997&mediaCode=ZX&appId=384858

My plan is to use the voltmeter on my auxiliary battery, permanently
mounted.  I plan to leave it hooked up all the time.  Though, I might
put a toggle switch on it.  Even without a toggle switch, I think that
the current draw is so low as to not be a problem...  right?  I would
use switched voltage for the backlight.

Finally, I got this $40 air-fuel mixture gauge that I plan to splice
into the oxygen sensor and power from switched voltage.
http://www.jcwhitney.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10101&storeId=10101&langId=-1&productId=221860&mediaCode=ZX&appId=385055

I'd be interested in hearing people's thoughts on these plans.

Regards,
Craig