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MG MGF Technical - Sorry another b&g sensor question..

Hi ..I,ve wired up the b&g sensor kit and fitted it.
In the instructions it says the buzzer will sound twice and the light will stay on for a short time, this tests all is working fine.
Should it do this every time the car is started???
Mine doesn,t.
If you push the float down the buzzer goes off , but if you slowly syphon the water level down nothing happens no buzzer no light no nothing.
Before i put the car back together i want to make sure all is fitted correctly.
At the moment it looks like it aint working.
Any thoughts those who have fitted one??
Mel..
m e johnson

Mel,

Not sure I can help with the reason why it doesn't, but ...

>>Should it do this every time the car is started???

Yes, it should.
Dave Livingstone

Thanks Dave...so it is not working correctly ,i didn,t think it was.
It seems to work in reverse ie no buzzer or light comes on when you drain the tank but as you slowly fill up the buzzer works and the light comes on!!!
I must have wired it up wrong although i can,t think how.
Or i,ve got a dud.
Back to the garage.....
mel..:0(((
m e johnson

H Mel

I just fitted one myself and as you have already heard yes it sounds every time you turn the key on.
I cant think how you could have installed it wrong ?
the wires to the sensor in the bottle can go either way, and the rest of it is fitted plugs, sounds like a faulty unit.. my vote.. DUD
MA Jenkins

Hi, MA jenkins ..can you remember on the instructions the following .Step 10 says "connect warning light harness to main harness(orange wires).This leaves you with one connection left to plug into the buzzer.
Now on mine the wires are not orange ..one is brown and one is orange. this is the same on the plug for the buzzer.
I was wondering if this is correct?
Thanks....back to the garage..
m e johnson

Mel I've just fitted mine and can confirm that the buzzer sounds twice and the light comes on for a couple of seconds every time. I've fitted an LED in place of the one they supplied, but it shouldn't make any difference.

There is a delay of around 12 seconds before the buzzer sounds - this is to prevent a false alarm if cornering a bit quick with low coolant :) I did check with B&G to find out just how low the water has to be in the tank before the buzzer sounds for real. They said that it only triggers when there is almost no water in the tank. THB I would have thought it would have sounded a bit before then.

If you havn't got it sorted, you are welcome to have a look at my installation if your going to be at the usual HT meet on the 23rd of this month.

Steve
Steve P

Hi mate...Thanks for the reply....i seem to have made a total a*** of fitting mine.
All i was worried about was the new bottle and the bleeding ...dead easy ... a few conections (the easy bit for me) and it then it all goes wrong!!
The light comes on and the buzzer sounds but does not stop...if i push the float down in the coolent bottle (when the buzzer should go off ..hence no water) mine buzzer stops.
totaly the wrong way round.
As it is a plug and go job i can,t see what i,ve done wrong ??
Did you fit yours yourself??
I tested mine by syphoning all the water out of the tank and it did not go off...but it did not do the two buzzer thing in the first place and so i wasn,t surprised.
It did go off whan i toppeed the water back up and the float rised to the top.
I,ll have to mail them on monday with some pics of the wireing .
Thanks Steve i,ll have another look in the morning with a fresh head......
Mel...

m e johnson

Yes i,d love to see yours ast the next meet if it,s not sorted....
cheers ..
m e johnson

Nope ..still not working i have checked everything ,started from scratch , re done and it still does not work.
It either buzz,s not stop although the tank is full.
Or if you push the float down manually and let it go back up the buzzer stops.
but when you turn the ignition off and re start...nothing...not a sound .
Push the float down and let it go up again up again and it buzz,s non stop again.
The car is still in bits.
Nothing is straight forward if i do it.
Really can,t see whats wrong.
I,ll have to ring them tommorrow.
Any last ditch attempt ideas???
Mel....:0(((
m e johnson

The cheapest alternative,
Take it to someone who knows what they are doing.
It appears that it is beyond your DIY capabilities.
Geoff F.
G. Farthing

Cheers Geoff,
It is only 5 connections with comprehensive instructions supplied and all the connections are just plug in.
The fidly bits are the bottle installation and the dismantling of the cubby box, t bar, etc.. and the bleeding of the coolent system afterwards.
I,ll see what they say tommorow . I,ve photographed the way i,ve connected everything up and i,ll email them with it.
I,m convinced that the unit is faulty .
It is as if the magnet on the float is upside down as it works in reverse.
If it is me i,ll be Man enough to own up:0))
Mel.
m e johnson

Hi Mel - I fitted one of these about 6 months ago and it seems in all likelihood that you may have a faulty unit. However, it might be worth checking that the actual water level sensor in your new expansion tank is installed correctly. I recall that the new expansion tank was delivered delivered unassembled and you needed to push the water level sensor into the bottom of the new tank. While it seems a simple operation, I remember that it was a little tricky and I had to make sure that the sensor was properly engaged into the bottom of the tank. Other than that all I can say is that when the system is working properly the buzzer will sound twice and the light will stay on for a short period each and every time the ignition is turned on. The only other time you will hear the buzzer or see the light is when your water level is low in the tank (about 1/4 full), at which time the buzzer sounds continuously with the light on. This has saved me already on a couple of occasions and the buzzer is so loud that you can't drive with it on, so it does its job very well! Best of luck, Mark
Mark Hughes

>>>> The only other time you will hear the buzzer or see the light is when your water level is low in the tank (about 1/4 full)<<<

The water level at which my alarm triggers (when ushing the plunger down to test it) means that there would be virtually no water left in the tank. It's difficult to measure but I would guess at about .5 CM. B&G assured me that it is correct - but TBH it does seem a bit too low to me for comfort. I'd be interested to know at what level other peoples alarms trigger at.
Steve P

Mel,
The pcb is surface mount and too cheap to make to be worth testing; mine had a lump of dust in the etching of the power rail which meant no power on the board. A doddle to fix if you know about these things, but it is perfectly possible for an otherwise very good product to be faulty.
B & G are a very good outfit and will sort out the problem. They were patient and most helpful as I encountered the pcb problem and not at all patronising(just as well).
They will probably start by sending you another unitised pcb first but don't despair - it is more than worth persisting for the peace of mind the alarm brings. Good luck,
Charles
Charles

Thanks Charles...You are spot on...rang them today and very very helpful.
They are indeed sending another plug in ecu sensor.
I,ve sent mine back and they will post a replacement .The guy seems to think this is all it can be as the wireing sounds ok. I,ve sent some pics of the installation just incase.
Fingers crossed this should sort it.
I,ll keep you all posted.
Thought the thread may help others incase anyone else comes accross the same.
Thanks All
Cheers Mel..
m e johnson

Hi Mel

Sounds like you have your problem sorted :-)
Isnt it great having all these people so keen to help
Thanks guys....
MA Jenkins

Hi All....
Got the replacement sensor thing in the post today and all now works fine:0))
Just got to put the car back together now!!!
First class service from Browns and Gammonds .
Thanks to all who replied .
Mel..
m e johnson

Nice to hear of the happy ending Mel. Have just ordered mine at last - I'll be crossing everything having read of your experience, but nice to hear about another those little glitches that can occur.

Pete
Pete Tipping

This thread was discussed between 11/11/2006 and 22/11/2006

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