Beneteau Oceanis Electrical Panel - Faults?

[RJV]

In preparation for a short 2 day voyage in protected waters I checked the fuel and water on board via the standard VDO electrical panel installed in the Oceanis range of yachts (mine is a 2007 Oceanis 50).

The multi function LCD display when in fuel gauge mode is showing the fuel tank as 100% full which struck me as a little odd as I felt the tank was about 75% full. Toggling the display with the pushbuttons revealed that the two water tanks were also showing as 100% full. So I tested this and found that I could put about 20 gallons (90 litres) into water tank #1 so the tank could only have been about 50% full when the display was incorrectly showing it as 100% full. The display's voltage mode is working perfectly - showing correct voltages for all 3 banks of batteries

So it appears I may have a problem at the panel ... the gauge is showing all tanks being 100% full when I know them to be less than full. I don't believe I have multiple concurrent sender unit failures.

Does anyone have experience of this problem, or know what tests I can conduct to confirm the problem source? Is this an electronic failure, or an electrical issue (i.e. a shared bad earth)?

On the rear of the panel the VDO PCB which is the LCD voltage/fuel/water gauge etc. module has "Carte Monitoring 010142" on a small white sticker adhered to it.

My panel is very similar to the one pictured below which picture I found on the web.

I could check the sender unit at each tank with a multimeter and work back from there - what typical resistance reading should I expect when the tank is full versus empty? I am thinking that when full the reading would be 0 ohms? Empty would be ?? ohms?

All help appreciated.

[edsailing]

I've never come across a Bene or Jeaneau tank gauge that was anywhere near accurate - frequently indicate full when less than half full and then suddenly start decreasing as tank gets to quarter full. I think it's the way they make them!

[jannw]

A fair question to ask would be "did it ever read correctly?"

Car fuel sender gages are notoriously inaccurate, mine reads full for the first half hour of driving before it starts decreasing, and then it is not exactly linear in its changes. I'd bet the Bene one is just a rebadged auto sender. YMMV

[RJV]

Thanks, but I am not having a moan about the usual problem of gauge inaccuracy. Please don't take my thread off on a tangent - I am seeking help.

I know that most gauges have a reputation for not being accurate when they work - such is life. Actually, mine were unusually accurate because 4 years ago I removed the three tank sensors and adjusted the float mechanisms so that the float/arm could swing through the full range. And when I refilled each tank for every 40 litres I put in I recorded what the gauge displayed and satisfied myself that the gauges were within 5% accuracy across their full range.

The problem I am seeking help on is that my gauges currently display at 100% full and it would seem that if I totally emptied the tanks the gauges would still show 100% full. Something is wrong with the panel logic or the wiring, and I am seeking help on this.

[MI248]

Have you tried to reset it? Here is a link to the "how-to" from another site. If the link does not work just go to the site and search VDO Panel. Hope this helps.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by RJV

... what typical resistance reading should I expect when the tank is full versus empty? I am thinking that when full the reading would be 0 ohms? Empty would be ?? ohms?
All help appreciated.

Assuming Euro/Int’l gauges & senders:
10 Ω Empty, 180 Ω Full.

Assuming North American gauges & senders:
240 Ω Empty, 33.5 Ω Full.


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[neilpride]

Check the wires at the senders, Bene and other come with a horrible wiring in some cases, some corrosion and the resistance change to read wrong....Ommm

[RJV]

Thanks for the input - resets, gauge fundamentals, check sensors etc. I have studied this and will check when I am next at the boat. Cheers.

[MI248]

[QUOTE=MI248;1430187]Have you tried to reset it? Here is a link to the "how-to" from another site. If the link does not work just go to the site and search VDO Panel. Hope this helps.

//http://seaknots.ning.com/group/beneteau4043/forum/topics/instrument-panel-at-nav-station-blank? commentId=900123%3AComment%3A203231&groupId=900123 %3AGroup%3A49521

Looks like the link isn't showing. Just go to seaknots.ning.com and do a search.

[Lancerbye]

The problem appears to be a common one. If you lose your sensor ground to panel connections, the indicators will read 100 percent. I would be looking for a bad ground wire from the sensors to the panel. Bad connections account for probably 90 percent of electrical problems in electrical systems. Good hunting.

[nigel1]

The attached document might help

[chrysm]

Hello,
If you still are looking for information about VDO electrical panel , I have some.
I try to share all I know here (sorry it's in French but you can either use google translate or ask in english, I will translate what you are looking for) :
Le grand mystère des panneaux électriques VDO démystifié

The title is The VDO electrical panel demystified

Regards

[PhilDuhs]

Hi,

Mine is doing the same (2011 Oceanis 54) and the problem started after 2 years of use. Not all fresh water tanks are playing up so my assumption was that it was a "sender error" rather than a panel error. I spoke to my dealer who said this was a common problem and the cause is calcium build-up on the sensors inside the tanks and the solution was to clean them - a job for this year...

So... any suggestions on how to do the cleaning that won't subsequently poison the crew? I'm not sure if the sensors are within reach of the viewing hole but I'm hoping they are so some form of physical contact should be possible.

Phil

[chrysm]

Vinegar is a solution (acetic acid)...

[Porsche49]

Sorry it's so late. But I've just managed to clean the water tank senders & there fine now. Remove the inspection port & you can just reach the senders/ screws. I used a washing up scourer. Stainless steel type. I'm not an expert but it must take a reading from each of the screws (5) depending if the are in the water or not. Tank level!
Now I'm going to try and fix a problem with the lights! When I have the nav lights on engine & turn on the deck light the steaming light goes out. When the deck light is by its self the LEDs on the panel light up dimly for both nav light settings. Any ideas?


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