Does anyone know of a source for an angled engine control enclosure like this? My engine is a Universal/Westerbeke 5424 and I'd like to transfer all of the existing gauges and switches over to something like this. I find crouching down to see anything very annoying. The back of my panel is exposed in the lazarette, so it would be a simple upgrade.
Angled Engine Control Enclosure
- Thread starter Schwarz633
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Errr.. based on the OP's question, that's exactly what he/she wants to do.
The gauges and controls on our boat are also horizontal, and I have wondered about a solution.
I was leaning towards a digital display mounted on the wheel pedestal, but now I am seriously considering ripping out the wheel and switching back to a tiller. A sloped panel would be nice. I am curious what you find.
Do you have a wheel ? Maybe you can find a digital secondary remote mount solution for just the gauges would you need easily accessible ?
Edit:
Doing a quick image search for gauges, I found this company in California.
Maybe they will know where to get an angled panel. They sell various designs
Another option would be to figure out which boats have them, and contact a marina breaker/salvage yard with that info.
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That's where I snagged the picture from. I emailed them about purchasing the enclosure only and their response makes me think they want to sell you the entire assembly for $750. I need to follow up with a call and see what the options are.
The Perkins panel you show is no longer available due to disruptions in the supply chain so it looks like your best chance find someone with a 3D printer and provide them a drawing of what you want. It looks like your existing panel once had a weatherproof cover over the top of it to protect the instruments why was it removed if you know.
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 21,839
Perkins Engine Instrument Panels | Marine Instrument Panels with Gauges - Senders - Alarm Switches - Tachometers
TAD for marine instrument panels, marine gauges, marine senders, marine alarm switches, marine tachometers
www.tadiesels.com
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jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 21,839
Getting a prebuilt angled panel might be a challenge. What about a flat plastic panel say made of ABS and you cut the holes you want in the panel.
Then, you insert it in one of the enclosures, but you angle it to your desired angle for visibility. You then use a caulk adhesive around the panel edges to seal it.
Then, you insert it in one of the enclosures, but you angle it to your desired angle for visibility. You then use a caulk adhesive around the panel edges to seal it.
If you've got a hobby woodworking shop, I would think 1/4" King Starboard would be the ideal material from which to build a sloped instrument panel. Good looking and structurally solid
Because the hinges and fasteners were a total hack job and I couldn't stand to look at it.
The engine panel on my O’Day 322 is mounted low in the cockpit like that. I intended to move the panel up to the coaming, but that would have required a very large cutout. So instead, I mounted my fuel gauge and hours meter to the coaming (2 - 2” holes). I would like to get a matching tach and mount it similarly. Then the only thing I need the panel for is the key, starter button, cut-off cable and the dummy lights.
Greg
Greg
I do have woodworking tools, how do you join pieces of Starboard together?
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 21,839
I posted this yesterday.
https://www.passagemaker.com/the-vetus-maxwell-workbench/how-to-bond-starboard
https://www.passagemaker.com/the-vetus-maxwell-workbench/how-to-bond-starboard
Yanmar 2gm20f - Suspected fuel line blockage
Bought a 1990 Hunter 28 a few years ago to learn to sail and it has had good bones to her, but as one would expect an older boat needs lots of TLC. Last year when I last took it out she overheated. I had just broke the channel and couldn't turn around so I pointed into the wind and hoisted the...
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ACDC Marine is telling me that those enclosures are custom fabricated from Plexiglass. The picture sure looks like a molded plastic, or maybe they are heating and forming the Plexiglass?
Just on first blush, I would say to construct the whole affair on a bench with a large routered flange on the front and then slide the whole assembly into the hole in the flat surface upon which it's to be mounted. Of course much easier said than done but it can be done. Dig up a few books on cabinet making for ideas.
Driving Screws Into Starboard - when screwing into the edge of starboard, use very long, small diameter (#4 - #6 ) SS screws and make the pilot hole large enough so that the screw threads just grabs the material. Starboard splits over time if screws are driven into tight fitting holes.
I used one of these, decent but it collects dirt because of the rough surface, I would paint it black: Control Panel Enclosure 12″ – moyermarine
They are custom fabricated. I used to make the angled panels for them. We heat bent the two sides at an angle, glued on a top and bottom and then glued on flange. I think they do them all inhouse now. They do assemble and wire everything in house. Find a good local acrylic fabrication shop. They will be able to make one. They are not that hard to make but will cost. Expect to pay $150+ for a good plexi panel if you decide to go that route. That Perkins panel looks like it came out of a mold.
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I do have a router, radial arm saw and table saw along with the skills to fabricate something like this. As I see it, there would only be four pieces, a front flange, 2 sides, and the back (which would have 2 horizontal heat bends forming a shallow bottom and a deeper top). What would you recommend for an adhesive to join the pieces together?
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 21,839
When joining Fiberglass parts in a permanent way, I would resort to Epoxy Resin.
Thinking about this design, it need not be complicated. Attach a stop to the bottom inside of the enclosure. Cut out a flat panel that fits snugly in the enclosure at the angle established by the stop. (I'd do a mock-up to identify the desired viewing angle.)
When fitting the gauges into the panel, extending the wire leads beyond the back of the panel. This feature allows you to make all the connections at wire blocks, which are easily accessible. The panel is accessible without having to crawl in behind it, reaching into a nest of wires.
Thinking about this design, it need not be complicated. Attach a stop to the bottom inside of the enclosure. Cut out a flat panel that fits snugly in the enclosure at the angle established by the stop. (I'd do a mock-up to identify the desired viewing angle.)
When fitting the gauges into the panel, extending the wire leads beyond the back of the panel. This feature allows you to make all the connections at wire blocks, which are easily accessible. The panel is accessible without having to crawl in behind it, reaching into a nest of wires.