Gauges won't work in the cold

[YVRguy]

Gauge won't work in the cold

Fortunately for some, you won't be able to relate to this question because you're in the South

I'm still getting to know my 1986 Hunter 34 that I bought in January. When we went through sea trials, the previous owner pointed out that the gauge in the companionway that shows the levels for the fuel, water and holding tank doesn't work in the cold. It was just above freezing that day and when I tested it sure enough... The next week I slept aboard with the heater running all night and in the morning the gauge was visible and it seemed to be displaying proper values, although the LCD display is a bit faint and you need to look at it from just the right angle. Is this normal? Are there alternatives I can consider? It seems like kind of a "mickey mouse" kind of system for such an important function.

Thanks

 

[Bill Roosa]

Yes, LCD are bad for not working well in the cold. The unit works but the display just can't be read. Try turning up both brightness and contrast.

 

[YVRguy]

Yes, LCD are bad for not working well in the cold. The unit works but the display just can't be read. Try turning up both brightness and contrast.

Hmm.. If that's the case, do you (or anyone else) know of an alternative gauge or display I can use? I was worried the whole system didn't work in the cold but if it's just the display, maybe it's an easy fix.

 

[thinwater]

Also recognize that battery voltage is less in cold temperatures, and that not all electronics like low voltage. They will work when the battery is full, but fail much sooner on a falling charge.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

Odd .................................

.......................... as we're almost neighbours and I haven't had problems with my LCD hour meter read-out (everything else is analog) in the cold. And we don't really get cold here, just wet, foggy, sloppy, misty, drizzly, miserable pea soupy type weather.

I'd tend to lean towards low voltage for the problem.

 

[Stretch]

.......................... as we're almost neighbours and I haven't had problems with my LCD hour meter read-out (everything else is analog) in the cold. And we don't really get cold here, just wet, foggy, sloppy, misty, drizzly, miserable pea soupy type weather.

I'd tend to lean towards low voltage for the problem.

As another neighbour, I know my old Autohelm LCD speed gauge did the same thing, but just old age for mine, combined with Ralph's very apt weather description, likely hastened it's demise.

Fair winds