Hooking up an Older atomic4 to chartplotter

[fred1diver]

Hello everyone, I am looking for info from anyone who has connected their older atomic 4 engine to their Raymarine chartplotter.

I know I need an analog to mnea 2k converter, but my question is are they all the same.
Quick backstory.
I don’t have a tach on my panel and no room for one, my instrument panel is out of reach from the helm, I would love to be able to look at the info when motoring without having to leave the helm.

I would love to be able to add a fuel tank sensor as well, it would take the guess work out of the equation.
My Pearson P30’s gas gauge is a very long wooden spoon that I insert in the gas filler neck which is located in the middle of my cockpit floor just ahead of the helm, great fun, but really not easy to check (foam carpets to remove to access)
If I could get temp sensor and oil pressure, that would be great as well.

already asked the question on the Moyer forum last year and not much traffic over there so no answer.

thank you in advance

 

[jssailem]

Here is one resource that may provide a solution.

Engine Monitoring

Engine Monitoring Interface Are you looking to bring your older analog engine(s) online? The devices below allow you to connect them to your current engine gauges and or senders. They convert this information to NMEA 2000 protocols. These NMEA 2000 only devices are powered off of the NMEA 2000...

navstore.com

 

[Joe]

Here is one resource that may provide a solution.

Engine Monitoring

Engine Monitoring Interface Are you looking to bring your older analog engine(s) online? The devices below allow you to connect them to your current engine gauges and or senders. They convert this information to NMEA 2000 protocols. These NMEA 2000 only devices are powered off of the NMEA 2000...

navstore.com

Excellent resource. If I understand correctly, you simply connect the existing analog sensors to the conversion device, (from the instrument panel or from the sensor itself?), which is converted to a digital display on chartplotter/multi display. Is it really that simple.... and inexpensive? cool

 

[Leeward Rail]

Is it really that simple.... and inexpensive? cool

Yes.
Sorta. You need to calibrate the device so it knows how to convert the signals.

That said...
My nerd side says, cool. But after looking at how I want to install an nmea bridge on our current boat, I don't really see the point of spending time and money on it engine monitoring unless you have a bigger boat.

There are cheap and small sub $100 digital displays that connect to analog sensors.

For most of us, the engine controls and gauges are right there. All people need to do is turn their head.

If they aren't that close to see, I would still prefer separate gauges, and relocate them if needed... because I am not a fan of having a single point of failure. (The nmea bridge)

 

[Leeward Rail]

If I could get temp sensor and oil pressure, that would be great as well.

I assume your existing guages cover that ? It's just a location problem ?

 

[Leeward Rail]

Fwiw, when I was looking into adding engine monitoring, I found this post on the panbo site (the place for boat electronic nerds to geek out).

It discusses the process on a trawler but the basic idea applies. The RS11 seems like a great choice.

NoLand RS11, analog to NMEA 2000 engine monitoring

What follows is a first time guest entry by regular commenter Adam Block, who is planning a 2011 Pacific crossing aboard his Nordhavn 47 Convexity. Adam says "hehad no idea what he was getting into when he started a recent electronics upgrade," but he did manage to convert analog engine data...

panbo.com

 

[fred1diver]

I assume your existing guages cover that ? It's just a location problem ?

Yes it is a location problem, especially when considering that the gauges are exactly where people’s legs are when sitting

 

[Indysailor]

Is this just about adding a tach to existing gauges? Without seeing the cluster, I'd venture that there is room for oil pressure, temp, ammeter, which I think would have been standard and is what I had in my 1978 Catalina. I rewired the engine, rebuilt the panel with new gauges and swapped the ammeter for a voltmeter and there was enough room for a fourth gauge, too.

 

[fred1diver]

this is what I have on mine at the moment, this is not mine, I borrowed a pic from the net, on mine there is the master key over the temp gauge.
The PO put it there.
Now I figure that either I connect the gauges to my plotter or move the panel closer to the helm, if I do this it would make it easier to operate when solo, at the moment I need to leave the helm to shut off the engine, not very practical in an emergency situation, or if and when the motor stalls (I think I fixed that issue)

the only one I wouldn’t move is the choke.

what do you guys think?

 

[Leeward Rail]

Yes it is a location problem, especially when considering that the gauges are exactly where people’s legs are when sitting

That's literally every boat that has a tiller and many that have wheels. Including our C&C.We're not staring at the gauges when the engine is running and we are under way, so it's not a problem.

We have audible alarms for oil pressure and engine temperature, to alert us to problems.
The boat didn't have an RPM gauge, but I added one. It isn't mandatory, but it's nice when doing engine tuneups. I upgraded all the switches in the panel, to toggle style.

At some point I will get a new panel plate made of laser cut and engraved stainless sheet just for cosmetics and because I know someone with the laser cutter.

 

[Tally Ho]

Same problem for me on my O’Day 322.
i was going to relocate the engine panel up high on the coaming, but it would have required a very big hole and I want too comfortable with that.

So, I am moving select instruments to the coaming where I can see them…

So far, engine hour meter and fuel gauge.



I would like to get the tach moved (or a smaller one added) to the coaming area.

Greg

 

[fred1diver]

Ok, so here are pictures of my binnacle, I am wondering if and how to mount my gauges, key and start button at the helm.
The boat was originally a tiller boat and now has a wheel, works great, but I simply am not able to see my gauges or turn off the engine in an Emergency or restart it if it stalls without leaving the helm.

I was thinking of mounting pods on the SS pedestal guard, but pods are way too expensive, any ideas for me???

 

[jssailem]

You can install electronic sensors on your engine. Then you can add a black box to process the signals and deliver them to your chart plotter on the NEMA 0183 or 2000 network. It is possible, but there is a financial cost associated with it.

Here is a link to these ideas.

Best boat monitoring & control devices— engine/electrical/fuel - NMEA Boater

A review of the best marine electronic devices that provide boat monitoring and control functions for engine, electrical and fuel systems.

nmeaboater.com

Your images do not show the location of your starter key/power switch and the helm.