What gauges are useful?

[dlochner]

One item I've found very useful in the two years since I added it was a digital temperature readout for the ice box on our Alberg 35. Helps to build confidence that the egg salad stays domesticated. Also helps verify whether the ice box (or refrigerator) just "feels warm" or actually is warm.

Good idea, we used an indoor/outdoor wireless thermometer similar to this one from Amazon. Place the outdoor sending unit in the ice box and the main unit in the cabin. Now we know how hot the beer is and how cold the cabin is.

 

[BlowMeAway]

I'm mounting new DC and AC panels. What are the most useful gauges?

I guess it depends on whether your refer to your boat as "She" or "He"!

 

[Scott T-Bird]

Play Nice!(that's funny!) S-Drive doesn't need a switch to be lit up on upper panel.

 

[Cruising Spirit]

Hi Scott, I value my AC voltage meter where it can easily be seen especially after any dock maintenance, thunder storm or power outage where the power might not be correct. I saw one occasion where the voltage was between 95 and a hundred for a while till the dock source was repaired by the marina.

Other than effective DC system monitoring, we have saved hundreds of dollars and improved our safety using a diesel fuel filter pressure gauge installed in line between the Racor filter and the engine mounted primary filter (there is also a screw on the top system offered by Racor). A replacement Racor filter is about thirty bucks. Before I installed the in line gauge, I would guess at when I should change the filter and therefore did it far more often than needed. I would have changed it at least three times in that first two years cruising the Caribbean. The gauge paid for itself. The reason I did the in line rather than the screw on was so I could mount the gauge where visible.

 

[FastOlson]

I bought one of these, on sale of course, and keep it plugged in to an open receptacle in the main cabin.
Handy to see what shore power is providing and observe dips due to internal loads.
http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/ac-voltage-meter/69127
Precise enough for my needs, altho 'YMMV' .

 

[alleytm]

Off topic, but that reminds me of a business trip I took to Korea a couple years ago. Got to the hotel and I was confronted with this control panel for the toilet. The jet lag was bad enough. Good thing I hadn't been drinking!

 

[jssailem]

Is that green button for a pat on the tush... Good job there fella.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

Is that green button for a pat on the tush

Yes, I agree with that but what's the blue pat on the tush over on the right hand side ? And I don't think it's politically correct to even discuss the icon on the far right hand side. However, it's the icon on the lower left hand corner that scares the bejabbers out of me ................... looks like some sort of high speed wiper.

 

[jssailem]

Ralph... I thought the blue was a cold water spritzs wash. The red is warm for the ladys', unless in North Carolina. Beyond that I agree scary... Should be off limits - disconnected... require a special password for foreigners..

 

[Forrest15112]

One thing I installed on my AC panel was LED's to monitor polarity when plugged into marina outlet. I got some AC LED's and wired a red one from Neutral to grnd & a green one from Hot to grnd on the main AC breaker. If the dock power is wired backwards, the red LED will light. If normal, the green lights. I went ahead and put green LED's next to each breaker switch to indicate when on. I have an AC meter, but have not decided if I'm going to install.

 

[DPW]

has anyone linked to MFD gauges? Is it possible to use MFD for engine monitoring, voltage, etc.? thinking of upgrading from 2009 E120 to newer Es system from Raymarine.

 

[LeslieTroyer]

has anyone linked to MFD gauges? Is it possible to use MFD for engine monitoring, voltage, etc.? thinking of upgrading from 2009 E120 to newer Es system from Raymarine.

I display my Engine gauges on my e7D and/or i70 - and I have an old Universal M25, much more functional to have them up where I can see them than down on the deck.
The middle one shows RPM, Oil Pressure, and Coolant Temp from my engine group, also SOG & Depth.
Les

 

[Benny17441]

Being able to monitor AC power is very useful when you regularly visit transient slips at Marinas.

 

[Davidasailor26]

I display my Engine gauges on my e7D and/or i70 - and I have an old Universal M25, much more functional to have them up where I can see them than down on the deck.
The middle one shows RPM, Oil Pressure, and Coolant Temp from my engine group, also SOG & Depth.
Les

View attachment 134199

How'd you get the info from the engine sensors into the instrumentation? I've seen adapters but they're not cheap.

 

[LeslieTroyer]

I use Noland Engineering's RS11. $305 at the NavStore.com

Les

 

[DougM]

I use Noland Engineering's RS11. $305 at the NavStore.com

I was hoping I could find a way to get at least tach and fuel gauge readouts on my MFD. My Yanmar engine panel is in the vertical wall of the starboard lazarette about 2 inches above the deck. Try reading that from a standing position.
Any insight on a means of doing this without spending the $300?

 

[NotCook]

T

I don't have any desire to use a holding tank gauge, but if I ever do, I'll mount it in the head.

This is an especially useful gauge. It lets you know when to inform the Admiral that she, too, has to pee over the rail instead of in the head until you can get back to 3 miles offshore to dump the tank...

On the AC side, we find the Hertz meter helpful in calibrating the generator RPMS to set it at 60 Hz. It also contributes to understand what you're getting from shore power. An even more important tool for shore power, in my opinion, is the little orange diagnostic plug with the three lights on it that you plug into the shore power first, to check the polarity, so you know whether or not you really want to plug your power cord into it!

 

[SEMPERAVANTI41]

DPW, I linked my E120 to my engine instruments using the MBW M200 engine monitor. The M200 was standard equipment on my Hunter 50, only had to add the NEMA 2000 cable and Raymarine interface cable.

 

[Benny17441]

Could not do without an hour meter.

 

[Captmayhem]

Have a dig around on the net for what you can have displayed on a small screen and a raspberry pi, engine temp, water temp, fuel and tank levels.
Admittedly it's not plug and play, but does require a little playing and learning, but that's part of the attraction for me