Gauge Ideas

[ncnmra]

So my stock depth finder on my 212X has never really worked. I decided to just unplug it completely because it would go into panic mode randomly on startup, and I have a Lowrance Elite anyway. Now the stock depth finder its just dead space. I thought of putting in some other gauge into its place. Maybe a multi-function gauge or something. Ideally, it would be awesome to have a small display hooked into YDS that could show engine hours, error codes, etc, but I know that's wishful thinking.

Has anyone used this space for a useful gauge, and if so, what would you recommend?

 

[justason]

TAGGING @Bruce

Bruce installed a battery Gage in this spot when he added his chartplotter. My 212x depth finder alarms all the time as well, on the fence about replacing it cause I dont want to have to use the chartplotter all the time.......that said

I was looking for a 2 bank battery meter for the hole with no luck to date. If I swap this out I'll install a rocker switch to be able to switch between batteries for a quick visual.

 

[ncnmra]

The batter meter would be good. Two banks would be excellent. Do you know off hand the size of the hole? I'll do some searching when I'm bored

 

[justason]

I'm pretty confident its a 2.5" gage diameter (hole)....I've been searching my amazon history for the gauge I bought, cant find it...

thread with some relevant matter https://jetboaters.net/threads/mounted-my-ray-marine-dragonfly-with-ram-mounts-today.1644/page-3

 

[ncnmra]

I think its 2-1/8" as per this:
https://www.amazon.com/Norcross-Haw...dp/B000JEOEE0?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0

 

[ncnmra]

2-1/8" is 54mm. There do appear to be dual voltage gauges in 52mm, which may work with a shim?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TOPO-Dual-b...e-meter-DVM-volt-and-volt-meter-/181330517864

This one is awesome, but pricey:
http://www.sonicperformance.com.au/...ltage-Gauge-(Optional-Current-Display)/pd.php

This looks amazing, but not sure how we could interface with it:

 

[Noko]

Fume detector if you don't already have one.

 

[justason]

WOW, I thought $64 was huge.......that second one is substantial.....I do like seeing an amperage reading on it tho

I'd be happy with a thermometer of sorts.......I can bury a battery gauge down by my feet or near the throttles

 

[Noko]

If you have a DC outlet, you can get a plug in battery gauge, thats what I have.

 

[Captain Ron]

I put an hour meter in my spot after installing a fishfinder. The only problem is i bought a yamaha hour meter that is used on outboards. It has three wires, one for power one for ground and one for the tach. I guess it needs a pulse to know when the engine is running. But my boat doesnt have a place to plug the tach wire into. There is a whole lot of wires going into the tachs and I have no idea which one is the tach wire. The gauge does turn on when I turn the key on but it doesnt start counting the hours.

Does any one know if i just hook up another power wire to it, will it work? Or does it need the pulse from the tach wires.

 

[ncnmra]

@Captain Ron, don't quote me on it, but I think there is a "grey" wire running to the tach which feeds it the pulses. I was in discussion with the PerfectPass people when I was considering adding RPM to the PerfectPass, but decided not to bother. I could have been purple, but either way, I suspect that "yes" your hour meter needs to see the actual pulses to know that the engine is running, which is better than my hour meter which runs any time the ignition switch is not "off" (ie any time the meter gets power).

 

[Captain Ron]

Thanks ncnmra. It would have been a lot easier to have one that works like yours. I guess I will figure it out. I also heard the actual tach wire was purple so I will start there.

 

[ncnmra]

I'm thinking of going cheap and getting one of these, assuming the size works... it would be nice to have a clock in a convenient place. The PP has one, but it is only on when the engines are running.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-Black-Sil...ash=item1c52e1ffee:g:984AAOSwpDdU4X70&vxp=mtr

 

[jcyamaharider]

That's where I put my elite 4

 

[ncnmra]

@jcyamaharider, that looks great! Unfortunately, on my boat the depth gauge is on the other side of the console (leftmost position).

 

[maboat]

For a long time I've been kicking around the idea of trying the Lowrance LMF-200 multi-functions gauge to take the place of the crappy stock depthfinder. This is one gauge that can display many different things...

 

[OperationROL]

In my former boat I first put in an ambient temperature meter then moved that to put in a dual hour meter.

 

[ncnmra]

Hey Guys, just a small update. After considering all options, I ended up deciding on putting in a dual USB-port + voltage gauge into the spot. I couldn't find any 2-1/8" gauges that would fit, so I ended up 3D printing my own bezel.

Here is the part I used:
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01M7V1ME1/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I use it to charge my phone, as well as power a small bluetooth adapter that I use for the stereo AUX in.

I also printed a small ball/joint mount for my dash clock. I think it worked out pretty well....