dual engine guages

[mdidomenico]

next up after i finish re-plumbing my engine is the electrical.  because it's difficult to get in and out of the boat with the stairs out, i'm contemplating creating a dual gauge setup where everything can be seen from the cockpit and the engine bay.  i know there are dual engine gauges out there.  what i'm curious is if anyone has a drawn electrical diagram for this?  i can draw one, but if one already exists that would be helpful

[scgunner]

Interesting idea, I'm guessing you're talking about running the motor with the cover off. When I do that I just put the top cover in place to go from cabin to cockpit and back, it's a long step but I don't do it very often. It's quite a bit simpler than installing a new gauge set but as the saying goes, your boat, your choice.

[mdidomenico]

Yup, no doubt, i've done the same.  usually i just use a step stool.  still a looong step though.  but since i have everything apart, thought i'd at least see what's involved

[Stu Jackson]

Many of us have put hinges or a hatch holder on that flat cover.  Makes it much easier and you don't risk stepping on the engine.

[KWKloeber]

MD

[edited]

You already have a schematic/diagram. There's nothing magical 'bout the engine harness schematic, i.e., the panel/gauges in the schematic doesn't care where it's located. It could be in the cockpit or in the engine compartment or in the head (interesting reading.)

You wouldn't extend a harness from the cockpit back down to the engine, you would just duplicate the same harness (a parallel harness essentially) but much shorter and terminating in a different location.  PROBABLY the easiest/best way to do that is with a terminal block.  Essentially cutting the existing harness, inserting a terminal block with enough terminals for how many ever gauges you want to duplicate. Then run to the 2nd set of gauges from that terminal block. Ezy Peazy.

I'll ass/u/me:
   - tach (no hour meter)
   - voltage
   - temp
   - preheat sw (momentary toggle)
   - start sw (momentary toggle)
   - power to the 2nd "panel" (toggle switched)
   - negative

For the above you'd need 6 wires (so a 6-position terminal block.)

HOWEVER, you need to use a dual station temp sender. Sierra p/n 52320S016 (code D) sender.
(OR, the sw on the power feed could be DPDT  (to connect the temp sender to only the engine compartment "panel" while you're using it.)
 
And fusing, if required**

** if your "current" (yes, pun) panel feed wire isn't fused DO IT.

It would also be a prime time to take care of/improve the negatives in the engine space (different topic.)

[Ron Hill]

mdid : Which gages do you wish to duplicate? and where do you want that second gage to be mounted??

A few thoughts ??   

[Kyle Ewing]

Have you considered an electronic solution such as this: https://www.panbo.com/actisense-emu-1-analog-engine-gauges-to-nmea-2000-happiness/

[mark_53]

Have you considered an electronic solution such as this: https://www.panbo.com/actisense-emu-1-analog-engine-gauges-to-nmea-2000-happiness/

With that, you could readout your engine gauges on your chartplotter and mirror the screen to your phone.

[mdidomenico]

You already have a schematic/diagram. There's nothing magical 'bout the engine harness schematic, i.e., the panel/gauges in the schematic doesn't care where it's located. It could be in the cockpit or in the engine compartment or in the head (interesting reading.)

understood.  i was hoping someone may have already done all the leg work and since most people like to put the parts they used on the diagram.  its a point in a direction, that's all.

mdid : Which gages do you wish to duplicate? and where do you want that second gage to be mounted??

ideally all the guages should be visible from the cockpit or down below.  i was thinking about building all the guages into a little box that sits atop the top panel or along side the vented grille behind the stairs.  this way if i'm down below i can glance at the gauges if need be

Have you considered an electronic solution such as this: https://www.panbo.com/actisense-emu-1-analog-engine-gauges-to-nmea-2000-happiness/

i have and ultimately this might end up being the way i go.  i plan to pull all the engine sensors (and a bunch of other stuff) into signalK eventually.  i'm not ready for that step right now though, so depending on the complexity and cost mechanical guages might be a good short-term gap

[KWKloeber]

...since most people like to put the parts they used on the diagram..


... all the gauges should be visible...below.

Tell me which gauges you want and I'll gladly post p/ns. I've got a long list from refurbishing panels.
As a rough estimate figure $20/gauge + 100 tach @ defender.
They all need to be on the same standard (Stewart Warner) and preferably, but mandatory, the same make as abI've.  Many boats have the fuel gauge (sometimes hours) in the nav panel instead of the cockpit.
Why would you want hrs and fuel duplicated below?

[mdidomenico]

Tell me which gauges you want and I'll gladly post p/ns. I've got a long list from refurbishing panels.

i have no idea at this point, if i do in fact decide to go down this route, i'll see what i like

Why would you want hrs and fuel duplicated below?

agreed, i didn't think into it that far.  fuel is likely not necessary.  in the old gauges my hrs meter is in the tach, probably wouldn't need the hrs, but the tach would be handy

[Ron Hill]

mdid : Instead of going to duel instruments here's what I did:
I made sure that I has an audio and a visual for the 2 important engine panel items - Oil pressure and engine Temperature

I went to RadioShack and got the loudest DC alarm sounder - a real screamer.  I connected it to both oil pressure and engine temp.

I changed the visual peanut light on the engine panel to a Red Super Bright LED.

That not only gives the redundancy of "duel" instruments but also uses the senses of sight and hearing.  I doubt that most people except those like myself that did a lot of instrument flying(30 years), really check that engine panel visually every few minutes!!   

A few thoughts

[britinusa]

Ron, good point.

We check the "Heart Beat" every 10 mins or less, and upon start up we also check the water  from the exhaust.

Re Electronic Option. I have considered that too, always liked the idea of having engine data display at the Nav Station. It would also allow engine data to display at the helm.

When Ken assisted me with knowledge about rebuilding our Engine Harness, I also installed all new instruments and screamers. At that time I put a switch in the engine panel lighting system so that we could turn the lights off during the day (the old lights had burnt the panell)

Paul