NMEA 2000 engine monitor

[davidwigler]

Windsong had a nice cruise today. I was driving from the bridge and nearly panicked when the starboard water temp gauge was pegged. I shut it down immediately and checked the block with an infrared thermometer and it was not even up to operating temp yet. Then I checked the gauge at the lower helm and it was fine. Looks like I need new senders or gauges for the upper helm.

Maybe it's time for a NMEA 2000 engine monitor. Has anyone installed the Nolan?

http://www.nolandeng.com/rs11.php

[REBrueckner]

My computer virus detection prevents me from accessing the above website.

[Boatsb]

It worked !!!!!!!

[Boatsb]

Windsong had a nice cruise today. I was driving from the bridge and nearly panicked when the starboard water temp gauge was pegged. I shut it down immediately and checked the block with an infrared thermometer and it was not even up to operating temp yet. Then I checked the gauge at the lower helm and it was fine. Looks like I need new senders or gauges for the upper helm.

Maybe it's time for a NMEA 2000 engine monitor. Has anyone installed the Nolan?

http://www.nolandeng.com/rs11.php

It is neat stuff and local to me by the way. They have some interesting options and last I checked there was some new products coming that were interesting.

[ThirdHatt]

REB, just search NoLand Engineering or NoLand RS11 and you will be directed to their site. NoLand is a great little company that makes affordable, reliable products for NMEA2000.

NoLand's RS11 is an excellent cost effective way to convert analog engine data to the N2K standard. They do have limitations and take a bit of effort to set up properly. One RS11 can monitor two parameters (ususally oil pressure and water temp) plus a tach on each engine.

I got my RS11 a few months ago and I was beginning to install it when I learned about the Albatross Engine Module from Albatross Engineering. They can monitor up to 7 parameters per engine and are much easier to set up, but cost is higher than the NoLand unit. I got a pair of the Albatross Engine modules and plan to monitor several other parameters in addition to oil pressure and water temp.

NMEA2000 is a do-it-yourselfers dream come true because it is so very easy to install with all the information traveling through only ONE cable. I recently installed a N2K backbone on my boat that currently moniotors wind, humidity, dewpoint, depth, fresh water level, etc. I am in the process of adding black water tank level, fuel levels for five fuel tanks, engine tachometers, oil pressures, water temps, transmission pressures, transmission temps, boost pressure and EGT's.

The sky is the limit to what you can do with N2K!

[sandspur1966]

I for one am very interested in how your projects go. It isnt onthis years to do list but I can see a system lik this on my old girl in the future.

[TopHattandTails]

Byron,
You and I are circling this solution from opposite angles... I've been down the road with ALbatross. Good stuff, just $$$ and its European. Nothing against Euro R&D - but trying to get tech support with the time zones ain't for me.

I've talked with Chetco in great detail, talked with Lauderdale Speedo (their JV partner) in great detail. Been to the shop twice to see working demo's. Long story short - that is the route I'm going.

In short, I need to see what sending units I need to replace for my OEM gauges, once I splash. My goal is to keep the lower pilot house OEM (mechanical and electric the way Hatt delivered the boat. However - the flybridge will be a glass bridge. So once I have the lower station operable with OEM style, I'll move upstairs. That decision will allow me to order either single (take off) senders for the NMEA2K, or I will go to new dual station senders for some of them. THat's the big Q at this point - which senders to buy.

Once I have the senders, I will wire the Chetco boxes in the ER for Engine Tach, oil pressure, tranny pres., DC voltage, and add exhaust temp. Those signals form the 8V71 TI's will go to the Chetco conversion box, onto the NMEA2K back bone and to the Garmin 5212 on the bridge. I will have a 5212 in the pilot house and on the flybridge wired via the garmin network and therefore be able to get the gauge screen. I plan on also having a dedicated Chetco touch screen on the bridge for a dedicated gauge screen. So my last bit of research will be regarding - how to get the NMEA2k signal (with the engine info) to the Chetco screen and also to the Garmin Network? Total bill anticipated is about 1 boat buck for the Chetco conversion box- it will do more than I have planned and will allow additional sensors in the future (e.g. tankage gauges, battery states, genny info - basically whatever sending unit you want to hook up to the NMEA2K back bone), another 2-3 boat bucks for the Chetco display, and probably another boat buck for sending units and gauges. I will scale this over 2 - 3 years, phase 1 is the OEM pilot house, NMEA2k signal to Garmin network. Phase 2 is the Chetco display, reglass and re layout the flybridge (going to take out all of the bilge switches, panel switches, etc. and use the 20amp switches built into the Chetco).

If you have specific Q's - I might have been down that road already between Chetco and Lauderdale Speedo. Maybe we can get a Two-for deal on this... ALready have detailed quotes for Chetco solution(s) and Luaderdale Speedo senders (but I don't know what I need there yet).

[davidwigler]

Third Hatt,

Please keep records of the senders you buy and take photographs of where the senders are located on the engines and transmissions. I would like to try this project myself too.

[davidwigler]

The Chetco appears to be NMEA 1083. Has there been an upgrade to NMEA2K?

[BUSTER]

It looks like a great way to update and accurately monitor mechanically controlled engines.Almost everything we see in our shop these days are electronically controlled engines.They do all of that plus the operator can examine and even "adjust" the engine parameters with the proper software package to shutdown or run in default when the engines are in trouble.

BTW;
Anyone with a little mechanical and electrical savvy,a couple of normally closed 210 degree,two pole on/off temp switches and a couple of normally open/closed at 10 lb. two pole oil pressure switches wired properly can build a failsafe protection system for their engines that will automatically shutdown a malfunctioning engine at a very low cost.