New Panel Time! (Ordered) PLUS! Bonus Relays?!


Thanks!
It's always hard to tell how these will come together from tiny photos online.

I did not think about water pressure specifically. I have thought about changing the dash to a digital display. Ideally a 12" touch screen or maybe twin 9". One for engines, one for navigation.

However, my engines are 1-2 years too old and the 'conversion modules' are like $500/each plus wiring plus $2k screens, plus plus plus... and at some point it's a 20 year old boat and every $20 takes $40+ away from the next boat. New Mercury outboards come with 100 more sensors and so much more useful data.

It would be nice though.

Right now I replace the raw water impeller every 3 seasons. So hopefully that prevents any major issues w/water pressure.
 
Last edited:
I hear ya, probably put more then 100k in my 27 to only sell it this year for 22k

Last thing I did was install the chain counter (I got from you ;), ebay) and the water pressure gauge. Really liked the gauge, it let me know how the pump was working
 
Panels1.jpeg

Well, it happened. Got bored and thought, why not just do more panels?!

wire1.jpegoldPanel.jpeg

I took photos and wrote up wiring diagrams, then zip tied each switch's group of wires together so I don't have to sort 100 wires, just 4-8 or so each.

Whomever did the dash last used a bunch of 'default' rocker covers that have the clear oval at the bottom, but NOT the correct rocker bodies to actually LIGHT the bottom when the switch was on. Been driving me nuts for years. I went back/forth on replacing the rocker bodies so, for example, when bilge was on, the bottom light would indicate that.
Which, would be nice, but $
I looked and Formula didn't have the wiring for that (easy enough to add), but I drive 99.9% during the day. 45 MPH in the dark isn't fun for me. so... I ordered new covers that don't have the clear oval at the bottom so I can stop wondering if they actually light up. If the rocker bodies were correct and I could wire them to light, might be a different story.

I'll be mailing the originals to New Wire marine, I emailed them today asking where to send them, so hopefully ship out thurs/fri. This will ensure a perfect copy. Replacing the round red button with a 'horn' rocker that will be RED and light up when Panel Lights are on.

Once I get a reply I'll also order the new covers so my BOATCD will go away for a few minutes.

I actually don't blame the installer - the default switch covers on their website have these clear oval bottoms - ok.. cool.. but they put them on rocker bodies that don't light up.... so... someone looking at the dash is like... do they light up?! and then they don't. By not having the clear oval at the bottom it's obvious they don't light up.

Or maybe I've put more thought into 10 switches than anyone else has in the whole of human history.
 
and of course after looking at these photos I had to go out and clean the areas of gelcote under the panel. it's much less gross now. Also used sandpaper to clean up the terminals on the switches to improve conductivity.
 
I approved the new panels for invoicing. next I pay them, then they cut them.
The PDF showed them within 1mm of my measurements. (they used imperial). USE METRIC DAMMIT.

anyway. I also made up the wire runs so my new horn switch lights up with the dash lights.
I'm so bOatCD I'm now stressing that I should have put "Bilge PUMP" on the switch. not just "Bilge" cuz that's the level of attention/detail I require in my work.

The new switch covers do not have the clear oval at the bottom as I never had the rocker bodies to light them anyway! No more ambiguous indicator lights!
Horn is intentionally red to find easily.

new covers.jpeg
 
AllDodge said:
Then I guess I shouldn't mention "Raise Hatch" or "Hatch Lift"
:unsure:

Looks good
Click to expand...
lol. I DID mull that over. but the switch moves it both ways. So I thought, "engine hatch" or put arrows on the switch like I did w/the trim tabs/drives?!
Then I thought analysis paralysis vs Minimum Viable Product.

I also thought "Sounder" didn't sound right. Nor "Depth Finder".
Settled on what the switch does... it turns on the depth gauge.

I even sweated the details of "NAV/ANCHOR" vs. NAV / Anchor" and "NAV ANCHOR"

only 135 days until she's in the water!
 
just under $300 for 2 panels.. sheesh. (No switches)

if you CNC some plastic and call it for a boat, you can charge crazy prices...
 
Well, not sure that was worth the price tag, but it's done now. Everything seems to work and now the horn button matches the rest and lights up.

Fall 2024 should be sunpad, exhaust system (maybe 2025 on that), and the port tach light is flickering. ugh.
122 days until launch 2024.

Port.jpegStrb.jpegStrb2.jpegstrb3.jpeg
 
well, the bad news is I hate the connectors I used on this panel SO much.
The good news is, (almost) anything is fixable with some cash and time.

Ordered some new 4 and 6 pins.


These are the ones I used on my gauges and I was very happy with.

Nothing I love more than ReWork, but I'll be happier and already have all the tools, wires, etc. so It's just a boring winter anyway. Might as well do it right and be done with it. Just wish I had found these better connectors first.

OR. Actually. I guess I could just scrap the connectors. It's not like you regularly pull the panel. it's been pulled exactly once in 20 years.

if I had to I could wire the connectors later... that's probably the way to go.
 
Rid my boat and myself of the bad connectors.
if it becomes necessary, I'll wire in the better ones at some point, but that seems unlikely.
417445373_10228020886160336_4927619866160708951_n.jpg
the prior connectors used lower than I'd like quality wiring and the wires would pull out from them much too easily. No thanks. Not on my boat.
417700287_10228020886120335_7128217618751681914_n.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top