Dragon
  • Home
    • Safety - Safety - Safety
    • Care of your panel
    • Wiring
    • Warranty and fitting
  • Instrument Panels
    • NMEA 2000 >
      • NMEA 2K Instrument panels
      • NMEA 2000 Cables & Backbone
      • NMEA 2000 Gauges
    • Switch Panels >
      • Bilge Pumps
    • Beta Marine Panels
    • BMC marine engines
    • BUKH marine instrument panels
    • Gardner Marine panels
    • ISUZU
    • Lister Petter
    • Perkins marine
    • Vetus marine
    • Volvo Penta instrument Panels
    • Yanmar Engine Panels
    • Other Panels >
      • 12v & 24v Domestic panels
      • Customer Custom Panels
  • Parts
    • ECMS Marine Gauges >
      • ECMS Retro Range >
        • ECMS Retro Range White dial
      • ECMS Mermaid Black Dial >
        • ECMS Mermaid Range White
      • ECMS Neptune Black >
        • ECMS Neptune Range White Dial
    • Digital and multi function gauges
    • VDO Gauges
    • Smiths - Lucas style gauges >
      • Smiths - Lucas Style - White Dial
    • Switches >
      • Ignition Key switches
      • Rocker switches
      • Toggle switches
      • Other switches
    • USB / Fuse / Other
  • Contact
  • Tips & Questions
    • Volvo Penta stuff
    • Support Video >
      • Helm & Flybridge
    • VDO Gauges
    • NMEA 2000
    • Switch Panels
    • ECMS Gauges
    • Wiring diagrams
    • Alternator and Sensors
Dragon Switch / Instrument Panels

Can I put a temperature gauge on a air cooled engine?

2/16/2018

0 Comments

 
Yes there is no reason why not! A Temp gauge is as important for a air cooled engine as it is a water cooled one. So how do we do it.
1.Air temp gauge. If you look at the digital gauges you will find a digital temp gauge with a probe sensor. You drill a 5mm hole in the tin ware surrounding your engine, insert the tip of the probe and bond it in with epoxy.
​2. Think outside the box.  Fit an oil temperature sensor and gauge. The only difference between a oil temp and a water temp gauge is ........NONE! So use the sump plug to mount your sensor do the wiring and, jobs done!
0 Comments

Using a Sensor mounting in-pipe fitting

2/11/2018

1 Comment

 
Picture
These fittings are great for adding a temperature or pressure gauge to an engine that does not have a tapping in it.
Fitting:
You order the correct size of fitting for the flexible rubber pipe on your engine. The size quoted on the fitting is the flange size not the flat behind the flange. So if you need a really 'snug' fit order 2 mm smaller than the internal dimension of your pipe.
Cut into the flexi hose. 
Pass the supplied screw clips over the flexi pipe.
Push the fitting into the open ends of the flexi pipe. A smear of washing up liquid will help it slip in.
Pinch up the screw clips. Be careful not to go too tight to begin with, you can always tighten up if you need to.
Screw in the temperature sender, you will want put some PTFE tape on the treads first. Sensors come in all fitting sizes. You will find that if you need to change the size there is plenty of meat on this fitting so you can drill and tap it to match your fitting.
The last job that you need to do is run a negative wire back to the battery.
​Then you should be good to go.
1 Comment

Where can I get 24 volt fuses?

2/11/2018

0 Comments

 
Electricity is funny stuff described by Volts, Amps, Ohms and the like.
We don't describe fuses by their Volt value we describe them by their Amp value. 
So any 12 volt fuses, fuse holders, cable, crimp fixtures will work quite happily at 24 volts.  
​Try not to use 240 volt cable or switches at 12 volt as they may not be up to the job.
0 Comments

What size fuse do I need?

2/11/2018

0 Comments

 
This is a very good question that people do not ask often enough!
Lets try to answer this by using an example.
I have a switch panel with five 16 amp switches on it. The switch panel has a single fuse fitted with a 15 amp fuse.
On one of the switches I have a LED Map lamp drawing 0.5 amps.
The next switch has my LED Nav lamps drawing 0.5 amps
The next switch has my VHF radio which is 5 amps
My cabin LED lights are 1 amp on the next switch.
And my Wheel house LED lamps take 0.5 amps.

The 15 amp fuse supplied on the panel by Dragon is there to protect the switches. But we are only using 7.5 amps so our 15 amp fuse is far too much for the job.
Lots of people would be happy with this as it gives is a good 'safety margin'. 
This is the wrong way to look a fuses. If a fuse blows that is a good thing - inconvenient but good.
In this case we should fit a 7.5 amp fuse (if we can get one) and it would not blow! Fuses have a 10% to 15% margin built into them and the manufacturer of all out electrical goods will have been given a maximum value so we probably will not be using 7.5 amps with everything on at the same time. 
The real thing that we want to prevent is fire! Electrical fire will happen when a electrical device or its wiring 'burns out'. So your fuse needs to be smaller than the burn out value of the device or wiring ( this is why your Dragon panel will have 25 amp wire and 15 amp fuse for 16 amp switches).

So in the case above even 7.5 amp fuse is not small enough. Our Map lamp above rated at 0.5 amp will probably only have 3 amp wiring running to it. So if the lamp burns out or the wire rubs through and short circuits, the wire will burn out before the fuse blows.

Think about your home circuits you have:
15 amp fuses serving many 13 amp sockets (UK values).
Each device will have its own fuse to protect it and its wiring.

So some in line fuse holders with one amp fuses sound like a good idea.
0 Comments

My boat has a temperature warning light. Can I fit a gauge to replace it?

2/10/2018

1 Comment

 
The short answer is yes - but there is a long answer.
Below you will see three pictures:
Top - a sensor that runs a warning light and a gauge.
Middle - a sensor that runs a warning light only.
Bottom - a sensor supplied with a Gauge that is matched to it.
The sender fitted intended to drive a light will not drive a gauge. so this gives you two options.
1 Purchase a gauge AND a matched sensor that will drive both your existing lamp and your new gauge and replace the original engine sensor with the new one.
2 Purchase a gauge AND a matched sensor and replace the original engine sensor with the new one.
Picture

Temp & Warning light sender

Picture

Warning only sender

Picture

Gauge supplied with its own sender

1 Comment

What is a Diesel Prime function and why do I need one?

2/10/2018

0 Comments

 
If your engine is modern (post 2006) and has direct injection it is unlikely to have a heater system to start the engine.The engine control unit (ECU) takes over once you press the start button in your car and a few seconds latter the engine starts itself. 
Most boat diesel engines are vehicle derived but if its a 'home' conversion the ECU remains on the car/van.
These engines MAY need the diesel system pressurizing to purge the system of air/moisture before the engine turns over.
That is what the diesel prime function does on a Dragon panel. Once you turn the ignition on the diesel pump live is activated and the start function is not allowed to work for ten seconds. So your diesel is up to pressure and all air/moisture should be gone from the system before the engine turns over.
0 Comments

Fuel Sensor Choice

2/9/2018

0 Comments

 
Thank you Dave. I'm sure you're getting tired of all my questions, but just one last one
I have seen other types of sensors than the arm float types. I just need your advice because I'm afraid that the float might get damaged from the fuel nozzle as the tank is being filled as the level of the fuel rises in the tank and the float with the level. So I'm thinking that it might be a possibility of damaging the arm or the float. What do you think? 
The 2 alternative types are  a) no moving parts sensor,   b) a  vertical tube with the float around the tube and the travel is the just up and down with fuel level. If either of these two would be chosen, then I think that a 250mm long would be a good length into my tank.

Hi Atli
The Flu I am fed up of Questions - never.
The swinging arm type work fine but they do tend to swing too much on a boat. However you are limited to choosing a sensor that fits into the ohms profile of your gauge. So its best to choose the sensor that is matched to your gauge - and - a gauge that has the correct type of sensor for the tank position.
VDO gauges have a vertical sensor that needs to be fitted vertical.
The fuel level sensor needs to be fitted as far away from the fuel entry point as possible and if at all possible should have an internal baffle to stop damage from filling and fuel swilling about ( the larger the tank the more important this is - you should be OK).
The retro range are swinging arm so can be fitted vertical or horizontal.
VDO and KUS are vertical only.

Retro and VDO are bolt down with rubber gasket fitting, KUS are mostly one and a half inch BSP screw fitting.
0 Comments

VDO Gauges wiring guide

2/9/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
VDO Gauges do not come with wiring instructions, so......
The two large poles are used to hold the 'U' clamp that keeps the gauge in position and do not have any wiring attached to them.
The small pole that has a 'G' next to it is there so that you can attach the wire that is being run to the sender. Remember that the sender must also have a wire running back to negative on your battery. This could be the earth strap on your engine if it runs back to the battery.
The small pole that has a '+' next to it needs a (12 volt or 24 volt depending on gauge type) live feed from a switch and fuse. The gauge will draw 1.25 amp max.
The small pole that has a '-' next to it returns to your battery.
The red wire provides power to the gauge internal lamp. This requires 12V feed from a switch and fuse and will consume 0.05 amps when running. 
Please note there is no wiring for the internal lamp negative. there is internal wiring that takes that to the correct pole.
Please note. The Battery gauge - Volt gauge (12 or 24 volt) will only have two poles, so no 'G' pole.
0 Comments

Welcome to the blog. Please post any questions that you have here that need a new blog entry.

2/9/2018

0 Comments

 
0 Comments

    Author

    The purpose of this blog is to help. Please ask your questions and give your feedback and observations.

    Archives

    October 2019
    May 2019
    February 2019
    October 2018
    September 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018

    Categories

    All
    Fuel Tank
    Fuse & Relay
    Gauges
    Starting Pre Heat & Prime
    Starting Pre-Heat & Prime
    Wiring

    RSS Feed

    View my profile on LinkedIn
Picture

DRAGON MARINE SYSTEMS  quality marine products.
 Instrument Panels wiring harness and engine sensors


Hours

M-F: 8:am - 2pm

Telephone

07513 844841

Email

dragonmarinesystems@gmail.com
  • Home
    • Safety - Safety - Safety
    • Care of your panel
    • Wiring
    • Warranty and fitting
  • Instrument Panels
    • NMEA 2000 >
      • NMEA 2K Instrument panels
      • NMEA 2000 Cables & Backbone
      • NMEA 2000 Gauges
    • Switch Panels >
      • Bilge Pumps
    • Beta Marine Panels
    • BMC marine engines
    • BUKH marine instrument panels
    • Gardner Marine panels
    • ISUZU
    • Lister Petter
    • Perkins marine
    • Vetus marine
    • Volvo Penta instrument Panels
    • Yanmar Engine Panels
    • Other Panels >
      • 12v & 24v Domestic panels
      • Customer Custom Panels
  • Parts
    • ECMS Marine Gauges >
      • ECMS Retro Range >
        • ECMS Retro Range White dial
      • ECMS Mermaid Black Dial >
        • ECMS Mermaid Range White
      • ECMS Neptune Black >
        • ECMS Neptune Range White Dial
    • Digital and multi function gauges
    • VDO Gauges
    • Smiths - Lucas style gauges >
      • Smiths - Lucas Style - White Dial
    • Switches >
      • Ignition Key switches
      • Rocker switches
      • Toggle switches
      • Other switches
    • USB / Fuse / Other
  • Contact
  • Tips & Questions
    • Volvo Penta stuff
    • Support Video >
      • Helm & Flybridge
    • VDO Gauges
    • NMEA 2000
    • Switch Panels
    • ECMS Gauges
    • Wiring diagrams
    • Alternator and Sensors