Digital Gauges,Help!!!

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vrvokey

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Does any body have any experiance with digital gauges in late 1980's boats.Would thie boat have a computer,it is carb and there are no sensors other than for temp and oil pressure.I need to replace the readout as it is all screwed up.The display is hard to read and you can only look at one thing at a time,not very efficient at all.If anybody has any advise or experience with this your info would be greatly appreciated,thanks.
 
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glenn property of pam

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Re: Digital Gauges,Help!!!

basicaly the dash is converting the normal resistances the standard gauges use and converting them to the digital display. is the display bad or sunburnt (you want to repair it) or do you just dislike it and would like to change to standard gauges?
 
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vrvokey

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Re: Digital Gauges,Help!!!

It's a combination of the two,the readout is sunburnt and hard to read but most of all I don't like the single readout and having to cycle through the displays to see the readouts, only beeing able to see one display at a time is not functional,you can't watch the temp and oil pressure gauge at the same time which in my opinion are the most important to monitor,only way to see them is to push the gauges button on the dash and it cycles through fuel-trim-temp-oil press-then volts,not a good system at all.When I first purchased the boat I thought the digital readout would be cool but now I think it is useless.
 
CaptainKickback

CaptainKickback

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Re: Digital Gauges,Help!!!

Sounds like you have an old digital gauge, possibly one of the first made. All the new ones I've seen display all the pertinent engine data on the same screen. But, they aren't cheap.

Sea ya...
 
G

glenn property of pam

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Re: Digital Gauges,Help!!!

well theres a few ways you could go which is a new style digital version, a used all in one dash that might be a pain to get the correct sensors but can be done or a new set of gauges if you think you can make a dash board
 
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vrvokey

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Re: Digital Gauges,Help!!!

Its in a 1988 celebrity bowrider,it's the original display.
 
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vrvokey

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Re: Digital Gauges,Help!!!

Definatly up for making a new dash panel,just need some help with wiring.Can I simpley eliminate everything from the gauge to the controll box,go back to the wires coming from the sensors, and then wire to the gauges.
 
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glenn property of pam

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Re: Digital Gauges,Help!!!

proberly not. first test is to unplug the dash and make sure the boat runs and no alarms sound. the new gauges will have a ohm range and the sensors have to match. most sensors are cheap so if any dont work you will need to leave enoght wire to change one if you have to. fuel level is normally the worst to match the other should be ok. as i do not know what engine you have etc its hard to tell if the dash was a option for the engine or if the dash was a option for the boat. if it was for the boat then its a simple change if the dash was a option on the engine it will be a little harder as it may have the alarms built into it. any chance you can find the brand name so i can search for a print. if i find a print of the dash i might be able to make you a step by step wiring guide for the new gauges so you dont have to run any wire
 
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vrvokey

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Re: Digital Gauges,Help!!!

I will see if I can see anything on the back of the gauge in the dash,I also will take some pics and post them here.FYI the motor is a 5.0L Mercruiser with an alpha one drive and the gauges have Celebrity written on the front,also when you are looking at the dash the gauge readout you cycle through is on the left and on the right are four warning lights that flash for oil water temp volts and I think low fuel,not 100% on the last one I will have to have a look.The boat is a 1988 celebrity crownline 19.5 bowrider.Thanks for the info it would be great if I could get that diagram.Just to let you know I am not totaly green to changing or adding gauges at least in the automotive world anyway,just not familiar with anything marine and that digital readout and the control boxes behind the dash are scarier than a day at the mall with the wife and kids,HA HA!Also if you like you could go to the Celebrity boats thread,I think it should be the second or third last post I added pics of the boat a couple of months ago,thanks.
 
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vrvokey

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Re: Digital Gauges,Help!!!

Bubba1235 said:
Just curious, who made this display?
Click to expand...

It's celebrity,atleast thats what it says on the front of the gauges so Im not sure if celebrity actually made it or if thats just on there for the company name.
 
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vrvokey

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Re: Digital Gauges,Help!!!

glenn property of pam said:
proberly not. first test is to unplug the dash and make sure the boat runs and no alarms sound. the new gauges will have a ohm range and the sensors have to match. most sensors are cheap so if any dont work you will need to leave enoght wire to change one if you have to. fuel level is normally the worst to match the other should be ok. as i do not know what engine you have etc its hard to tell if the dash was a option for the engine or if the dash was a option for the boat. if it was for the boat then its a simple change if the dash was a option on the engine it will be a little harder as it may have the alarms built into it. any chance you can find the brand name so i can search for a print. if i find a print of the dash i might be able to make you a step by step wiring guide for the new gauges so you dont have to run any wire
Click to expand...

Here are some pics of the gauges and what I would like to put in.I found this pic,its the same year,motor and model boat.The one on the left is my boat ,you can see on the left is the digital readout and on the right are the warning lights.I would like to install the same setup like what is in the other pic. View attachment 161998View attachment 161999
 
V

vrvokey

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Jun 5, 2012
Messages
31
Re: Digital Gauges,Help!!!

glenn property of pam said:
proberly not. first test is to unplug the dash and make sure the boat runs and no alarms sound. the new gauges will have a ohm range and the sensors have to match. most sensors are cheap so if any dont work you will need to leave enoght wire to change one if you have to. fuel level is normally the worst to match the other should be ok. as i do not know what engine you have etc its hard to tell if the dash was a option for the engine or if the dash was a option for the boat. if it was for the boat then its a simple change if the dash was a option on the engine it will be a little harder as it may have the alarms built into it. any chance you can find the brand name so i can search for a print. if i find a print of the dash i might be able to make you a step by step wiring guide for the new gauges so you dont have to run any wire
Click to expand...

Here are some pics of the gauges and what I would like to put in.I found this pic,its the same year,motor and model boat,the pic on the right is my boat,you can see the digital readout on the left and the warning lights on the right.I would like to install the same setup as the pic on the right. View attachment 161998View attachment 161999
 
V

vrvokey

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Joined
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Re: Digital Gauges,Help!!!

glenn property of pam said:
the pictures are not working for me.
Click to expand...

Not sure why the pics are not working,I will try and upload them again.I do have some more info that should help.I looked at the back of the gauges today and under the dash there is a computer unit,thats how it is labeled then there are two harnesses that go to the display and the indicator.Each unit has a factory label on each,here is the info.

All three say Uniforce Electronics

Computer
model# 31858
serial# 659

Display
model# 31895
serial# 679

Indicator
model# 31899
serial# 662
I didnt unplug any thing yet to try it.Hopfully this info will help,also the gauges I would like to use would be RPM,Speedo,Engine temp,Oil press,volts,and trim.
 
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glenn property of pam

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Re: Digital Gauges,Help!!!

from what i can find the company is still in buisness but can not help as they have no parts etc for surport. it looks like the computer is a basic processor converting sensors to digital and adding alarms on set values so replacing it should be fairly straight forwards as the plug on the motor should be standard mercury. you should be able to check the motor plug in against merc standard prints like http://www.boatfix.com/merc/Servmanl/13/13E4R2.PDF then if that matchs you can either buy a used merc cord for standard gauges or make your own. there are no details on the net that shows how the computer is connected to the engine harness so that would be worth taking a look at. it looks like the computer proberly plugged into the boat wiring and does nothing for the engine or controls. i hope this helps. i would start by unplugging the computer etc then running the engine to ensure theres no cut outs in the system then just replace with standard gauges and depending on the plug i would purchase of make the dash harness
 
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vrvokey

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Re: Digital Gauges,Help!!!

Thanks for the info,that was my biggest question if the computer is symply to decode the signal or actually controlled the engine.I guess I just needed a professional opinion,again thanks for the info.
 
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glenn property of pam

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Re: Digital Gauges,Help!!!

have a look at this post its a intresting read involving changing out a dash that technically would be the same as what you have except the signal is converted to a anologe signal on the motherboard then displayed on needles. its 20 years newer so they compressed everything to make it fit one board rather than have 3 seperate moduals like yours has.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=489686
 
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