#1
IP: 24.152.131.153
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Instrument panel third and hopefully last generation
One of this off-season's projects was a third run at an instrument panel. The idea began with MMI's panel enclosure, a considerable improvement over my home built fiberglass fabrication and once the EWDS became a reality I knew I wanted to (had to) incorporate it.
So here it is. Improvements over the previous version are:
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Neil 1977 Catalina 30 San Pedro, California prior boats 1987 Westsail 32, 1970 Catalina 22 Had my hands in a few others Last edited by ndutton; 03-19-2014 at 01:49 PM. |
#2
IP: 24.224.152.244
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Wow
Wow, very nice job Neil. Nicely done!
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Mo "Odyssey" 1976 C&C 30 MKI The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The realist adjusts the sails. ...Sir William Arthur Ward. |
#3
IP: 172.12.21.53
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"Wow"
Neil, Absolutely excellent work. If there was one thing that I would add, it would be a "blackout" cover to keep those gauge "colors" from fading while not in use.
Tom |
#4
IP: 24.152.131.153
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Good point Tom. I'll speak with my canvas lady.
Thanks Mo.
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Neil 1977 Catalina 30 San Pedro, California prior boats 1987 Westsail 32, 1970 Catalina 22 Had my hands in a few others |
#5
IP: 72.39.179.26
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instrument panel
Wow!!!!! I think I have a bad case of instrument panel envy
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#6
IP: 67.54.132.155
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Instrument Panel
FWIW, here a modification made of clear polycarbonate, engraved and painted on the backside. Literally bullet proof.
ml
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"The greatest tragedy in life is people who have sight but no vision." Helen Keller |
#7
IP: 107.0.6.242
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Nice set up, Neil. Good to see you lost the key switch; those things are a constant source of trouble.
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#8
IP: 24.152.131.153
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Yeah Scuppers, I remembered your work. Very nice.
Hanley, I used to replace my keyswitch bi-annually due to internal corrosion. No more. We'll see how long these booted switches last. Longer I hope. That's the reason for the boots.
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Neil 1977 Catalina 30 San Pedro, California prior boats 1987 Westsail 32, 1970 Catalina 22 Had my hands in a few others |
#9
IP: 108.54.201.169
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Really nice looking panel.
My only nit-pick is that the color coded "normal" ranges (temp & oil) aren't perfectly appropriate for the A4. I'm guessing that it's not possible to open the gauges up to fix this. C'est la vie.
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Jeff Taylor Baltic 38DP |
#10
IP: 24.152.131.153
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Actually the gauges are easy to open up but I didn't feel much like redoing the artwork. You get what you get, life's a compromise.
Frankly, except for the oil pressure the green ranges aren't bad.
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Neil 1977 Catalina 30 San Pedro, California prior boats 1987 Westsail 32, 1970 Catalina 22 Had my hands in a few others |
#11
IP: 174.94.33.231
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You were on the Apollo program were you not Neil?
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#12
IP: 72.45.14.161
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This is very very
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#13
IP: 23.241.157.69
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Panel envy
Scuppers, where did you get that panel. I just redid mine lst year and cut a new piece of wood out for the stock look. I did not redo the Ericson logo though. I have E35-MKII # 174 a 70 launched in Nov of 69 I was told and still with the original A-4 ticking away.
Dave Neptune |
#14
IP: 216.115.121.240
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Panel discussion
Quote:
In the Chicago Man. of Style, series commas include one before the word "and" for the last item in a list. In A.P. style, I think you can drop the last comma. Also heat-shrunk is a compound modifier, so hyphenate. As to shrinked, shranked, shrunk, not a clue. Oh, the panel? Sweet! I want mine to look just like it Rus
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Whiskeyjack a '68 Columbia 36 rebuilt A-4 with 2:1 "Since when is napping doing nothing?" Last edited by lat 64; 03-17-2014 at 12:25 PM. |
#15
IP: 24.152.131.153
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Although it was a looooong time ago, when I was taught grammar in elementary school and preceded the last item in a list and it was never preceded by a comma. Maybe it's another California thing.
As a hint as to how long ago it was, the ice cream vendor working the streets in our tract of homes did so in a horse drawn wagon. Absolutely true.
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Neil 1977 Catalina 30 San Pedro, California prior boats 1987 Westsail 32, 1970 Catalina 22 Had my hands in a few others |
#16
IP: 71.178.87.84
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Hmmm..nice work Neil. When I incorporate the EWDS system, I guess I'll have to modify my brownie pan pod.
I went with a new cole-hersee switch a few years ago, but the key is a pain & I've already had trouble with it, and although not weather proof, I do have a hinged plexi cover that keeps most of the rain and saltwater out. I am going buttons/switches this time, and I REALLY like those long sweep gauges! Glad someone like Neil is around to blaze the trail for us.. Neil, my grammar school taught me no comma before the and, but it is apparently creeping back in as acceptable. Russ ain't the first one to comment on that.
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-Shawn "Holiday" - '89 Alura 35 #109 "Twice Around" - '77 C-30, #511 with original A-4 & MMI manifold - SOLD! (no longer a two boat owner!!) Last edited by sastanley; 03-17-2014 at 07:35 PM. |
#17
IP: 174.67.229.161
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Is this true?
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"Halcyon" 36' custom sloop. 8 tons. Glass over strip plank mahoghany. Spruce mast and booms, launched 1969. Original A4. |
#18
IP: 24.152.131.153
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Quote:
67c&c was having a little fun.
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Neil 1977 Catalina 30 San Pedro, California prior boats 1987 Westsail 32, 1970 Catalina 22 Had my hands in a few others |
#19
IP: 174.67.229.161
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I ask because the builder of my boat was an Apollo program engineer - the custom SS work was done in the NASA shop. Needless to say its quite good quality
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"Halcyon" 36' custom sloop. 8 tons. Glass over strip plank mahoghany. Spruce mast and booms, launched 1969. Original A4. |
#20
IP: 24.152.131.153
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I am pleased to report the new aircraft gauges are compatible with my existing sensors. After installation the engine roared to life and all gauges read normally. The gauges behaved as if they're damped, smooth needle swings rather than jerky, jittery motion.
There was one glitch due to a switch mismarked in the packaging but it was a simple diagnosis and an even simpler fix. Following Tom's advice I've decided to make a blackout insert with left over panel face material rather than going with a canvas cover.
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Neil 1977 Catalina 30 San Pedro, California prior boats 1987 Westsail 32, 1970 Catalina 22 Had my hands in a few others |
#21
IP: 199.173.225.33
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FYI: Many A4s had 80 PSI oil pressure gauges. The new gauge on the old sensor will be reading a little high. 40 PSI really would be 50 on the gauge, 80 really would be 100 on the gauge
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#22
IP: 24.152.131.153
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I suppose if I wanted to dial it in I could get a lot more elaborate but the new gauges read the same as the old ones, guud enuf for me. I don't even know for sure how accurate the old ones were. If this were an airplane or a heart-lung machine I'd feel differently.
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Neil 1977 Catalina 30 San Pedro, California prior boats 1987 Westsail 32, 1970 Catalina 22 Had my hands in a few others Last edited by ndutton; 03-19-2014 at 02:37 PM. |
#23
IP: 71.178.87.84
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joe_db..Since I've moved to the non-MMI oil-filter unit, I've noticed that sometimes my oil pressure is at 60PSI or so at start up. It settles in around 40, but just like any other engine, I can see that a 80 PSI gauge would be expected since we all want 40-ish at 2000-ish cruise.
Don't you always want your gauges in the middle at normal?
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-Shawn "Holiday" - '89 Alura 35 #109 "Twice Around" - '77 C-30, #511 with original A-4 & MMI manifold - SOLD! (no longer a two boat owner!!) |
#24
IP: 199.173.225.33
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I too have noticed the Indigo oil filter allows wider swings than the original system. I think this is caused by cold thick oil having to make it from one end of the engine to the other and through a filter and two hoses to bleed off pressure. I have a future plan to put my old spring and ball regulator back in the engine one day and set it for 50 and the remote filter for 40. Not a real big deal, but I like these experiments and I think it might damp these excursions.
As for the gauge, the orginal and most replacements have about a 90 degree arc for the needle to move in. The Chief Aircraft gauges move 270 degrees, whcih gives you a lot better visual resolution. If I ever get one of these I might get my graphic artist buddy to move the green arc down to about 30 and put another yellow arc from about 60 up to 90. Hey MM! Product opportunity for you! Get these gauges and have them marked with A4 appropriate ranges Quote:
Last edited by joe_db; 03-21-2014 at 09:45 AM. |
#25
IP: 107.0.6.242
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The reason the original oil relief system shows steadier readings is that the relief valve is closer to the oil pump and the gauge (sender) itself is also closer to the pressure source. In any system where relief (and sensing) is remote the variations will be wider. I have two oil pressure gauges; one is fed from the port right above the old oil relief valve location, the second is at the pump that moves oil thru the filter and cooler and is also near the (new) relief port. Remember, oil pressure varies widely in the dynamic system. Until full warm up I can have a 20-30 psi variation between the two gauges, but they stabilize at 35-40 psi within 5 psi of each other at cruise rpm.
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