New E38-200 owner, let the fun begin, starting w/ engine instruments

[dxulander]

Just closed on a 1989 Ericson 38-200, she was in SD, and I sailed (and motor) her up to Marina Del Rey this past week. Now that she's here, making a list of all of the things that's now on my to-do list and I'll start w/ the engine instruments: the hour meter doesn't work, tach doesn't work, the oil/water temp is questionable, so I basically like to replace the whole thing if I can. This is her if curious/interested: https://californiayachtsales.com/boat/1989/ericson/38-200/1448/

About me: principal level engineer in tech, handy and hands-on w/ both electrical and mechanical things. Got most of the basic DYI aptitude like using a voltmeter, V = IR (joke), done lots of home renovations, own most of the tools.

Problem statement: The www.westerbeke.com parts list is spotty, I've looked through the forums and seem like folks are able to find "after-market" parts. I guess my main question is, before I go sink $$ on replacement parts (i.e. trying to replace 300684 Tach), how will I know if any of the after-market parts will fit like Faria Beede mentioned in some of the other instrument panel refresh posts. Some websites will reference MPN manufacture's part number (like replacing the impeller), but doesn't seem like these Universal instruments have any resellers.

More noob questions coming, but I also want to let folks here know, I'm doing my research!

Cheers.

 

[kiwisailor]

I'm planning to enhance my engine control panel by adding an engine monitoring unit that will convert the analog signals to NMEA 200 digital and display the data on my MFD display. This is the interface I'm looking at. https://actisense.com/products/emu-1-nmea-2000-engine-data/

 

[Joliba]

Are you sure the tachometer itself is not working? Much more commonly we see problems with a ground wire, or the signal from the alternator and voltage regulator. If indeed you need to replace instruments, upgrading to a digital display on an MFD would “modernize” the system.
Mike Jacker

 

[dxulander]

Goal is to bring her into 2022! And indeed, the more I read, the more this is scope-creeping into an entire NMEA 2000 (with wifi) conversion project @kiwisailor, article from 2019, how is it going?? https://ericsonyachts.org/ie/ubs/up...to-nmea-2000-instruments-and-ais-class-b.667/

And this may solve my other problems where I have these 2 gorgeous Simrad displays that only show telemetry from the wind vane transducer (so no SOG or anything else).

 

[Joliba]

If you find that the problems are simply related to a faulty connection or two, you may consider keeping the old analog engine instruments as “backup” even if you go with a completely new unified digital system for sailing instruments, engine instruments, navigation, autopilot, radar, AIS, radio, etc.

 

[dxulander]

Aligned, redundancy is important.

 

[Dave G.]

I believe the Westerbeke is a marinized Kabota like most of the Universals but others here may know positively and what model tractor yours would be specifically. Typically tractor engine parts are much cheaper than dealing with marine suppliers.

 

[Kenneth K]

Lots of good posts and blogs about engine panel upgrades on this site. Here's mine from a few year ago (https://ericsonyachts.org/ie/ubs/another-engine-panel-upgrade-pt-1.701/). \

It's purely old-school--hardwired, analog gauges, but I also added an oil pressure gauge (https://ericsonyachts.org/ie/ubs/adding-an-oil-pressure-manifold-and-gauge.763/) and an alarm panel for low oil press and high water temp (https://ericsonyachts.org/ie/ubs/mariah-part-iv-engine-monitoring-systems.553/).

Almost any aftermarket 12V gauges will work. Just make sure you get the type of Tachometer that accepts signals from an alternator-tach-generator. Buy Kubota parts if you can and Westerbeke.com parts only if you have to.

 

[Christian Williams]

From https://ericsonyachts.org/ie/ubs/universal-m25-engine-wiring-upgrade-part-1-cockpit-gauges.162/ :

Here's what I ordered from Defender:
#300511 TEL HDS DIESEL TACH
#303996 TEL WATER TEMP AMEGA
# 03943 TEL VOLTMETER 8-18 VDC AMEGA
COLE OFF-ON PUSH PULL SWITCH
COLE PUSH BUTTON SWITCH (Off/Momentary On) (2)

The Teleflex Amega line of tachometer, voltmeter and water temperature gauge matched exactly my originals, so they went right in. None of the senders needed to be replaced, and the original wiring was fine.

 

[Pete the Cat]

Are you sure the tachometer itself is not working? Much more commonly we see problems with a ground wire, or the signal from the alternator and voltage regulator. If indeed you need to replace instruments, upgrading to a digital display on an MFD would “modernize” the system.
Mike Jacker

I will second the idea of starting with making sure that all the grounds are good in your boat. Without clean and well-secured grounds all things electrical can perform badly and make you spend a lot of time and money chasing electrical gremlins in your instruments that do not exist. Make sure your grounds and wiring are solid before writing off your instruments. Also, if you are really interested in correct RPM the size of the pulley on the alternator can be a major determinant--production boats are generally off a bit on the tach just because this is not a precise way to measure RPM (from the alternator). Westerbeke never really manufactured engines, they just "marinized" small tractor and taxi diesels. The marinizing parts can generally be bought aftermarket for much less.

 

[David Grimm]

My hours meter on the tach mysteriously went from somewhere around 2500 hours to 500 hrs on my last trip. I service the engine annually not on an hourly basis so I think I'll just leave it be.

 

[Loren Beach]

Not to try to resurrect the beaten horse, but I do believe that knowing the engine hours is useful for current owner and reassuring to a future buyer.
Our factory engine hours display on the '88 Universal was still working when the engine was removed, but anecdotal evidence suggested that it likely was near its end-of-life. (the old panel looked badly corroded and the gauges and switches were pretty haggard.)
The new Betamarine panel looks really modern, but on our boat model is difficult to read, so I installed a remote "Hobbs" meter that is much easier to see.

O34 - New Hour Meter & Halon Status light (part 1)

After removing the old (crumbling lens) Halon status light in its escutcheon plate, I needed to install a new one. The purpose of that light is to see if the Halon extinguisher has discharged, without opening the hatch to the engine compartment...

ericsonyachts.org

Every boat model will be different in where this meter might best fit, and some owners will value the idea more than others.....

 

[Bepi]

V=IR=RDRR

 

[areisenweb]

I'm planning to enhance my engine control panel by adding an engine monitoring unit that will convert the analog signals to NMEA 200 digital and display the data on my MFD display. This is the interface I'm looking at. https://actisense.com/products/emu-1-nmea-2000-engine-data/

I went with the Noland RS11 unit to digitize tach,water temp and oil pressure with my Yanmar 3JH53 diesel. The RS11 also allows you to program the current engine hours, and keep it updates…so hours are displayed too. it does not seem to show fractions of hours. I’m not sure if that’s the RS11 or a limitation of the field displayed on my Raymarine mfd.

i spliced the unit into the wiring harness behind the instrument panel.