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Post by ianqv on Sept 1, 2016 6:46:56 GMT
I recently had concerns where the engine was running hotter than usual. Not happy with the standard alarm system which pretty much only tells you that the engine is over heating, I wanted something which would tell me how hot it actually was and would warn me earlier! NASA marine do an EX1 kit which monitors the exhaust temp. That’s great but I also wanted to monitor my coolant temp. So I used a 2nd EX1 kit and mounted it into the coolant system. Easy to do…. I purchased a replacement thermostat cover from Volspec and mounted the senor in to it. I basically just drilled a hole and put a thread in it. I put thread lock on the housing and a sealant under the locking nuts each side. Then fitted the thermostat cover onto the engine. It was then just a case of running the wires back to the instrument panel and fitting the display units. The exhaust temp sensor is fitted 200mm down stream from my exhaust elbow. Both units have alarms – so “should” the engine start to get hotter – they will trigger. The top unit is the exhaust temp, bottom unit is coolant. The alarms are set to trigger + 10 degrees above normal operating temps. Regards Ian P.S I fitted the temp sensor to a new thermostat cover, just in case something fails/leaks and I need to revert back to standard.      Pic taken after 10 mins of running at idle |
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Post by MalcolmP on Sept 1, 2016 8:08:28 GMT
Great project Ian, thanks for sharing - if I may I will add it to Hints and Tips in the long winter evenings... Any pics of the exhaust temp installation also?
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Post by vasko on Sept 1, 2016 8:49:30 GMT
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Post by Trevor on Sept 1, 2016 11:42:48 GMT
Very nice installation and a great idea Ian.....many thanks for sharing that.
Trevor
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Post by Tafika II on Sept 1, 2016 15:56:01 GMT
Great project, Ian...what engine do you have?
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Post by ianqv on Sept 1, 2016 19:22:22 GMT
Great project Ian, thanks for sharing - if I may I will add it to Hints and Tips in the long winter evenings... Any pics of the exhaust temp installation also? Hi Malcolm, Sure.... I will take some more pics of the exhaust sensor this weekend for you. Best Regards Ian |
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Post by ianqv on Sept 1, 2016 19:25:57 GMT
Very nice installation and a great idea Ian.....many thanks for sharing that. Trevor Hi Trevor Looks good! I think I'll get a couple of those. It'd great to have a fridge temp display. Best Regards Ian |
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Post by ianqv on Sept 1, 2016 19:26:35 GMT
Very nice installation and a great idea Ian.....many thanks for sharing that. Trevor Pleasure  |
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Post by ianqv on Sept 1, 2016 19:28:30 GMT
Great project, Ian...what engine do you have? I have a Volvo 2040D. However, I'm sure most housings would lend them selves to this simple mod. Best Regards Ian |
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Post by Don Reaves on Sept 1, 2016 20:00:08 GMT
My solution to getting additional temperature information for my engine was to buy an inexpensive infrared thermometer. Can't beat the cost, and you can use it to decide if the stew is warm enough too. |
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Post by ianqv on Sept 2, 2016 6:12:55 GMT
My solution to getting additional temperature information for my engine was to buy an inexpensive infrared thermometer. Can't beat the cost, and you can use it to decide if the stew is warm enough too. And if the wine is cool enough!! |
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Post by sailbleu on Sept 3, 2016 7:07:22 GMT
Nice job Ian , have you used it yet ?
I mean with running engine ?
Regards
Edit:
Just an addition because my question sounds a bit foolish as you've shown us the pics of the temps meaning that you used the engine.
But do I understand it correctly when I read you have also implied an alarm on the exhaust raw water part ?
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Post by hoppy on Sept 3, 2016 7:59:50 GMT
This sort of thing makes me really want to get started on learning to build/code a RaspberryPi or Arduino device. Connect the temperature sensors and other sensors to the unit and display the values, log them and then even convert them to NMEA sentences for display on you MFD. As you find more uses, add more sensors and do more coding.
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Post by sailbleu on Sept 3, 2016 8:49:58 GMT
This sort of thing makes me really want to get started on learning to build/code a RaspberryPi  or Arduino device. Connect the temperature sensors and other sensors to the unit and display the values, log them and then even convert them to NMEA sentences for display on you MFD. As you find more uses, add more sensors and do more coding. Wish I was able to do that , get all the signals to a processor and get them on a touch screen with a nice layout , a bit like a synoptical panel . All I can do is come up with some ideas and rig the hardware. Now my boat is full with displays , I have no more room to put in an other one . Still have a unit here for the water consumption , very fancy thing , dont know where to put. Getting everything centralised to one big display is my wet dream , well one of them anyway Regards |
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Post by hoppy on Sept 3, 2016 10:26:34 GMT
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Post by sailbleu on Sept 3, 2016 11:25:08 GMT
I will read and shut up  Regards |
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Post by Zanshin on Sept 3, 2016 15:50:59 GMT
This sort of thing makes me really want to get started on learning to build/code a RaspberryPi or Arduino device. Connect the temperature sensors and other sensors to the unit and display the values, log them and then even convert them to NMEA sentences for display on you MFD. As you find more uses, add more sensors and do more coding. I have lots of code for Arduino that measures and logs temperatures using 1-Wire DS18B20 thermometers. I have 16 of them in various parts of the fridge to measure temperature differences... The range of those only goes to 125C but I think that there are simple and cheap analog thermometers that read much higher and could be used for the exhaust gas temperature which is a very important reading for optimal engine use. |
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Post by ianqv on Sept 3, 2016 20:00:44 GMT
Nice job Ian , have you used it yet ? I mean with running engine ? Regards Edit: Just an addition because my question sounds a bit foolish as you've shown us the pics of the temps meaning that you used the engine. But do I understand it correctly when I read you have also implied an alarm on the exhaust raw water part ? Evening Sailbleu, Yes I have run the engine, but only in my marina berth. Yes, both units have built in alarms. The Exhaust elbow runs at 33 degrees - alarm set at 43 degrees. As for the coolant alarm - I need to get out in the river and use the boat, but I will set the alarm about 8 < 10 degrees above normal operating temp. Best Regards Ian |
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Post by sailbleu on Sept 4, 2016 10:21:52 GMT
Ok Ian , let me explain the reason for my question. First of all , some years ago I've installed similar sensors and alarms. Residues of a trauma due to the failure of the high temp alarm of my 65hp Suzuki fancy and fairly new outboards that resulted in a meltdown of the pistons. Total loss. I then swore to always keep redundancy as a first priority . As VP only has one high temp alarm , unless you have chosen for the option of a engine temp meter , you have no clue as to a high engine temp untill the alarm goes. If it goes . So I wanted to change that . I took the original temp meter sensor out of the engine ,by the way this is another one next to the high temp swich , and replaced it with a sensor that is compatible with this nice raid hp display that I've installed outside next to the instruments. www.amazon.co.uk/Raid-HP-660502-Temperature-Digital/dp/B001EZUE56I made the display multifunctional , meaning that a selection switch can connect the engine temp sensor , or the engine bay sensor , or the raw water sensor that is positioned just before the raw water gets into the elbow. I've cut the hose from heatexchanger to elbow and put a S/S pipe in between. Then it became easy to weld some holders for temp sensor ( to the raid hp instrument ) and a temp switch like this one. www.conrad.nl/nl/temperatuurschakelaar-module-kemo-12-vdc-0-tot-100-c-191249.htmlThis just to inform you all of a different approach . This raid hp instrument also automatically , with intervals , shows you the engine battery status , due to a failure of my battery isolator I once had more then 17 volts on the system and an engine bay blower burnt up , luckely just that. So this instrument was just what I was looking for. I'll get to the point now. The problem with those high temp raw water alarms is , whilst running the engine you read a seawater temperature . Once you shut down the engine , no more raw water circulation , the elbow will heat up because of the engine temperature , that takes awhile. And how many times do we ,short after a switch off , have to restart the engine again. It happens. That means the high temp switch will probably be activated for some time , and once you switch on the engine contact ( i take it you've connected these alarms after the contact ) your high temp will go off. Once you 've started the engine again the alarm will last for a few minutes more , long enough to get the sensor switch below the setting. If that happens during a night cruise sleeping family members could be wetting their pants . You could raise the alarm setting to bypass the issue , but I think it's important to set as close a possible to the working temperature , in that case you will get an early warning when there is a cooling problem. Regards |
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Post by ianqv on Sept 4, 2016 10:33:22 GMT
Hi Sailbleu,
V v good points but mine are not wired in like that.
I have left the original Volvo penta ones in place.
The exhaust elbow sensor is very stable, we done a lot of motoring with this over the bank holiday.
When we switch off the temp remains the same, and after an hour or so it begins to drop. When we restart, because salt water gets pumped down the exhaust almost instantly the temp does not spike (in fact it remains a constant).
The sensor is mounted approx. 30cm down stream of the elbow, which is why it does not heat up when the engine is switched off.
As for the fresh water sensor - I have only run this up in the marina berth. So I will need to get a feel on where to set the alarm.
But yes... alarms going off in the middle of the night would scare me... let alone Mrs Ianqv!!!
Best Regards
Ian
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Post by ianqv on Sept 5, 2016 6:05:05 GMT
Hi Malcolm, Exhaust sensor installation pics as promised. In addition to the manufacturers fitting instructions I also used a gas tight sealant around the sensor / pipe joint. Supplied in the kit were the heat proof cable ties.   Best Regards Ian |
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Post by MalcolmP on Sept 5, 2016 13:57:30 GMT
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or Arduino device. Connect the temperature sensors and other sensors to the unit and display the values, log them and then even convert them to NMEA sentences for display on you MFD. As you find more uses, add more sensors and do more coding. 
