adjusting gauges

[Talonewo]

My boat has 10 analog dial gauges at the lower helm and another 5 up top. They are old but quality Telcor gauges. Each "system" (oil pressure, oil temp, trans pressure, water temp etc) has a modular with resistor pot allowing you to calibrate the gauge.

My question is what is the best way to get an accurate measurement to adjust the gauges.

For the pressure (oil, trans and fuel)I think just installing a mechanical gauge will be find. Its the temps I'm not sure about. Do you think using one of those laser temp gun thingies is accurate? I took it out this weekend and set the engine at a constant rpm for two hours, then took readings around the engine block with the laser.

The oil pan was a steady 185 oil temp gauge read 195. The thermostat housing was 180 the water temp gauge was 190.


Would you adjust the gauges to match the laser?

 

[No Mast]

If you can easily adjust the gauges, sure I'd do it. Otherwise just know what the offset is to the IR thermometer.

We use one in the engine as part of our routine underway checks. I think they're great. In fact thats how we noticed one cylinder was 10 deg. hotter and something we needed to troubleshoot. Gauge at the helm wouldn't have shown that.

 

[rwidman]

Those laser temp gun thingies are accurate but if in doubt, boiling water is 212 degrees so you can check it.

 

[jungpeter]

Uh, WesK, with all due respect, those "laser temp gun thingys" use a laser to generate a visible aiming point for an infrared sensor. The sensor relies on the emissivity (reflected energy) of the surface in question to convert energy radiated in the infrared band to units of temperature (deg F, for instance).

Water is transparent-it has very low emissivity. You can't check an IR temperature sensor by aiming it at a pan of boiling water. You'll most likely be measuring the temperature of the pan itself, which may be significantly different than that of the water. Similarly, you can't measure the temperature of the water your boat's floating in with a non-contact thermometer for the same reason-water doesn't reflect energy in the IR band very well.

But non-contact thermometers are remarkably useful, fairly accurate, and quite inexpensive. Great tool to have aboard a boat.

REgards,

Pee

 

[kulas44]

My trawler has Telcor gauges, lots of them, so this thread is interesting. I need a few replacements and will probably need to calibrate them.

 

[Talonewo]

My trawler has Telcor gauges, lots of them, so this thread is interesting. I need a few replacements and will probably need to calibrate them.

Kulas44, I'm out of the country until the 20th, pm me your email address and when I get back I will e-mail you all the documentation I have. I have all the original paperwork, wireing diagrams for the control modules and how to calibrate them... everything. Also I have been working with Mike and his son Daniel at Telcor, lets talk before you call them.

 

[FF]

Just get some colored tape and mark the gauges in their normal range , so you can scan easily.

Weather the coolant is 180 or 183 , or oil pressure 45 or 47 is meaningless ,

That they are "normal" is 100 x as important on a quick look.

On the ancient DC 8 the gauges would be installed so "normal " had all the neeles pointing in the same direction , parallel to the floor.

EZ to notice something amiss.