Engine Room Cameras

[Skip Sunnell]

I'm thinking about installing a couple of engine room cameras to have a visual of the engines while cruising. I'm wondering if wireless cameras that talk to an iPhone might be a good idea. I have to take up the flooring in the Salon to get to the engines on my CHB making it difficult on longer cruises to check the engine room.

Has anyone done this, and if so recommendations?

Thanks,

Skip

 

[ofer]

i will be installing wired cameras in my engine room and also my electrical room in the next couple of months. i prefer wired ones since wireless may be battery powered and i hate replacing batteries.

 

[psneeld]

Yes, they have saved my bacon 2X with a serious fuel leak and coolant issues.

Never had one in many years of recreational, commercial and delivery work...now I feel insecure without one.

 

[FlyWright]

I have hard wired 12V cameras switched from the lower helm and displayed on the TV. I repurposed home security cameras on a failed system and they have worked great. I find the wireless cameras I'm familiar with have a 5-10 second latency that is not ideal as a backup camera but that may or may not present a problem as an ER camera.

The shots below with Craig/Cpseudonym's youngest spawn in the ER shows the difference with ER lights ON (color) and OFF (B&W).

 

[STB]

I installed these wireless cameras, ~$200 from Amazon
-- https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07719HQQS

The expandable kit comes with 4 cameras, which cover the engines, shaft seals, batteries, and generator. I used the existing 12v engine room light circuit to power them as, after the conversion from incandescent to LED, it had plenty of headroom for the small draw of the cameras. I have the receiver powered off of its own 12v switch and fuse on the panel at the flybridge.

I used a small, exterior touch-screen monitor that I happened to have for the display, but the receiver isn't compatible with the touch screen, so I have to use a mouse if I want to change settings, etc. So, I have a wireless mouse for that.

I don't have any good pictures, but I have attached a few that I was able to track down. They are from when I was doing the install and before I got them pointed exactly where I wanted. I took the pictures to take with me down to the engine room to remind me how to adjust the cameras.

Sorry that the picture quality is so poor, there is some sort of coating on that screen that generates a reflection for my camera in a way that is much, much more pronounced than it is to the human eye.

 

[AlanT]

I'm thinking about installing a couple of engine room cameras to have a visual of the engines while cruising. I'm wondering if wireless cameras that talk to an iPhone might be a good idea. I have to take up the flooring in the Salon to get to the engines on my CHB making it difficult on longer cruises to check the engine room.

Has anyone done this, and if so recommendations?

Thanks,

Skip

If you have the room for a dedicated screen I would recommend that (or a dedicated ipad) over an iphone. I have a dedicated screen monitoring 3 wired cameras covering shaft seals, engine tops and both gensets. I glance at it every few minutes while at the helm. I would think an iphone might get put down and used for other apps/calls right at the wrong time. Also if you are going to do it, I suggest supplementing your engine room lighting so that you get good color video and not infra red while operating.

 

[DegoRed]

Would echo what other have said, wired is better than wireless and having a separate screen is best.

Currently have 3 Garmin camera's that are integrated into everything, 2 for engine room and 1 at back of boat for backing up I guess. Having them integrated into the Garmin navigation screens is NOT ideal, yes you can access them from Pilot House or Fly Bridge, but once you access them it gets rid of your chart for example.

I have yet to figure out how to show camera images, Nav Chart, Radar, etc all at same time on same screen. This is the problem with integrating camera's into everything. Separate camera monitor is so cheap (under $100) then it allows you to see camera's all the time vs having to flip through various screens to see them.

I did not pick this system, it came already installed, been toying with removing camera's from Garmin system and going stand alone.

Think the best option, and this is not for technology challenged but is still pretty easy, is to put in a NUC (tiny computer under $500) attached to a PoE switch ($40), cheap wireless router ($30), then set up your own "Boat Network". Then you can access your camera's from a Tablet/Phone wirelessly anywhere on boat via any of the under $5 Camera monitoring apps (tinycam pro). As and extra bonus, you can hook up your wireless hot spot to router and have your "Boat Network" available while your away from boat to view your camera's on your phone.

 

[STB]

Think the best option, and this is not for technology challenged but is still pretty easy, is to put in a NUC (tiny computer under $500) attached to a PoE switch ($40), cheap wireless router ($30), then set up your own "Boat Network". Then you can access your camera's from a Tablet/Phone wirelessly anywhere on boat via any of the under $5 Camera monitoring apps (tinycam pro). As and extra bonus, you can hook up your wireless hot spot to router and have your "Boat Network" available while your away from boat to view your camera's on your phone.

Most of the wireless NVR solutions, like the one I posted earlier, need only 12v to the components and support iOS and Android apps. The only I posted is ~$200 with 4 cameras, expandable to 8 cameras.

 

[Ken E.]

...I have to take up the flooring in the Salon to get to the engines on my CHB making it difficult on longer cruises to check the engine room....

I'd be careful about reducing or eliminating your ER checks while you're underway and just relying on cameras. I had an instance that would have cost me a transmission had I not physically made my usual hourly visits down there.

I had pressure gauges mounted at the gears. One gauge failed and was bleeding gear oil into the bilge. It was leaking in such a way that it was hard to see being down there, let alone with a camera. I only caught it by looking at the central bilge, the lowest point of the boat and one of my usual inspection points. From one of the limber holes, there was a slow ooze of oil. Tracing it back I found the leak at the gauge. I shut down the engine, removed the guage and put a pipe plug in it's place and did the same to the other gear when anchored that night. Dodged a bullet. Cameras are useful, but doing ER checks is also important.

 

[markpierce]

Having the engine directly underfoot, I don't need the added distractions of engine room/compartment camera distractions.

 

[sailormike]

well I may be crazy but i have 3 diffrent typs of cameras on board. I have a wired rear vision camera that is mounted up on the mast looking aft. I have a wired camera in the Salon so i can see whats going on there and I have a wired camera facing aft in engine. room wired cameras goto the 2 garmin head units and engine room camera goes to salon tv and v berth tv as well. I have a Garmin wireless camera facing forward on the brow and a wireless cam looking down at the swim platform for docking. And in that was not enough I Have Wyze Pan tilt room on the hard top in the flybridge that is connected to the internet for remote motoring. I also Have a Wyze cam in engine room, Lazzerate entry door and the salon so i can monitor from afar. The wireless garmin cameras are a pain in the ass and need constant attention. The wyze cams are cheap and great for keeping an eye on things when I am not there Our Marina is full of riff raff so I want to keep my eye on things.

 

[ofer]

BTW the camera system i got also has two way audio which can be used to communicate with on deck crew.

I got them also because i like to hear the engine room noises, many times they can id an issue that's not yet visible.

 

[boomerang]

Having the engine directly underfoot, I don't need the added distractions of engine room/compartment camera distractions.

Just like those damn newfangled contraptions called chartplotters...what a huge distraction when you have all of that clear glass right in front of you!
You sir,master & commander, are a trip!

 

[boomerang]

BTW the camera system i got also has two way audio which can be used to communicate with on deck crew.

I got them also because i like to hear the engine room noises, many times they can id an issue that's not yet visible.

For those with cable (not hydraulic or pneumatic) controls, the core of the cable will telegraph engine noise up to the helm like a stethoscope.

 

[Photoman41]

On board cameras

I have several Raymarine cameras on my boat including one in the engine room. I decided to add some additional cameras to allow me to view remotely. Since I had several Ring devices at home I decided to add some on the boat. They all use 120v service. They work great. Picture is a bit dark because engine room lights are off.

 

[jjorg41]

Engine room camera

I second the comment not to rely on the cameras. I have seawater exhaust leaks do quite a bit of damage and not show up at all on the camera. Sensors and water alarms are just as important.

 

[Photoman41]

I agree sensors are better. Have those too.

 

[RLKramer]

I agree about cameras having limited utility. I have one in engine room and 1 in generator room. When underway, it would be near impossible to see if something is leaking. If the room is filled with smoke, then I would have a chance.

 

[psneeld]

I have a white gel coated pan under my engine. The camera sees the low corner of the pan, the alternator, belt and water pump and front gear case of a Lehman 120.


I can detect a fuel, coolant or oil leak that exceeds about a half to one ounce. It has on several occasions leading to early fixes with o further damage.


So engine room cameras can be really effective or not at all depending on the setup.



They are not to replace sensors...but in my application, they beat the sensors by a mile in early detection. Again, they might not always work so well, but if you can set one or more up well...it could be an engine saver.

 

[SoWhat]

Having the engine directly underfoot, I don't need the added distractions of engine room/compartment camera distractions.

I look out the windshield :lol:

I have used temp/pressure gauges in all my vehicles and boats. They usually work. Loud alarms are even better. White steam billowing out always get's my attention. Haven't blown anything up yet.

 

[Comodave]

Having the engine directly underfoot, I don't need the added distractions of engine room/compartment camera distractions.

Not everyone has the engine room directly under foot. On our last boat we only ran it from the flybridge since it didn’t have a lower station. Engine room cameras can be of use. I didn’t sit and watch the camera while underway, I used it like any other gauge and scan through the camera just like I scanned through the engine gauges, every 10 minutes or so I would make a concerted effort to actually look at the gauges and see what they were showing, same with the camers. But I didn’t loose situational awareness while doing it, just don’t lock onto the camera.

 

[Lepke]

If you have alarms and gauges, I don't see what you'll catch with a camera. Part of a routine cruising watch should be a look into the engineroom. I do.

 

[psneeld]

If the camera can catch things as they happen, you can see them long before a guage/alarm may alert.

Unless you visit the engine room every 5 minutes, a 3 second glance at a monitor may tell you something is starting....

Again, they should not replace guages or visits, but not using one that is a good reference ranks up there with the same discussions of electronics like radar, AIS, etc.... why not add a tool if it truly is useful?

 

[Comodave]

Agree, I was looking for steam or smoke on the camera. Maybe head off some problem before it became an emergency.

 

[READY]

I installed a Costco Hardwired Lorex DVR system. 6 cameras for security, vision aft and engine room. Doesn't replace but does supplement engine room checks. Good enough resolution to read the racor gauges. Also can detect smoke before I open the hatch. Inexpensive solution for additional situational awareness. Can also remotely monitor if a mechanic is onboard or if we are ashore we can check on the dog.

 

[Codger2]

I'm thinking about installing a couple of engine room cameras to have a visual of the engines while cruising. I'm wondering if wireless cameras that talk to an iPhone might be a good idea.

I love the idea of cameras throughout the boat & I had the ability to see 5 camera images on the flybridge, in the salon on an iPad & also on a 43" smart TV. On trips when someone else was driving, I could monitor the critical items on the boat from 3 different locations. This included navigation maps, ER , rear view, cockpit & a bow camera. When I was off watch, I didn't miss much!

 

[Insequent]

I have a white gel coated pan under my engine. The camera sees the low corner of the pan, the alternator, belt and water pump and front gear case of a Lehman 120.


I can detect a fuel, coolant or oil leak that exceeds about a half to one ounce. It has on several occasions leading to early fixes with o further damage.


So engine room cameras can be really effective or not at all depending on the setup.



They are not to replace sensors...but in my application, they beat the sensors by a mile in early detection. Again, they might not always work so well, but if you can set one or more up well...it could be an engine saver.

Scott makes a very good point. Your ER cameras need to be directed towards an area that shows problems early. I have 3 ER cameras that show both engines, front & rear but for the last year have seldom used them. I have been meaning to re-position them to do what Scott highlighted, but have not got around to doing it yet, although it is on the list!

 

[Pete Meisinger]

Personally, I wouldn't bother. If you are gone from the boat the chances are pretty remote you will happen to be watching the video feed when a hose bursts. In fact if your boat is in good condition the chances of ever seeing anything happening are pretty slim.

While underway I rely on an engine room temp gauge. While gone, I rely on my bilge pump and neighbors.

pete

 

[psneeld]

By the time gauges and alarms tel you anything...you can cook an engine. Have had it happen several times even with other professional captains onboard. The last one was a brand new boat, brand new Caterpillar T-bolt hose clamp failure on a delivery run that was a cooling water feed. If it had been my engine room with a camera, I might have seen the leak before the hose totally popped off. Maybe, maybe not...but at least I would have had the chance. The next engine room visit was still many minutes away.


Smoke and overheated wires start to smoke long sometimes before the fire starts (if no camera, better have an engine room smoke/heat alarm).


Gauges/alarms don't help unless you have them wired to wifi if not onboard.


Not sure what the resistance to a simple $50-$100 camera setup is...the TF mantra is usually paranoia, money should be no object for safety, every tool available should be used....etc..etc....


I agree a useless camera is useless, or for people who can't see their usefulness versus the cost/effort...but a useful camera is pretty dang useful to me (who has a lot of miles driving boats solo or limited useful crew).


I am to the point now where it is as useful and deemed necessary for safe travel as the rest of my helm panel. Overkill? sure, most modern things are on a boat...I will be the first to tell "old timer stories"...but I know most don't really care about the old days because there ARE new things that make life better, safer, easier, make up any reason to fill in here.....


Being an old timer I never gave on much thought till I had a camera and thought what the heck.... now I see the difference. Try one for awhile, if you don't like it, put the camera somewhere's where you think it will be more useful.

 

[FlyWright]

When I fried my Balmar alternator, my smoke alarm alerted me to something wrong and my camera confirmed smoke in the ER. I was able to immediately shut down and drop anchor with that info, even though the engine gages were fine.

I'll never be without ER cameras and a smoke alarm on my boat.