Wireless Components on Boats

[Codger2]

Can anyone tell me "why" there aren't wireless components on boats? There's a whole host of electronic gadgets I'd like to add to my boat but the thoughts of pulling wire every time I want to add something really turns me off! Once a Maretron DCM150 or 250 is added, the wire runs are very short but why no wireless? (Blue Tooth?) Too much interference from other components?

[ksanders]

Originally Posted by Codger2

Can anyone tell me "why" there aren't wireless components on boats? There's a whole host of electronic gadgets I'd like to add to my boat but the thoughts of pulling wire every time I want to add something really turns me off! Once a Maretron DCM150 or 250 is added, the wire runs are very short but why no wireless? (Blue Tooth?) Too much interference from other components?

Walt, the industry just has not caught up with the advances in wireless technology.

Time will solve the issue, but the marine specific protocols are lagging behind the times.

On my boat I have wireless everywhere. The whole alarm system is wireless for example. This last week I was bored and added a temperature sensor in my refrigerator, just to see if it would transmit reliably from inside the big metal can. It works great, and now I get a text and email if the temperature rises or falls outside of what I consider "normal". It may not be the greatest example but it's just that, an example of what is possible today.

[Codger2]

Thanks, Kevin.....can you imagine what the marine Electronics industry's sales would be if "wireless" was easy to come by? Why, from me alone, sales would soar! (I don't drink or smoke anymore ) but electronic gadgets are my addiction.

[ksanders]

Originally Posted by Codger2

Thanks, Kevin.....can you imagine what the marine Electronics industry's sales would be if "wireless" was easy to come by? Why, from me alone, sales would soar! (I don't drink or smoke anymore ) but electronic gadgets are my addiction.

I agree. I see this all the time in my industry, which is also lagging behind.

People call almost daily asking for a kilowatt hour meter that they can access wirelessly and read using a standard browser.

But none of the major manufacturers have figured out that incorporating this inexpensive bit of technology into their product would spur sales.

[refugio]

Originally Posted by ksanders

People call almost daily asking for a kilowatt hour meter that they can access wirelessly and read using a standard browser.

I use a CurrentCost EnviR - a couple of clamps around the lines coming into my panel. It's hooked into my HomeSeer home automation system which I can access remotely (HomeSeer has apps too).

It's sensitive to the watt and updates every maybe 3 seconds. So it's easy to walk up to a switch or device, flip it, and see the net change.

Every now and then I get excited and walk around turning off all the small devices and lights at night just to see how low I can get it to go. I can get down to 750 watts without turning off the hot tub circulation pump, server computer (and all the micro devices which consume fractions of watts), and our most "critical" night lights like the one for the dog on the back deck because, you know, my wife is worried that she can't see when it's dark. And the cable boxes, wi-fi routers for 3 networks, the 3 networked printers, the 3 roku boxes, and it just keeps going. Security cameras. Even in the middle of the night I still have 20+ devices on my primary wi-fi network.

[dhays]

I agree that I would love to see more wireless available. I have only one wireless device on my current boat and that is my Raymarine wireless remote for the AP.

Kevin, are your current wireless devices on your boat 12v or 110v? I would prefer 12v devices and I think it will end up being the auto industry that spurs the development of those.

[tpbrady]

There was a small company at the Seattle Boat Show that is developing a fuel flow sensor operated on battery connecting by Bluetooth to a smartphone. It's supposed to be out by summer. Priced at $199 per sensor (2 required for a diesel with return line). That will sure change the price point on fuel flow for some people. I don't need it all the time, just some of the time. Bluetooth will limit the range, but I suspect WiFi will follow.

Tom