hwhayes
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 16, 2019
- Messages
- 128
- Location
- Athens Georgia
- Fluid Motion Model
- R-27 Classic
- Vessel Name
- NightHeron
Adding Engine Gauges, 3 ways
So, we have a 2015 R21 EC with Volvo Penta D1-30 engine. I wanted to add the ability to monitor the engine temperature, voltage and engine speed (RPM) so it is easily visible from the helm. I know I can get RPM from the factory installed tachometer but it is mounted in an inconvenient location. My preference was to display this information using the Garmin chart plotter. Many TugNuts subscribers have posted on the issue of adding gauges to the R21 EC and I did much research on TugNuts and elsewhere. All of the subscribers were extremely helpful to me when I had questions, this is such a wonderful resource.
This is a summary of the three way that I and others made modifications in order to display engine data. I call the three ways: 1. Dedicated Gauges, 2. Daisy Chain Gauges using the Volvo Penta network and 3. Garmin Chart Plotter Gauges Display using a NEMA 2000 network.
Option 1. - Dedicated Gauges:
Create a dedicated stand-alone temperature and oil pressure gauge system. This involves adding temperature and oil pressure sensors to the engine, there are places to do this with the appropriately sized sensor fittings.
TugNuts subscriber “ohioan55” modified his Ranger using a temperature gauge directly connected to the engine and an oil pressure gauge also directly connected to the engine. One advantage of this approach is that it is independent of the Volvo Penta network and would work even if the network is down. It requires the appropriate gauges, sensors, adapters and wiring. He did a magnificent job of this instillation and was the route I was following until I discovered two other options.
Option 2. - Daisy Chain Gauges using the existing Volvo Penta network:
Volvo Penta has a “black box” mounted near the starter that collects engine data. However, other than engine RPM on the tachometer, none of it is displayed on the factory stock R21 EC. It is possible to tap into the existing Volvo Penta network at the tachometer and daisy chain a temperature and or a volt meter gauge(s) into the network. It’s a pretty simple modification. Another TugNuts subscriber “Captain Nice” put me onto this option. It is an easy modification truly plug and play.
This can be done using the Volvo Penta temperature and or Volvo Penta voltage gauge. Here’s the Volvo Penta temperature gauge I used from Great Lakes Skipper, https://www.greatlakesskipper.com/volvo ... eter-gauge . The gauge has two connectors, one that plugs into the lead coming out of the tachometer and the other for adding more gauges or in my case to plug in the terminating connector.
I only installed the engine temperature gauge but one could daisy chain the voltage gauge as well. Look at the back of the tachometer and you will see a lead is just hanging there and has a terminated connector on the end. Remove the terminating connector and just plug in the connector to the gauge (or extension cable) and then plug in the terminating connector into the other lead coming from the new temperature gauge you are installing. That’s it!
I mounted the temperature gauge at the end of the side console in front of the throttle/shifter. This location is too far from the tachometer for the existing wires but Volvo Penta sells an extension cable. Instead of using their extension cable I spliced in a three-wire section with heat sealed marine butt wire joints and used the existing plug from the temperature gauge.
This is a super easy modification but remember to reset the chart plotter so it recognizes the new information coming in.
Photos of this modification are in my photo gallery entitled “Volvo Penta temperature gauge addition.”
Option 3. Garmin Chart Plotter Engine Gauges Display using a NEMA 2000 network
A company called Yacht Devices https://www.yachtd.com/products/engine_gateway.html makes a very nice network gateway that plugs into the Volvo Penta network at the tachometer and transitions the data into a NEMA 2000 network. It plugs into the back of the tachometer with a “Y” connector and a third connector for the NEMA 2000 output. This carries data from the engine to a NEMA 2000 Backbone. The device comes with clear instructions and more information online. Volvo Penta makes a somewhat similar gateway device but it is much more expensive.
This modification is relatively simple but more expensive than the daisy chain option. To make the network “backbone” you have to purchase the NEMA 2000 connectors, cables and the NEMA 2000 Gateway device. The main advantage of this approach is that instead of adding a stand-alone gauge and finding a place to mount them, the data is displayed on the Garmin chart plotter. And you can additionally connect the VHF radio and supposedly your Fusion stereo into the network as well. I installed this option in addition to the daisy chain option for temperature that was discussed above in option #2.
To create the NEMA 2000 network you need to create a “NEMA 2000 Backbone” with “T” connectors for each device plus a power connector. Garmin sells a NEMA 2000 starter kit https://www.amazon.com/Garmin-010-11442 ... B0030EMZYW or you can just purchase the items separately. I have the engine connected for voltage, engine speed, and engine temperature, plus I connected my Garmin VHF 200 radio which is NEMA 2000 compatible, the chart plotter and a cable drop for power to the network.
The nice thing about this option is that the information is transmitted to the chart plotter. So, when underway using the navigation chart display screen I can have the four corners of the display show the engine RPM, GPS speed, Engine Temperature, and Depth. And I can scroll to the engine gauge display page for voltage.
Photos of the Garmin Chart Plotter - NEMA 2000 backbone and photos of the resulting display screen are in my photo gallery entitled “Adding NEMA 2000 Engine Gauges”
So, we have a 2015 R21 EC with Volvo Penta D1-30 engine. I wanted to add the ability to monitor the engine temperature, voltage and engine speed (RPM) so it is easily visible from the helm. I know I can get RPM from the factory installed tachometer but it is mounted in an inconvenient location. My preference was to display this information using the Garmin chart plotter. Many TugNuts subscribers have posted on the issue of adding gauges to the R21 EC and I did much research on TugNuts and elsewhere. All of the subscribers were extremely helpful to me when I had questions, this is such a wonderful resource.
This is a summary of the three way that I and others made modifications in order to display engine data. I call the three ways: 1. Dedicated Gauges, 2. Daisy Chain Gauges using the Volvo Penta network and 3. Garmin Chart Plotter Gauges Display using a NEMA 2000 network.
Option 1. - Dedicated Gauges:
Create a dedicated stand-alone temperature and oil pressure gauge system. This involves adding temperature and oil pressure sensors to the engine, there are places to do this with the appropriately sized sensor fittings.
TugNuts subscriber “ohioan55” modified his Ranger using a temperature gauge directly connected to the engine and an oil pressure gauge also directly connected to the engine. One advantage of this approach is that it is independent of the Volvo Penta network and would work even if the network is down. It requires the appropriate gauges, sensors, adapters and wiring. He did a magnificent job of this instillation and was the route I was following until I discovered two other options.
Option 2. - Daisy Chain Gauges using the existing Volvo Penta network:
Volvo Penta has a “black box” mounted near the starter that collects engine data. However, other than engine RPM on the tachometer, none of it is displayed on the factory stock R21 EC. It is possible to tap into the existing Volvo Penta network at the tachometer and daisy chain a temperature and or a volt meter gauge(s) into the network. It’s a pretty simple modification. Another TugNuts subscriber “Captain Nice” put me onto this option. It is an easy modification truly plug and play.
This can be done using the Volvo Penta temperature and or Volvo Penta voltage gauge. Here’s the Volvo Penta temperature gauge I used from Great Lakes Skipper, https://www.greatlakesskipper.com/volvo ... eter-gauge . The gauge has two connectors, one that plugs into the lead coming out of the tachometer and the other for adding more gauges or in my case to plug in the terminating connector.
I only installed the engine temperature gauge but one could daisy chain the voltage gauge as well. Look at the back of the tachometer and you will see a lead is just hanging there and has a terminated connector on the end. Remove the terminating connector and just plug in the connector to the gauge (or extension cable) and then plug in the terminating connector into the other lead coming from the new temperature gauge you are installing. That’s it!
I mounted the temperature gauge at the end of the side console in front of the throttle/shifter. This location is too far from the tachometer for the existing wires but Volvo Penta sells an extension cable. Instead of using their extension cable I spliced in a three-wire section with heat sealed marine butt wire joints and used the existing plug from the temperature gauge.
This is a super easy modification but remember to reset the chart plotter so it recognizes the new information coming in.
Photos of this modification are in my photo gallery entitled “Volvo Penta temperature gauge addition.”
Option 3. Garmin Chart Plotter Engine Gauges Display using a NEMA 2000 network
A company called Yacht Devices https://www.yachtd.com/products/engine_gateway.html makes a very nice network gateway that plugs into the Volvo Penta network at the tachometer and transitions the data into a NEMA 2000 network. It plugs into the back of the tachometer with a “Y” connector and a third connector for the NEMA 2000 output. This carries data from the engine to a NEMA 2000 Backbone. The device comes with clear instructions and more information online. Volvo Penta makes a somewhat similar gateway device but it is much more expensive.
This modification is relatively simple but more expensive than the daisy chain option. To make the network “backbone” you have to purchase the NEMA 2000 connectors, cables and the NEMA 2000 Gateway device. The main advantage of this approach is that instead of adding a stand-alone gauge and finding a place to mount them, the data is displayed on the Garmin chart plotter. And you can additionally connect the VHF radio and supposedly your Fusion stereo into the network as well. I installed this option in addition to the daisy chain option for temperature that was discussed above in option #2.
To create the NEMA 2000 network you need to create a “NEMA 2000 Backbone” with “T” connectors for each device plus a power connector. Garmin sells a NEMA 2000 starter kit https://www.amazon.com/Garmin-010-11442 ... B0030EMZYW or you can just purchase the items separately. I have the engine connected for voltage, engine speed, and engine temperature, plus I connected my Garmin VHF 200 radio which is NEMA 2000 compatible, the chart plotter and a cable drop for power to the network.
The nice thing about this option is that the information is transmitted to the chart plotter. So, when underway using the navigation chart display screen I can have the four corners of the display show the engine RPM, GPS speed, Engine Temperature, and Depth. And I can scroll to the engine gauge display page for voltage.
Photos of the Garmin Chart Plotter - NEMA 2000 backbone and photos of the resulting display screen are in my photo gallery entitled “Adding NEMA 2000 Engine Gauges”
