[John Robertson Posts: 5130 Status: Offline WWW]

The 10" media units/chart plotter are currently on sale here at a good price (from China, but they usually arrive in less than 2 weeks)!
https://uk.banggood.com/IMars-10_1-Inch-2-Din-for-Android-10_0-Car-Stereo-Radio-MP5-Player-2+32G-IPS-2_5D-Touch-Screen-GPS-WIFI-FM-p-1989830.html?cur_warehouse=CN
I've been using one for years and they seem pretty reliable.  Only real issues are that they are slow to boot/startup (takes a couple of minutes to start Android unless you leave the unit connected to the battery when the ignition is off - as they are in a car) AND the screen mists-up a bit if they have been left outside in damp weather (they clear eventually after the unit has been on for a while).

[Nick Flint Posts: 4860 Status: Offline]

Thanks John, most interesting.
Dashboard maketh man! 

[John Robertson Posts: 5130 Status: Offline WWW]

It's a car media unit fitted nearly 5 years ago!   Like all phones. tablets/ etc. they are hard to read in direct sunlight so need very good shading (i.e mounted a foot or down in a binnacle - which makes them difficult to use unless you've got very long fingers!).

These units (available for £50 or so) have all the stuff you'd expect in a car (Speaker amps, radio, satnav, rear view camera, bluetooth, WiFi, phone calls, etc.).  As they are Android based, they can play videos/music, browse the internet (you can hotspot it to your phones) and can obviously use any Android app you want (within reason - they are a bit puny in terms of memory and processing power). Like a phone, they have a GPS receiver built in AND a compass.  So ... I've got a chart plotter app installed, a satnav app (for shore facility detail), tide time App, Tidal flow app plus other useful stuff.  Like any phone/tablet you can swipe between any/all of them whenever you want.

The engine dash stuff is a user-designed-layout page in the Torque OBD App (designed mainly to display engine fault info) - which "talks" to an OBD adaptor plugged into the engine via BlueTooth (no wires!).  If you'd got the fuel injected Briggs you could've done the same!   It's really not practical to fit enough sensors to "emulate" the fuel injection controller (might as well just fit fuel injection and also get all the other advantages).  A media unit could still be used for speed and navigation using it's GPS and built-in hardware but none of the engine stuff.

Your head unit already has a battery charge indicator so I don't see why you'd need a voltmeter - all you need to know is whether the battery is charging or not, it doesn't matter what the voltage is (it'll vary anyway with the battery charge state and current electrical load so isn't even a very useful indicator).  In any case, driving around constantly checking and interpreting gauges isn't very relaxing (or safe for that matter)!  The ideal system is a big red light (and LOUD buzzer) to let you know (without any looking or interpreting) that something isn't right.  Then a screen that allows you to find out the detail of the problem.

The "normal" car gauges I have are illuminated - the flash activated on the pic and the media unit doesn't know it's dark (it'll dim the display automatically) because I didn't connect the "car" light wire!
More info HERE

[Nick Flint Posts: 4860 Status: Offline]

I know John that you are interfaced with a "modern" engine (OBD port?), rather than my "large lawn mower B+S engine" but is there anyway I can have a dashboard that is better than my present? It is well known how I love dash boards, especially at night as per your image.
I know you did not wish to generate "envy" but oh it looks well tasty.               

I presume you are using an "IPAD" type screen? perhaps android for costs? Does it need protecting from condensation/salt?
I am looking to improve (update) my craft dashboard because there are now quite a few areas that are either no longer working (speed/ distance) and feel the Revcounter would be much improved (FOR ME) if it was bigger and used the range of sweep- ie a 4000 analogue OR indeed a digital read out as per yours. My engines operating range is a small portion of the dial. In bright day light- I find a LARGE digital read out to be INSTANTLY glanced and understood. Whilst using ears for RPM etc, I find KNOWING my exact revs and speed to be all part of the fun of flight.
I am willing to install perhaps some "bespoke sensors" as clearly a Briggs and Stratton engine has no OBD port.
I ask you on here John as I feel that your dash is close to state of the art ATM with regard to H/C?
I currently also have an "add on" chart plotter which I propose to incorporate into my new dash but THAT screen only has speed as small numbers and as such I need to peer closely to know my speed. I currently use an eBay 12Voltmeter to build confidence that all is well on the electron front.
On closer inspection there is no voltmeter on yours. Perhaps I could interface my Cylinder Head Temp Guage which I use again to improve my confidence that all is currently well. The CHT and V meter can easily be added to the general dash.

Have you thought of adding illumination to your retained car dash board ?--or is that just plain silly???


Perhaps others may be interested in upgrading over the Winter?
 

[Ronnie L Posts: 507 Status: Offline]

Instrument panel looks great

[John Robertson Posts: 5130 Status: Offline WWW]

File Name: Dusk winter cruising
File Submitted: December 4, 2022, 5:26:35 PM

It was much darker than it looks!<br>