Electronics install...issues and projects.

[Jeremyvmd]

So my new electronics package arrived today and im starting to plan it out. Unfortunatly the template I made to make sure it would fit where I wanted it to go, well it won't....Uggh. So what I have to work with is the following:
1) B&G zues touch 12
2) simrad go7
3) 4g radar
4) lowrance hdi through hull transducer

My original plan was to install the 12" screen in the overhead box with th 7" display in the dash. However it looks like thT won't work, im still going to try and test fit on the boat before I give up, but my cutting template doesn't fit on the face peice of the box. So I think Its gonna have to go on the dash with the 7" screen and the autopilot control overhead along with the instruments for the engine. Has anyone moved their engine gauges? Im pretty good at electrical work but don't know if I'm getting in over my head...opinions?

[Tree]

From experience, I found the largest screen you could fit in the overhead pod was a 9" widescreen (Raymarine C90w)

I think I'd put the 7" up the top and the larger screen down low. You may need to chop and change where gauges are though

[RobS]

Posts some pics of your current dash and overhead box. I see this in your future:

[Jeremyvmd]

Yea that's what im afraid of. Good thing I have all winter...lol
No pics of the overhead box...

[RobS]

You have to find the land before you can build the house - First order of business is to clear that dash of what does not need to be there. My 2000 had the same switch panel, wiper switches and fuel gauge. Same stuff, same placement. None of which needs to be "in your face" when your at the helm. I relocated all. The switches were split into two separate panels. I put the stuff I more or less needed control of while at the helm in a switch gang just under the dash. I put the other stuff that was more cockpit oriented in a waterproof switchbox at the pilothouse wall behind the helm seat. Those gauges, lights etc, should come out of that Pennisular mounting panel for a more space saving configuration.

Switches, Wiper switches, Fuel gauge:

2012-02-04_18-23-40_22.jpg

Custom switch labels:

9.11 Custom labels from blue sea.jpg

Other switches moved from dash towards cockpit:

9. other switches moved off dash.jpg

Custom labels:

9.1 Custom labels from blue sea.jpg

[RobS]

Here's a before:

DSCN6035.JPG

And an after:

2012-04-25_12-03-35_857.jpg

That Furuno 10.4" display unit was overall 15" wide and 9.3" tall due to the space taken up by all those buttons and that chunky plastic frame. I'm sure your 12" is smaller as todays gear is much more ergonomic.

[Jeremyvmd]

I like what you did by breaking up the engine gauges. I might do that as it will allow me to keep some of it down and move the rest up. Moving the switches and the. Putting the gates in that spot seems like the simplest answer. I'll have to go down and get a pile of good pics and mock stuff up so I can see what will work for me...keep the ideas coming!

[RobS]

......keep the ideas coming!

I relocated the key switch next to the helm seat. Needs to be right there seated at the helm, but does not actually need to be on the dash. This proved to be handy when fishing too, standing in the cockpit I could start and stop the engine and move the boat fwd or aft for repositioning over a wreck.

2012-02-10_13-41-46_881.jpg

2012-01-16_14-49-34_494.jpg

[RobS]

......keep the ideas coming!

No need to waste a switch in a panel for the horn. A standalone momentary switch can go anywhere easily.

Here's where & what I chose:

2012-03-02_10-28-41_945.jpg

2012-03-02_10-23-44_945.jpg

And then I had a plate made to finish it off:

2012-03-04_10-50-37_204.jpg

[djpeewee]

I agree. You have to move those giant switch panels somewhere else or move the circuits to a new, smaller switch panel. There is plenty of room below the dash as well as to the starboard side.

I installed new electronics earlier this year and rebuilt the entire dash. I don't have an overhead pod so everything had to fit in the dash. I rotated the engine gauge panel and gauges by 90 degrees for a better fit. I was going to remove them from the Volvo panel all together and individually mount the gauges, but there is a rear mounted circuit board in the Volvo panel that contains the engine monitoring display. It would have been a lot of work to unwire it all and move it elsewhere. Rotating it suited my needs.

The dash panel is made of 3/8" solid cherry.

Old & New

Old Dash2.jpg

New Dash2.jpg

[RobS]

It should be mentioned that the flush deck was equipped with a taller dash. It sure shows here...

[Jeremyvmd]

Yea it does. That's crazy how much taller that dash is than mine...I hope I'll be able to find a spot to put the display, lol
I really like what you did with your setup there Dj

[Jeremyvmd]

What size is that Garmin you have in there?

[Nancy]

Rob, where did you order the custom labels?

[djpeewee]

Interesting.... I didn't realize the dash sizes are different.

The chart plotter is a 7612xsv - 12".

I would definitely look at downsizing the switch panel or breaking it up into different locations like Rob did, or both. You'll be able to reclaim a lot of real estate. BlueSea makes some nice higher density panels. You can even customize your own with their 360 line of gear. On the "new dash" picture I posted above, the black panel below the throttle is one of the 360s. It is the DC control panel for the 3 batteries and 2 engines (generator & main) - any battery, any engine on/off/combine/auto charge right from the helm, as well as DC voltage for each battery and 12v system DC ammeter (shows +/- charge/discharge current) . That's a lot of functionality in that small a panel. You can really do a lot; your imagination is the limit... and your wallet.