NEAM 2000 engine monitoring

[eruptn 73]

Hi 

Many of us now have NEMA2000 displays but 20-30 yr old motors, with little monitoring beyond the control panel. That is no NEMA2000 output.

Has anyone experience with the units available from Aliexpress, see picture. It appears one maybe able to get rpm, oil pressure and temperature, plus tanks onto a network.

Are there other options, I'm aware of Actisense EMU.

Thanks

[Island Time 1,082]

I'd use the EMU-1 actisense. But Maretron, Veethree, and yacht devices all make similar units...

 

[Ed 120]

If you want to go down the home brew route, hat labs do a NMEA200 development board

https://hatlabs.fi/product/sailor-hat-with-esp32/?v=8e3eb2c69a18

An example of how it has been developed to create a mast rotation compensation unit with an external sensor

https://github.com/randel0/NEMA2K-Mast-Rotation-Compensator

 

[Psyche 451]

Seems pretty straightforward, but what's the benefit on a small yacht?

[Island Time 1,082]

On 8/09/2022 at 10:33 AM, Psyche said:

Seems pretty straightforward, but what's the benefit on a small yacht?

I use one (But plugged into the volvo Can bus, with converter to NMEA) so I can see my engine data on my sailing instruments. When  motoring, I can see Revs, Temp, etc on cockpit displays.

[eruptn 73]

On 8/09/2022 at 10:33 AM, Psyche said:

Seems pretty straightforward, but what's the benefit on a small yacht?

I have a basic network with 2 displays, why not use them , I don't see size matters. I'm blind now except for a audio alarm.

[Island Time 1,082]

1 minute ago, eruptn said:

I have a basic network with 2 displays, why not use them , I don't see size matters. I'm blind now except for a audio alarm.

The audible alarms and idiot lights are better than nothing, but by the time the oil pressure alarm (for example) goes while the engine is working hard, it's already too late...

[CarpeDiem 306]

4 hours ago, eruptn said:

I have a basic network with 2 displays, why not use them , I don't see size matters. I'm blind now except for a audio alarm.

Be aware of what your engine actually provides.

It disappointed me that the my Volvo D1-30 had very little sensors. Coolant temperature, RPM and engine hours were all it provided on the canbus iirc. (maybe alt voltage... ) 

In hindsight I found it an expensive investment for having those things on my mfd. Had I known all I was really getting was temperature, I would of opted for a analogue Volvo temperature dial. 

Oil pressure, oil temperature, coolant pressure would all of made it far more worthwhile, but the sensors aren't there... 

[Guest 22]

Yip, and what if your network goes down? Prefer not to have all my eggs in one basket.

A configurable engine temp monitor with audible alarm to a hot spot  bolt on head coolant outlet is a fraction of the price.

 I have an engine guardian on the trusty old 1KZ-te. Going to ad one to the the Yanmar. Mark 2 has oil.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/113685720316

[Island Time 1,082]

4 hours ago, Guest said:

Yip, and what if your network goes down? Prefer not to have all my eggs in one basket.

A configurable engine temp monitor with audible alarm to a hot spot  bolt on head coolant outlet is a fraction of the price.

 I have an engine guardian on the trusty old 1KZ-te. Going to ad one to the the Yanmar. Mark 2 has oil.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/113685720316

Ok, lets think about that. Your car (after 1996) runs on canbus. Do you have a backup for that? Canbus (NMEA2000) on a boat can be broken, but most of the the devices can work standalone, or you can detach a faulty device if needed. Worst case, if the network does go down, factory instrument panel still works, MFD works standalone, maybe no autopilot. Your engine instrument data wont display on NMEA2000 displays. You can still get by

[eruptn 73]

19 hours ago, CarpeDiem said:

Be aware of what your engine actually provides.

It disappointed me that the my Volvo D1-30 had very little sensors. Coolant temperature, RPM and engine hours were all it provided on the canbus iirc. (maybe alt voltage... ) 

In hindsight I found it an expensive investment for having those things on my mfd. Had I known all I was really getting was temperature, I would of opted for a analogue Volvo temperature dial. 

Oil pressure, oil temperature, coolant pressure would all of made it far more worthwhile, but the sensors aren't there... 

Thanks for the feedback, your on my page, is this a cost effective method to get those three primary data.

[Guest 22]

Last time I checked it was a boat buck+ to get my 1992 yanmar onto the network. 
Nice, but can’t get enthused. The n2k has been bullet proof apart from a couple of faulty cables, so I take your point on isolating a fault. I went with no wind for 6mths, owing to bad cable. 

 

[CarpeDiem 306]

7 hours ago, Guest said:

Yip, and what if your network goes down? Prefer not to have all my eggs in one basket.

A configurable engine temp monitor with audible alarm to a hot spot  bolt on head coolant outlet is a fraction of the price.

 I have an engine guardian on the trusty old 1KZ-te. Going to ad one to the the Yanmar. Mark 2 has oil.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/113685720316

On the later engines they are all canbus anyway...

My previous post was kind of mis-leading saying, I should have gone for the "analog volvo temperature display"... what I should of said "I should of gone for the Volvo CanBus  temperature display that looks like analoguen dial but isn't "

It was, in hindsight, a waste of money installing the CANBUS -> NMEA converter for no real gain except engine temperature.  I didn't know at the time that the engine had no sensors other than temperature.

I have often wondered if I needed a true backup incase the CANBUS died - known as MDI black box death on the Volvo Penta's.  My conclusion was I would just run the engine completely blind and hope that it operated just as it always did without any issues...   Maybe if I went on an extremely long trip I would take a spare MDI box...