updating caterpillar engine gauges

[Phildorset]

Has anyone any ideas or experience regarding the possibility of upgrading the bridge engine displays for my twin CAT engines? The current analogue style displays have 4 needle gauges in each chunky square black 'frame', with a frame/display for each engine, on both displays I've got 2 dials not operating at all (different ones each side - I've had the panel off and it's not loose wires at the bridge end... so I'm thinking the gauges are faulty as the data is certainly getting to the bridge, I can scroll through all temps, pressures, loads, burn, hours etc on the other CAT displays... If I'm going to start spending on gauges I am tempted to see if I can get something less clunky looking than these 2006 units... am interested to discover if the more recent digital displays will work, mine are a pair of 2006 C12's does anyone know? Thanks for any help, P

 

[MapisM]

Why AZ never used the so called Cat MPD (Marine Power Display) in the 55, that has always been beyond my understanding.
Actually, Ferretti did the same with their 53, which was also 3196/C12 equipped.
Maybe both builders thought that the analogue look of EMS instruments (Engine Monitoring System, as Cat used to call them) was simpler and more user friendly, or it could be that Cat offered to builders the full EMS sets (which were clearly going to be phased out) at a lower cost compared to the MPDs, 'dunno...

Regardless, yes, you can throw away your whole set of "EMS" gauges and replace all their function, possibly adding also some others, with one single MPD for each engine.
If you would like to free up even more space in your dashboards, you also have the option of using just one "Color MPD", slightly larger than the standard b&w MPD, but capable of handling both engines.
Actually, I've never seen the latter in flesh, but I've seen several C12 powered boats with the standard MPDs, both in the internal and the f/b dashboards (they are IP68 rated).
And fwiw, I very much prefer the MPD flexibility and much smaller footprint, rather than the EMS analogue style.

Bottom line, yes, it can definitely be done, and I would expect the electrical connections to be easily swappable between EMS and MPD, but I am not positive about that - and neither about the MPD price, sorry.
I do have a few PDF brochures of both the b&w and the color MPD, though.
If you are interested, just pm me your mailbox, and I'll send them to you.

PS: if you will eventually decide to swap your EMS for the MPD, just one (minor) word of warning.
Prepare yourself to be upset by how fragile the MPD plastic covers are.
I've yet to see one which isn't cracked in the corners, even on almost new boats.
No big deal, but a bit upsetting considering that these things surely aren't cheap.... :ambivalence:

 

[vas]

probably missing something and a couple of pics would be helpful, but how can you be so sure that its not the wiring up to the f/b at fault and it's the actual gauges?
If it's easy, swap them over from the one engine to the other and see what happens.
Now, if you want to throw a couple of grand on the issue, it's fine by me

However, depending on other aspects and what nav. gear you have onboard, it would probably make more sense getting a engine to nav.gear protocol bridge and then add an extra plotter, MFD, whatever for data presentation on the f/b.
I'm following this route due to lack of space on the f/b using cheapish analogue engine -> NMEA2000 bridge and the Garmin graphics and presentation on a 7 and 8 inch monitor are rather nice!

cheers

V.

 

[Phildorset]

I'm mildly embarrassed to be so clueless - but am I discovering that actually I might be better to upgrade my old Raymarine plotter set up and then be able to get all my engine telemetry showing on one of these screens as well?

 

[wkearney99]

I'm mildly embarrassed to be so clueless - but am I discovering that actually I might be better to upgrade my old Raymarine plotter set up and then be able to get all my engine telemetry showing on one of these screens as well?

While this is an older thread, and you may have already found answers, there's a lot to be said for not trying to jam everything on the plotter screen. The idea being you want charts on that, not cluttering up the sides with lots of engine data boxes. Having them on a separate screen keeps the plotter clear. That and it keeps the engine data visible all the time, not buried behind some other page sets on the plotter.