Faria depth gauge sounder / finder

[Ski-me]

I just received my new, depth gauge and do like it. I was concerned that the chrome bezel may look goofy but I think it's OK. If later on it starts to bug me, then maybe I'll get creative and paint it black some how.

Anyways, I'm looking for suggestions where to mount the cold water temp sensor. Basically two locations...either underneath the bottom side of the boat or on the transom part (in picture). Although the sensor will be out of the water when the boat is planed....I guess it would be OK.

The other area would be utilizing the holes for one of the speedo pickups. The only problem here would be the exhaust tubes being so close that I think I'd get a lot of false readings (warmer water around exhaust outlet).

Before I drill anything, I was looking for any suggestions or confirmation on my location.

Thanks!

[Ski-me]

Obviously, I have nothing better to do tonight than to figure out the installation of my depth finder....

Anyways, I'm also looking for some advice for the best location of the transducer. In the first pic, it shows my old one as well as the glue mark where it use to be. No wonder it didn't work very well! It's also not located in a very clean piece of fiberglass and it's next to the propeller shaft as well.

I'm thinking the new one could be placed parallel with the cold water inlet but on the starboard side or up close to the drain plug.

[east tx skier]

Is that a thru hull transducer, i.e., flush mount, not a puck? If so, you can get a transducer from Faria that does both depth and water temp. I special ordered a 2" thru hull to replace my paddle wheel from Perfect Pass that I no longer use since SG doesn't have any paddle wheel input other than water temp (no, you can't tap into that with the faria gauge unfortunately). I am replacing the gauge with the same air water depth gauge you have. Had I not gone thru hull, I would have gone out through the unused speedo hole. Don't worry about exhaust temp. You'll probably check it with the engine off more often than not.

[Ski-me]

No, it's a glue in puck. I need to glue down the ring with silicone I or II, and then the puck twists into ring. Before installing the puck into the ring, I pour in some antifreeze in there so the puck sensor is submerged in a liquid. A little strange actually.

I guess I can mount the sensor using the existing speedo holes and if its not accurate enough, I can relocate it.

For the outside air temp sensor, I was thinking just under the dash....away from direct sunlight.

I purposely chose the puck instead of the thru hull....no drilling!

[TMCNo1]

Be careful not to place it anywhere that may consist of both the bilge liner and the hull. There can and may be a layer of air between the two layers of fiberglass causing the transducer to not work properly, hence the reason they put in next to the stuffing box, where there will be just one layer of fiberglass between the transducer and the water.
Attachment 57880

[Ski-me]

It certainly looks like the hull is thinner in the two proposed areas compared to where the old one was mounted. It looks like the one in your picture would be in a similar spot that I was hoping for....next to the propeller shaft connection and adjacent to the cold water pickup inlet.

[east tx skier]

I think that gauge has an offset feature that you can apply for any extra space between the puck and the water. I think it's called "keel offset" or something.

[Ski-me]

Originally Posted by east tx skier

I think that gauge has an offset feature that you can apply for any extra space between the puck and the water. I think it's called "keel offset" or something.

You are correct...it does have a keel offset feature on it. I think it's best if I water test it next week to see if I am getting a decent reading or not. Instruction tell me to place it in the water over the side of the boat and log the reading. Then place the puck where I want to install it and find out the difference. If it's close, then the location is most likely good. I don't know if I can adjust the sensitivity to compensate the the fiberglass density plus a keel offset but I should be able to get it pretty close.

I just wanted to be sure being that close to the moving shaft was OK.

It looks like TMC's is pretty close to this same location. I'll give it a shot to see how close the readings are from one another.

Thanks again!