Could a new depth gauge be wired to exisitng transducer & paddlewheel temp?

Okay, I have a very generic depth gauge. I also have Perfect Pass Wakeboard pro, which is driven off the paddlewheel. The paddlewheel has a water temp sensor. If I dig into the menus of my perfect pass, I can see the water temp.




It's fine and all, but I like the idea of getting the Faria that has the water temp and air temp.

My question is, do you think it'd be feasible to buy the faria gauge and wire it up to my EXISTING depth transducer and then likewise tap into the water temp lead coming off the paddlewheel and have it all work?



It just seems silly to have to install a new transducer and temp sensor when my boat already has sensors in it.

Well, I just called Faria and found out that their transducers are a 235 kHz frequency. so as long as my boat's transducer is operating in that frequency range, I'd probably be okay.

The Temp sensor could certainly be tied into the one coming off the paddlewheel. So that's cool.

If I pull the trigger and get the new gauge, I'll definitely post up my results.

Anything "can" be done with the right amount of time and money. Is it worth it might be a better question! Based on cost /benefit only you can answer that.

Well, I talked to PP and found out that on a more current firmware, my PP could actually display the water temp on the PP at all times. But to get that update I'd have to have a new master module and that would be $200 at a "discount".

Ouch.

Yeah, having air and water temp displayed quickly and easily is a luxury, but what on these boats isn't?

I think on Centurion boats, that same Faria gauge is used and tied into the PP sensor. Try posting this question on CenturionCrew.com.

Originally Posted by boardjnky4

I think on Centurion boats, that same Faria gauge is used and tied into the PP sensor. Try posting this question on CenturionCrew.com.

Yeah, Faria said that it would work tying it into the temp sender on the paddlewheel that drives the PP.

It's really about what trandducer that Moomba used and if that will be plug and play with the Faria gauge. Probably yes. But I can't find any markings on the transducer. Worst case I'd have to mount another depth transducer...

Take a picture of the transducer, I bet it will be an airmar.(does speed, water temp, depth) 90% prediction that you will be able to hook this right up.

Originally Posted by antoddio

Take a picture of the transducer, I bet it will be an airmar.(does speed, water temp, depth) 90% prediction that you will be able to hook this right up.

I just realized that you can see the transducer in this pic. in the picture it's just above the fresh water intake line that comes off the back of the flush pro.

I can't really see it but I see the wire labeled airmar. Haha. Just hook it up, it should work!!

Originally Posted by antoddio

I can't really see it but I see the wire labeled airmar. Haha. Just hook it up, it should work!!

Yeah, I'll give it a try. the airmar wire is the paddlewheel IIRC.

Yeah, you can't see much of the transducer except that it's a black circle with a small black wire loom going to it and a touch of white wire coming out of the loom and going into the transducer. It's not a good pic, just one that I had where I noticed that the transducer was visible if you knew where to look. in the pic, the transducer is 1" above the "airmar" label you pointed out.

Most of them do temp, speed, and depth all in once sensor. Do you have multiple?

Originally Posted by antoddio

Most of them do temp, speed, and depth all in once sensor. Do you have multiple?

Well, currently, the PP and speedo are hooked up to the paddlewheel.

And the depth gauge is hooked to a separate transducer.

I suppose it's possible that my paddlewheel WOULD support my new depth gauge. If so I could go that direction! Thanks for the insight. I should be able to look up the stats on the paddlewheel as that's the one that has the abovementioned sticker identifying it.

I put in a new Faria depth gauge and used the existing transducer. Unfortunately, I wasted the money to buy a new transducer that wasn't needed. Everything wired up and worked fine.

In the new boat the airmar paddle wheel assembly now houses speed, depth and temp all in the one unit. With you having an older stand alone transducer the comments above may not apply. Its going to matter what brand that transducer thats epoxied to your hull is.

Originally Posted by boardman74

In the new boat the airmar paddle wheel assembly now houses speed, depth and temp all in the one unit. With you having an older stand alone transducer the comments above may not apply. Its going to matter what brand that transducer thats epoxied to your hull is.

Yeah, I looked up the part number on the airmar paddlewheel and it's a paddle wheel with temp, not a transducer.

I can't find any markings on my transducer itself.

I did take a couple better pics of it:





I also found this tag in my bilge, which COULD have come from the transducer, but no guarantee.

That is a shoot thru the hull transducer, epoxied to the inside of the hull. It won't have a temperature sensor.

Originally Posted by sinjun

That is a shoot thru the hull transducer, epoxied to the inside of the hull. It won't have a temperature sensor.

Right, but the Airmar paddlewheel sensor that feeds my perfect pass DOES have a temp sensor that Faria confirmed would work with my new gauge.

My biggest mystery is if the existing transducer is going to operate on the same frequency as my Faria gauge and in turn allow me to just use it instead of putting in a new transducer.

Honestly, I'm not against throwing in a new transducer. Just one more hole that i'd be drilling in the boat! LOL. But if I can use the existing one, that would be slick and easy.

why not just hook it up and see what happens rather than wasting time posting pictures of everything on the internet?

This^^^^^

Originally Posted by boardjnky4

why not just hook it up and see what happens rather than wasting time posting pictures of everything on the internet?

You've just nailed the purpose of wakeworld!!! It's the place that I go to so I can waste time posting things on the internet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


That said, because my boat's winterized and it's going to be quite a few weeks until my boat will see the water.



Plus, what else am I supposed to do at work? You want me to do Accounting or something? What fun is that?

No kidding........People want us to WORK!!!! WTF I'd much rather read boat stuff. Not to mention the fact that MAYBE someone has ALREADY tried this and can A ) save you the trouble of failing or B ) tell you it actually works.

Originally Posted by soonerbilly

No kidding........People want us to WORK!!!! WTF I'd much rather read boat stuff. Not to mention the fact that MAYBE someone has ALREADY tried this and can A ) save you the trouble of failing or B ) tell you it actually works.

Exactly! I mean, it wouldn't be the end of the world to just wait until I can put it in the water to test. But if I can find out that it's for sure not going to work NOW, then I can do the new transducer install at the same time as I'm doing my ballast system overhaul.

I did find out this fantastic info by posting on the Moomba forum:

I know SC has been using proprietary airmar triducers and maybe transducers that hve been set up specifically for medallion integration with there instrument control systems. Most work off the 235 kHz band but some are analog and some digital. You could follow the line and see if it's a direct connection to the gauge or see if it's integrated into an MDC unit. If direct then you may get lucky with your aftermarket gauge. Some of SC maybe supra specific and moomba specific although there is definitely crossover. That could be the airmar cross reference number for medallion instrumentation tag

I'm optimistic that it's going to work.

I'm very interested in this since I now have the same boat, so please update this with any info you do come up with

Originally Posted by gpd005

I'm very interested in this since I now have the same boat, so please update this with any info you do come up with

Of course. I ended up buying the new depth guage here:

http://www.blackbearsportinggoods.co...2.htm?click=12

$130 shipped was the best price I could find.



That said, worst case scenario I have to drill a hole and mount the Faria transducer. Not the end of the world if I need to do that. I've heard Moomba owners complain about the in hull transducer anyway (not staying stuck to the hull).

But I'll let you know for sure. The biggest test will be getting it in the water, which is still a month or two away...

At the temps we are having this week I'd be thrilled if we were in the water in two months!!!!! But yeah the previous owner has mentioned issues with the factory transducer.

Originally Posted by gpd005

At the temps we are having this week I'd be thrilled if we were in the water in two months!!!!! But yeah the previous owner has mentioned issues with the factory transducer.

Well, that makes the decision even easier. Honestly the only tricky part of replacing the transducer would be fishing the new wire under the floor up to the helm. Cutting the wire off the transducer and using the old wire to fish the new wire would be possible, but I'm pretty sure that the wires are going to be zip tied along the run under the floor. I'll find out soon enough as I have to run my new ballast 1" hose under the floor for my ballast system upgrade.

But if your boat has a history of depth gauge/transducer problems, I'd definitely get the $130 setup and have easy access to air and water temp on the gauge.

(yeah, perfect pass displays the water temp on mine if you dig deep enough into the menus, but I am the only one on my boat that has figured that out). And PP wanted $200 for a new master module/firmware update to get the PP software that displays the water temp on the screen at all times... Screw that.