1998 252 updating thread

[xlint89]

Thanks Aslan. Should be done with the panels soon. Hopefully the gauges goes well.

Capn, this is what Bennett recommended I use. I don't know if it's because the trim tabs are longer than normal? (16" in length) Or if the auto trim pro doesn't work with the electric actuators? I really don't know the answer, but it's what he suggested because of the speed of the boat and the limited transom space for mounting tabs.

[akorcovelos]

Looking good X!

[xlint89]

Things are moving along. Hit a few hiccups though.

1. losing my winter storage and need to find a new place to put her. (friend sold the building and new owner is not interested in renting)

2. Waiting on the Faria speedometer. Place I bought it from says maybe 2 more weeks (back order)

3. After installing the gauges I do have, I ran into an elec issue. The lights on the gauges were acting weird. The first 2 gauges were not lighting up. But the next 2 were. Really odd as they are all daisy-chain wired. One light circuit jumping from gauge to gauge and one ground circuit jumping from gauge to gauge. How could 2 not work?

After doing some probing with the test light, I heard a "pop" and saw a small plume of smoke coming from the starboard side switch panel on the back side. All switches work, all indicator lights work.

Switched out the LED light bulbs i had installed to try the incandescent bulbs that came with the gauges. Now 3 lights are working and the first one still is not.

Swap the bulb and base from one gauge to the other. And now the opposite one works. Had an issue going on with the bulb base not making contact. Fixed that and all gauges light up.

Switch the bulbs back to LED and now they all work. But the dimmer switch is non-functioning.

There is no obvious signs of what cooked. And the fact the dimmer is no longer working makes me think that might be what fried out. But I would suspect if it failed, the entire lighting circuit would be dead? Instead it works just fine, but there's no dimming capability.

When i had the panels out of the boat and at my house, I had an old can of electronics cleaner. I sprayed everything down with it. I seems as if it left a thin layer of oil, or a film. I'm guessing I shorted the circuit board on the dimmer (it's open to the elements) and that's what popped and smoked.

I'd really like to find the culprit though. Shorted wires on a boat is no joke. No fuse burnt or breaker tripped.

Anyone know where I can get a replacement dimmer switch?

[Big Block Power]

I had a post in my updating thread of my 200 about led lights in the dash. Technically they are not lights. They are light-emitting diodes. So they don't let power through in both directions. So you get back feeding. It happens. Or you had the bulbs in backwards. Yes I know you already knew this as your a pretty technical guy. The only ones that I know that can read smoke signals are in the west on the reservation. That your best shot. Google of course will be your friend trying to find that rheostat dimmer switch. Sorry I can't be more help than that. But yea good luck and let us know what you find out.

[akorcovelos]

It’s okay, Cobalt puts extra smoke in their electronics, you have plenty left.

Here is the rheostat I used to replace mine when it crapped out.

96B33AB2-981C-4151-9ED0-C6C862C6D46E.png

[Big Block Power]

It’s okay, Cobalt puts extra smoke in their electronics, you have plenty left.

Here is the rheostat I used to replace mine when it crapped out.

96B33AB2-981C-4151-9ED0-C6C862C6D46E.png

Yes that me will put some smoke back in a little at a time!

[xlint89]

Thanks for the laugh BBP.

Akor, thanks. I started looking into new LED dimmers yesterday and came across that one too. I'll prob go that route since you are using it with no problem.

[xlint89]

I decided to consolidate the fuel, oil, temp, and voltage gauges into 1 unit. This way all my gauges are up in the dash now. No more looking down and to the left to view the oil or temp gauges when run WOT.

I removed the compass because the new GPS speedometer has a compass built into it and installed the multi gauge in it's place.

Just to be sure I don't see any "ghost rings" from the old gauge holes through the carbon fiber laminate, I chose to install a thin piece of SS shim stock (.005") over the old holes. (I don't think the holes would have shown through, but better safe than sorry at this point.

Also the last pic shows the color difference of the carbon fiber when seen in the correct light

[xlint89]

cleaned up some wire behind the panel

[xlint89]

The light coming through the window was just right to show the true color on the steering wheel piece.

[xlint89]

I took the easy way out and decided to duplicate the factory cut out for the switches.

To do the complete panel. I would have had to remove the switches, breakers, and the indicator lights. To remove the indicator lights, I would have had to cut the ground wires to remove them from the factory plastic disconnect plug.

Another concern would have been to get new switch labels. I wouldn't want some cheesy looking stickers just slapped on.

Now, if I were to replace the switches with the Bocatech push button switches like I originally wanted, the full panel would be laminated since all the switches and indicator lights would be eliminated.

[xlint89]

To remove the dash panel, you need to remove the nuts from the "eye brow" on the inside and lift it up in order to get the panel out.

I was really moving along Sat as i installed the side panels, removed the dash panel, removed the wood from it, and then installed the carbon fiber all in one day (at about midnight)

By far the easiest piece to do was the dash.

The most difficult thing was reinstalling the side panels for 2 reasons.

1. The panels have curvature built into the helm. If you don't have a helper to push the bottom in as you install the nut, and then push in the top as you install those, you're going to need to get creative like I did. I installed a long piece of 1/2" plywood wedged through the steering wheel. I then installed a socket extension between the plywood and the panel to hold it for me while I went behind the helm to install the nuts.

2. The mounting posts for the panels are a bit tricky to access, but the angle of the posts was the biggest issue. The posts are angled enough that
any time you put a washer on, it fell right off.

So I got crafty with the duct tape. I used a fender washer, taped a flat washer and a lock washer to that. Then taped that bundle to the socket with the nut inside that. (with a wad of duct tape inside the socket to hold the nut at the top of it) I was then able to spin the whole assembly on by hand to start.

[xlint89]

It's like I have E.D.

No more wood.......

[xlint89]

LED lights installed seem to be giving off different colors for some reason.

[xlint89]

I had to install a small gauge in place of the fuel sender, so I decided to install a water pressure gauge. I ran a hose from the engine all the way up to the gauge.

It kept the gauges all the same style and manufacturer, and figured it might come in handy.

My other option was to install the matching depth sounder, but didn't want to have to replace the factory set up since it's working just fine. It would have cleaned up the side panel though to remove the factory displays from it.