engine room cameras

F

FindMe

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15862
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Anyone here have an engine room camera connected to their chart plotter?
Not for me of course, my engine room is perfect day or night. The truth may lay closer to the fact I cannot afford to take that gas pig anywhere. However...

I am preparing to propose either a Garmin or Raymarine chart plotter / radar unit to a friend. Both companies seem to have the ability to add an engine room camera. At first blush this seems like a good idea. Anyone able to shed some light on the realities of the situation?

FindMe, in a dark engine room. (Why is it so hot in here?)
 
An Engine Room Camera? And this would serve what purpose? So that you could watch what? The belts going roundy-round?
 
I have one so that you can keep an eye on the bilge & engine areas while underway. Although, you need to keep the engine room lights on too for it to be useful.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Capt. Art

I have one so that you can keep an eye on the bilge & engine areas while underway. Although, you need to keep the engine room lights on too for it to be useful.

Click to expand...


You have the wrong cameras, a $200.00 dollar camera can see in total darkness. Not sure what they are offering that is "bilge" safe, but the technology of seeing in the dark is old. But your post is a good one, and I guess the way around it is to have a light switch for the bilge at the helm. If the client has diesel, any camera will be fine.

"An Engine Room Camera? And this would serve what purpose? So that you could watch what? The belts going roundy-round?"

If your on a boat that is a large boat, or if you are up on the fly bridge and your fire sensor goes off, or your motors start acting weird, or you lose oil pressure, or you motors start smoking, or, well I guess you get the point now.

Also,
If the party you are selling this to has young kids that are in the salon, you can hook up a switch so they can view the kids while they are on the bridge. While you are at it, suggest a wire run to the TV, so they can watch TV if they are hanging out on the bridge. Voice for the TV connection can be obtained via a wireless device that ties into the bridge radio.
 
I have just installed the Raymarine E-80 system in my express cruiser last summer. I'm still learing how to use all the bells & whisles. I like the 3-D chart best of all. The Raymarine system I feel there are much more upgradeable features and easier to install then the Gramin. The main cable used on the Garmin from the display unit to the radome uses a flat/wide cable with 2 inch round connectors on each end, the cable can not be cut, spliced or repaired. I did not want to cut 2 inch holes through my radar arch and I do not think I have the access to pull those 2 inch connectors through my radar arch. I think for marine use the Raymarine system is better, but for Aviation the Garmin G-1000 system is the best...!
Also I have a night vision camara mounted piggy-bach on my remote controled search light and displayed on my TV, I keep these system independent because if I split the screen the display is too small for my to see without my reading glasses.

Hugo
27 ft express cruiser/7.4 Bravo ll
 
I use the Raymarine cameras (CAM100) with LED enhanced illumination hooked to my Garmin 4212 chart plotters. The CAM100 is color during the day and goes B&W at night it see's very well in low light and close up in no light as in my engine room. I also have a 2nd one facing aft in the cockpit area for backing the boat and watching people in the cockpit and walking down the dock towards our boat. There is enough output from these cameras to drive both chart plotters video inputs with a simple Y adapter on both cameras. Take care. Bill
 
Find ME, way back in 2003 we hooked one up to our Standard CP1000 plotter and used it to monitor our then 2 yr old in her stateroom from the Flybridge. The unit could take two camera inputs. When the kid was with us on the bridge, we turned the camera around facing out the stern, and used it to help when we were backing into the slip at Village West.
 
a little unrelated but i bought a cheap BW night camera from W-mart 19.95. sealed it up in a small zip lock bag and a couple of twist ties and a small lead weight. Hook this to your chartplotter/sounder and drop it over the side. neat to see the fish slipt screen and not just on the plotter. you could make the camera better waterproffed if you wanted but I have never had a leak yet. and worse case $20 has a 50 ft cord.
 
quote:
Originally posted by walterv

[quote

"An Engine Room Camera? And this would serve what purpose? So that you could watch what? The belts going roundy-round?"

Click to expand...


You don't see the use? What if you hit something or a hose breaks? You'll immediately see your taking on water or yes maybe a belt breaks, fire starts?
 
'Posted - Jan 13 2008 : 18:23:00
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quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by walterv

[quote

"An Engine Room Camera? And this would serve what purpose? So that you could watch what? The belts going roundy-round?"

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You don't see the use? What if you hit something or a hose breaks? You'll immediately see your taking on water or yes maybe a belt breaks, fire starts?"

Okay....Let's say you hit something? Would you the rely solely on what you might see on the camera to asses the damages if any? My guess is that you'd probably have a first hand look down there to look things over.
A belt breaks....Chances are it will cause your Temp. Gauge to rise which would be an easier to spot indicator of something wrong.
A Fire starts......I'm willing to bet that other things will happen to warn you that something is amiss long before there's a fire in the Engine Compartment in which case I'd jump overboard anyways.
Let's try this question though.......
Some of you seem to have what you consider very valid reasons for having such a device,,,,,How many of YOU have them and use them?
 
CenturyBoat027.jpg
 
Every Carver 52, 53, 56, and 57 Voyager and 45/46 Voyager that goes out of our dealership has these, and EVERYONE uses them...not constantly, but they all check them periodically on trips to make sure everything is okay...the bridge on these boats is quite a distance from the engine room, which is very well insulated for sound, so this feature comes in very handy. We've added them to smaller bridge/aft cabins as well
 
earl, can you explain your picture? Is that a picture taken by your remote camera or what?
 
I think he was showing us he does not need a camera, just the turn of his head.

Walter
 
So these Boats with Cameras in the Engine Room have lights that are left on all the time? I wonder how often batteries wind up dead because those were left on and forgotten about?
Oh well......I guess it would be a nifty thing to have but I just can't see the usefullness. But then again......that's just me.
 
Tanqueray:

Your point of view is most appreicated. Not everyone is going to find value in the proposition. The boat owner may look at the situation the same as you. I'll have to check his liquor locker before I broach the subject.

Earl:

I have an 11 year old 50 hp. Yamaha on my Lund. Wonderful motor, it has never skipped a beat. If it looked as nice as your 115, I'd hang a camera on it too. Nice camera installation!

But now you guys have me thinking, not a smart thing to do. First thing I thought about is a way to trigger the camera envirnometally. Then I said to myself, nawww too much work. But... You see I got this hot tub on an upper deck of the houseboat. And there is this cute woman who uses it while I am not around. Now, if I was to hook a little camera to a DVR, and get a static IP on one the River Wireless system, then I could check my hot tub... I mean my engine room .. remotely while I am ... Aw never mind. But the possibilities are endless.

FindMe, checking his hot tub.
 
Tanq:
I forgot to mention. There are several ways to handle the lighting issue. West Marine sales a switch device that holds a circuit on for 8 minutes when you push the button. That would do it. I have heard about cameras that work in darkness, but have never used one. I guess I need that for the hot tub. And that idea about putting the camera in the baggie, again the possibilites are endless.
"FindMe, whats that little wire going into the hot tub? Why you old creep!!" I like it.

FindMe, shopping for wireless, underwater, total darkenss cameras
 
"I guess it would be a nifty thing to have but I just can't see the usefullness. But then again......that's just me."

When you own a real boat someday, you will. :)

Walter
 
quote:
Originally posted by Flutterby

earl, can you explain your picture? Is that a picture taken by your remote camera or what?

Click to expand...

Just being a wise guy!!!
 
Ok.

I thought FindMe was the wiseguy. He hunts for broads on barstools and spies on ladies in his hot tub. Is there no stopping this man????
 
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