Refitting a new vessel or updating a well-loved older boat can be a rewarding experience, but it can also be a challenging one. Knowing which gauges to install for the most efficient of readouts as well as maintaining a pleasing appearance of the dashboard can be a tricky balance.
Gauges are an integral component of any vessel as they monitor vital data such as oil pressure, battery status, and speed. All this data is displayed on a dial (analog) or a screen (digital) providing everything you need at a glance. Get the configuration right and they can make the dash streamlined and stylish but get it wrong and the dash can be overcrowded and not really fit for purpose.
What are multi-function gauges?
One solution to this conundrum is to install a multi-function gauge. This is an analog gauge which shows multiple data on a single dial. There are a variety of gauges available for use within a marine vessel and a multi-function gauge can monitor those of most relevance to the vessel. These can include:
- Depth Sounders
- Fuel Level gauges
- Hourmeter gauges
- Oil Pressure gauges
- Speedometer gauges
- Tachometer gauges which can be programmed to work with both diesel and petrol engines
- Trim Level gauges
- Voltmeter gauges
- Waste-Water Level gauges
- Water Temperature gauges
As you can imagine having an individual gauge for each and every one of these readings would make for a very crowded and virtually unusable dash. The multi-function gauge could be the answer.
Benefits of multi-function gauges
There are many benefits to installing multi-function gauges into your boat or vehicle dash. These include:
- Knowledge – This gauge will give you easy to read information about your vessel or vehicle in one place, from voltage, temperature, pressure to fuel level.
- Streamline your dashboard – The multi-function gauge essentially replaces four single-function gauges and therefore frees up space on your dashboard making for a more streamlined aesthetic.
- All knowledge in one place – By looking at all your data in one place can give you an overall picture of the vessel’s performance.
- Changes Easily Identified – With a multi-functional analog gauge all the changes in readings are easy to spot due to the moving needle, quickly drawing attention.
- Easy to read – The data on a multi-functional analog gauge can be easier to interpret than information from a digital gauge. What you see is often what you get.
- Easy to install – Instead of trying to install four different analog gauges the multi-function gauge saves time on installation as it only needs to be done once.
- Easy to troubleshoot – With only one gauge it can be easier to troubleshoot than with multiple gauges which reduces down time. Analog gauge technology has also been around for a long time and are easy to operate and repair with more technicians being familiar with the technology.
The Veethree multi-function gauge is very versatile and it suited to all vessels. It has three aesthetics; the Black Sterling (black dial and a stainless-steel bezel), White Sterling (all white with black figures and a fire orange pointer tip ) and Argent range (stainless steel bezel and black and white face) meaning whichever is chosen will sit alongside the other single-function gauges on your dashboard providing a unified appearance. These gauges can all be matched with temperature senders, pressure senders and a universal fuel sender which can be adjusted to suit tanks between 7 to 24 inches deep.
The general specification of the multi-function gauge includes:
- Scratch-resistant domed glass lenses
- Optional add-on eyebrow bezels
- US and metric scales with ISO symbols
- Fog-resistant lenses (complies with SAE J-1810)
- Lit dials
The Veethree multi-function gauge can be customized to fit just about any application, meaning it is versatile and will add elegance and sophistication to any dashboard. To find out more about the Veethree multi-function gauge head over to the product page.
