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I’m not an engineer, but I play one on TV.
There have been other comments on replacing Sensors, from “I could do it again in 30 minutes” to, “It’s a royal bee-atch and I had to break my arm in 3 places to get to it”, I have read them all. I would have to agree with the latter. It’s not easy to get to, and you are flying blind when you do. Our Port Side Sensor was reading a constant 80% @ empty, and 100% when we started to fill. I thought this a great project for my Son, young and nimble. We removed the engine side obstacles and bracket, pretty straight forward. Visual on the top of the bag location of the Sensor and incoming hose at the stern left corner. Stuck my phone in the access port at the back bottom of the, I will call it the frame rail, and tried to get a decent picture to see what we were up against. Unclipped the wire from the Sensor with some touchy feely on the release tab. The new “upgraded Sensor” was at 15/16”, so we started that direction, too small, went with a 1” deep well socket and nailed it. I heard a clunk, “Son, you drop the wrench?” “Ya, and I can’t reach it”. I slipped in, and with my arm in as painfully far as I could get it, I was able to recapture the flex socket wrench just barely with an out stretched finger. Old Sensor removed, switched back to the 15/16” deep well socket, and guessing the correct angle, threads started, new Sensor in. To this point, all was not too bad, just a slight test of patience. Here’s where my patience started to run thin: The new cable is a push in with a screw cap connector, much better design, IMO. But, if you are trying to make that happen by feel without a visual, and try to turn the cable to get it aligned to just the correct spot after the new sensor is already in, good luck, you are better than I am. Maybe the key is to install the cable 1st, and then use a 1” wrench, or judging by the old Sensor that I pulled out (obviously had been replaced before), showed the hack mark signs of channel lock pliers. Without giving it too much thought, I went to the tool box, grabbed a drill and a 4” hole saw. This is where Earl Dibbles Jr would say, I made me a new access hole, yee yee! Much to the look of horror on my Son’s face, lol.
Do I recommend everyone start punching 4” holes in their boat when things get difficult, probably not. I do feel that no animals were harmed in this production, and the structural integrity of the boat is intact, this is mostly just a holding cell for the ballast bag. When it is time to replace the Starboard Sensor, I will do a repeat. From there forward, this becomes a 15-minute fix, for certain. I have left the screws out of the deck access cover and will do a visual inspection over the next few boating sessions to check for any signs of chaos. I don’t foresee any problems. Bags are tough, and our last boat, the bags were in the open within the lockers with obstacles always poking & prodding them, no harm no foul. My famous line, Engineers should be required to work on their own designs. Thanks to Nautique for the upgraded Sensors, good work. I did not have to do any type of Linc system update, filled, emptied, turned system off, and then back on - good to go.
My thanks to Bsamg25 and his post and everyone's feedback. You can read his write up here: https://www.planetnautique.com/vb5/f...p-sensor-fault.
You can find the plates on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DW7HDT9...roduct_details
The pictures tell the story…
Used a Dremel to slightly feather the edges of the 4" hole
2 Pack 4" bulk head covers
I used just the lid insert, it was basically a perfect screw in fit.
If you are trying this at home, make sure you punch right of corner 1 1/2 to 2" to catch the flats. If I had a redo, I would of gone about an 1" higher from the bag. If you use the complete bulk head cover with the outside rim, you will need a 4 1/2" hole, I didn't think this was necessary since the lid by itself was a good tight fit. I will need to grab a pic of a side by side comparison of new Sensor vs old, just for reference...
There have been other comments on replacing Sensors, from “I could do it again in 30 minutes” to, “It’s a royal bee-atch and I had to break my arm in 3 places to get to it”, I have read them all. I would have to agree with the latter. It’s not easy to get to, and you are flying blind when you do. Our Port Side Sensor was reading a constant 80% @ empty, and 100% when we started to fill. I thought this a great project for my Son, young and nimble. We removed the engine side obstacles and bracket, pretty straight forward. Visual on the top of the bag location of the Sensor and incoming hose at the stern left corner. Stuck my phone in the access port at the back bottom of the, I will call it the frame rail, and tried to get a decent picture to see what we were up against. Unclipped the wire from the Sensor with some touchy feely on the release tab. The new “upgraded Sensor” was at 15/16”, so we started that direction, too small, went with a 1” deep well socket and nailed it. I heard a clunk, “Son, you drop the wrench?” “Ya, and I can’t reach it”. I slipped in, and with my arm in as painfully far as I could get it, I was able to recapture the flex socket wrench just barely with an out stretched finger. Old Sensor removed, switched back to the 15/16” deep well socket, and guessing the correct angle, threads started, new Sensor in. To this point, all was not too bad, just a slight test of patience. Here’s where my patience started to run thin: The new cable is a push in with a screw cap connector, much better design, IMO. But, if you are trying to make that happen by feel without a visual, and try to turn the cable to get it aligned to just the correct spot after the new sensor is already in, good luck, you are better than I am. Maybe the key is to install the cable 1st, and then use a 1” wrench, or judging by the old Sensor that I pulled out (obviously had been replaced before), showed the hack mark signs of channel lock pliers. Without giving it too much thought, I went to the tool box, grabbed a drill and a 4” hole saw. This is where Earl Dibbles Jr would say, I made me a new access hole, yee yee! Much to the look of horror on my Son’s face, lol.
Do I recommend everyone start punching 4” holes in their boat when things get difficult, probably not. I do feel that no animals were harmed in this production, and the structural integrity of the boat is intact, this is mostly just a holding cell for the ballast bag. When it is time to replace the Starboard Sensor, I will do a repeat. From there forward, this becomes a 15-minute fix, for certain. I have left the screws out of the deck access cover and will do a visual inspection over the next few boating sessions to check for any signs of chaos. I don’t foresee any problems. Bags are tough, and our last boat, the bags were in the open within the lockers with obstacles always poking & prodding them, no harm no foul. My famous line, Engineers should be required to work on their own designs. Thanks to Nautique for the upgraded Sensors, good work. I did not have to do any type of Linc system update, filled, emptied, turned system off, and then back on - good to go.
My thanks to Bsamg25 and his post and everyone's feedback. You can read his write up here: https://www.planetnautique.com/vb5/f...p-sensor-fault.
You can find the plates on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DW7HDT9...roduct_details
The pictures tell the story…
Used a Dremel to slightly feather the edges of the 4" hole
2 Pack 4" bulk head covers
I used just the lid insert, it was basically a perfect screw in fit.
If you are trying this at home, make sure you punch right of corner 1 1/2 to 2" to catch the flats. If I had a redo, I would of gone about an 1" higher from the bag. If you use the complete bulk head cover with the outside rim, you will need a 4 1/2" hole, I didn't think this was necessary since the lid by itself was a good tight fit. I will need to grab a pic of a side by side comparison of new Sensor vs old, just for reference...
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