Official 280 Sundancer Thread

[trdehmer]

I still think you may be using the meter wrong or misinterputing the beeping? Yes, DMM cans beep to show continuity in addition to showing 0 Ohms (or minimal). But a beep when touching + to - is different. With the Nav lights off, do you still have +V on that wire?

If you, indeed, had a +12V shorting to a -12V, you'd have much more obvious issues going on.

As of right now I do not have +12V coming out of the blue wire with Nav lights on or off.

 

[Lazy Daze]

As of right now I do not have +12V coming out of the blue wire with Nav lights on or off.

I think I just saw another post you made about this same problem in another sub-forum? It can get confusing bouncing back and forth between multiple threads so it's probably best if you stick with one thread - and I would stick with that other thread. Plus, from that other thread, it looks like you have electronic switch pads? With what you've been writing so far, I was under the impression that you had regular switches.

However, in the meantime, if you're not getting power to the blue, supply wire, I believe that comes from your EIM. But... look in your owner's manual - there are very detailed wiring diagrams that you can use to backtrace wires.

 

[trdehmer]

I think I just another post you made about this same problem in another sub-forum? It can get confusing bouncing back and forth between multiple threads so it's probably best if you stick with one thread - and I would stick with that other thread. Plus, from that other thread, it looks like you have electronic switch pads? With what you've been writing so far, I was under the impression that you had regular switches.

However, in the meantime, if you're not getting power to the blue, supply wire, I believe that comes from your EIM. But... look in your owner's manual - there are very detailed wiring diagrams that you can use to backtrace wires.

Correct, I have electronic switch pads (like in the picture) - not regular switches.

Ended up being the 5A fuse in the fore EIM for the dimmer was bad.

 

[Darrenfon]

Just wanted to show the work that GaugeSaver in Florida was able to do. 15 days from when I shipped them off they were delivered back to me!

 

[They call me Tim]

Just wanted to show the work that GaugeSaver in Florida was able to do. 15 days from when I shipped them off they were delivered back to me!

View attachment 107905

Nice! They look great.

I do have a gauge question. I saw where you can buy an actual analog speedometer that is gps, so it gives you the real speed. I hate my speedometer, which reads that I'm going 5mph when I'm actually doing 35mph. I've looked, but can't find any that are my gauge style. Has anyone seen these or know a good source where I could look for my style of gauge?

 

[Lazy Daze]

Nice! They look great.

I do have a gauge question. I saw where you can buy an actual analog speedometer that is gps, so it gives you the real speed. I hate my speedometer, which reads that I'm going 5mph when I'm actually doing 35mph. I've looked, but can't find any that are my gauge style. Has anyone seen these or know a good source where I could look for my style of gauge?

If you clear the pitot hole on the leading edge of the drive (you have a different, smaller 280DA than this thread so you don't have to worry about twin setups), that should fix the issue. While pressure-based setups aren't dead-on, they are close enough for general use - typically no more than a couple MPH, at most, off.

There's LOTS of info about clearing the pitot hole on here that you can find by searching, but essentially, use a small drill bit and, by hand, ream out the hole to remove junk that has collected in there.

 

[Texomakid]

I too have a speedometer that's not working and while we had the boat on the trailer I did a drive oil change and cleaned out the hole on the starboard drive but the gage still isn't working. In my case, it appears to be a blockage further up the line or another issue. In the mean time, I'm just using the Navionics app on my phone until I can get a nice GPS unit installed in the dash. Had a Lowrance HDI 5 in my previous boat that worked great for me. It would be nice to have all the gages working.

 

[Lazy Daze]

Speedo... I'm kinda repeating what's been said in many, previous posts, but you can also check to see if the blockage has turned the corner and moved further up the drive or even further to the sensor. Disconnect the fitting in the cavity above the anti-vent plate and you narrow things down by seeing if air flows through.

 

[Gunn]

If I recall, that tubing runs all the way to the speedometer. And again, if I recall I took my air compressor and blew out the line backwards, from the speedometer to the rear. That did the trick and my speedometer has been working well for quite a while...well that is, until the starboard engine went belly-up...

 

[Henry Boyd]

Just wanted to show the work that GaugeSaver in Florida was able to do. 15 days from when I shipped them off they were delivered back to me!

View attachment 107905

Darren,
Those are Smartcraft gauges. Although they have Sea Ray logos they are just the same as the Merc branded units. The bezels just snap off and can replaced with new ones; chrome, blue, white red, etc.

 

[Lazy Daze]

If I recall, that tubing runs all the way to the speedometer. And again, if I recall I took my air compressor and blew out the line backwards, from the speedometer to the rear. That did the trick and my speedometer has been working well for quite a while...well that is, until the starboard engine went belly-up...

Normally, yes, you are correct. However given the year of the OP's boat, he would have Smartcraft and there is a sensor that converts the pressure into an electronic signal for the ECM/Smartcraft system.

 

[RobinK]

Any new suggestions on where to place a 7 or 9 inch chartplotter? I'm in the market for a Garmin 722 or 922 and I'd like to have it centered above the steering wheel. I found an old thread where someone had put a bracket on the lower instrument panel. But that was a c80 chartplotter plus the pictures only showed the bracket, not the plotter installed.

I'm thinking to replace faux woodgrain panel with Star Board, rearrange the instruments or remove some and screw the bracket on there. The space under with the VHF unit is to low for my taste think.

Has anyone installed a newer style chartplotter in center somehow and could share some pics?

 

[Darrenfon]

Darren,
Those are Smartcraft gauges. Although they have Sea Ray logos they are just the same as the Merc branded units. The bezels just snap off and can replaced with new ones; chrome, blue, white red, etc.

Okay?

 

[Darrenfon]

Any new suggestions on where to place a 7 or 9 inch chartplotter? I'm in the market for a Garmin 722 or 922 and I'd like to have it centered above the steering wheel. I found an old thread where someone had put a bracket on the lower instrument panel. But that was a c80 chartplotter plus the pictures only showed the bracket, not the plotter installed.

I'm thinking to replace faux woodgrain panel with Star Board, rearrange the instruments or remove some and screw the bracket on there. The space under with the VHF unit is to low for my taste think.

Has anyone installed a newer style chartplotter in center somehow and could share some pics?

There is a beautiful install with pictures earlier in this thread. If I recall correctly it is sometime in either 2019 or 2018.

 

[ATLTiger97]

First month into a 2004 280da twin engine. I did have a question about what to do in the winter, I am on Lake Lanier (Atlanta, GA) in a wet slip. With my bowrider I always just winterized the engines. Given I am wet slip and I have a good bilge heater what do I need to do? Do I empty the fresh water tanks? Add fuel additive like seafoam? What all am I missing.

I appreciate the advice.

 

[Josh28161]

Any new suggestions on where to place a 7 or 9 inch chartplotter? I'm in the market for a Garmin 722 or 922 and I'd like to have it centered above the steering wheel. I found an old thread where someone had put a bracket on the lower instrument panel. But that was a c80 chartplotter plus the pictures only showed the bracket, not the plotter installed.

I'm thinking to replace faux woodgrain panel with Star Board, rearrange the instruments or remove some and screw the bracket on there. The space under with the VHF unit is to low for my taste think.

Has anyone installed a newer style chartplotter in center somehow and could share some pics?

I upgraded to a 10” garmin last year. Had to cut out some fiberglass in the helm to do it. Here is an after pic. I think I posted some pics during the modification but cannot recall. Try searching the forum by my user name. If you need any info let me know.

.

 

[bbwhitejr]

First month into a 2004 280da twin engine. I did have a question about what to do in the winter, I am on Lake Lanier (Atlanta, GA) in a wet slip. With my bowrider I always just winterized the engines. Given I am wet slip and I have a good bilge heater what do I need to do? Do I empty the fresh water tanks? Add fuel additive like seafoam? What all am I missing.

I appreciate the advice.

Set cabin thermostat as low as it will go for heat. Plug up bilge heater and done. In 8 years I am not sure if my bilge heater has ever come on. Lake rarely gets below 50*.

Bennett

 

[ATLTiger97]

Great thanks!

 

[ATLTiger97]

Any ideas on how to fix this on the door the cabin. I am guessing previous owners boated around with cabin keys in, sigh.

 

[Lazy Daze]

Any ideas on how to fix this on the door the cabin. I am guessing previous owners boated around with cabin keys in, sigh.

Those appear to be air voids - that ocassionally happens during the original manufacturing/layup. To repair it properly, grind away all the gelcoat till there are no more voids. Then fill/shape and finally finish with gelcoat and wetsand/polish. You can fill the holes with a $5 tube of PC-11 (or similar) and it will slightly match the color, but over time the other voids will pop.