Wednesday 2 March 2016

Old television equipment might provide mounting for meters

In a previous post I have talked about using a centre-zero moving coil meter to indicate the current flowing into or out of the domestic batteries. The meter would need to be mounted on a metal panel which would then have to be let in to some of the boat's woodwork. I'm toying with the idea of using a piece of salvaged old redundant TV equipment - an auto-centering unit for three-tube cameras - which would fit nicely at the top of a cupboard door in the engine room. (Simon will probably be familiar with it.)

I thought I had already published this photo of the meter, but I couldn't see it, so here it is.

Suitable circuitry will mean that full-scale deflection would correspond to 100A.

The front panel of the ACU will come off, so all I would have to do is cut a roughly rectangular hole in the door to accommodate the backs of the meters and switches, then screw the panel into position.

As well as two analogue meters there are five switches, two indicator lamps and three fuses. The lamp between the meters indicates "on air" - I'm not sure what I could use this to signify!

One of the switches could be used to switch the meter between, say, engine battery volts and domestic battery volts; another could switch between voltage and current. That still leaves plenty of spare switching/indicating capacity.

It seems rather over-the-top, though, and it might look out of place. I am tempted, though.

1 comment:

Nev Wells said...

I think this fits into the retirement project category - nice to do if you have the time....