Optimax and broken paddle wheel speed sensor

brucehawsker · 30 May 2016, 21:01

Hi,

I have a 2004 150 Optimax with smart gauges. I had a paddle wheel sensor on the transom. Unfortunately, this is now in pieces. I think may have hit something or she had a lifting accident, but the sensor is well and truly busted.

Now, in practice I never look at the smart gauges. I use my ear for the revs and a large overlay number on my two GPS screens for speed. The only use for the gauges is alarms and "fuel used". Frankly, in the sun and given my age and sight, they are unreadable.

Do I need to replace the sensor or can I just terminate the wire and forget it? Will any of the records held by the smart gauge be affected by a "lost" sensor?

If I do need a replacement

a) do they make them any more?
b) what is the modern equivalent?
c) will it be compatible with my Opti kit?

Who locally to Lymington might have one / be able to source one / install it for me?

Thank you very much,

Bruce

whiskylee · 30 May 2016, 22:32

Here you go buy this on eBay and you should be ok, I purchased a new one a few years ago from Bill higham aprox £85

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/301970118349

Daniel · 31 May 2016, 06:29

Unplug it under the cowl. It's a 4-pin connector.

You can wire you're GPS input into the smartcraft, and change a setting to display gps speed not water speed.

Daniel · 31 May 2016, 06:30

What I would add is that the paddlewheel measures waterspeed (STW) and it can at times be useful to have this info in addition to gps speed or SOG

brucehawsker · 01 June 2016, 07:42

Thank you. However, I am kind of pig ignorant here.

Unplug under the cowl - can you explain a bit more fully what I have to do?

And "You can wire you're GPS input into the smartcraft, and change a setting to display gps speed not water speed. " How do I do these two steps?

And if I buy this, is it a straight swap - kind of plug and play:

"Here you go buy this on eBay and you should be ok, I purchased a new one a few years ago from Bill higham aprox £85

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/301970118349"

Thx

Bruce

Daniel · 01 June 2016, 07:56

Physically trace the wire from the paddlewheel it runs into the engine cowl and eventually terminates in a 4-way connector.

You expressed concern over damaging anything - so I suggested unplugging.

Connecting GPS via NMEA link from Chartplotter is an easy enough diy job but not for an amateur im afraid.

whiskylee · 01 June 2016, 08:08

As daniel has pointed out follow the cable from the speed paddle that is currently on your boat to where it is connected un plug and re plug the new one in