# Recent Copperhead Upgrades



## pescador72 (Aug 6, 2008)

Upgrades to the instrument pod...more to come, if I can pick up more overtime hours. 

The top is a battery volt meter, middle is tach/hour meter, and bottom is liquid fuel gauge. I wanted a gauge for the fuel because running a 3 gallon tank I think its vital that I know where I stand in terms of fuel. Just tested the tach and it works awesome. All made by Sendec and only weigh an ounce. www.sendec.com

Nautiucs Smart Tabs SX are on order and should be here any day now. I have used them before and they worked excellent with no maintenance as they are made of plastic. I got the smallest ones available after talking with there rep. 

I'd like to eventually lay down some seadek to the cockpit floor, but first I need a push pole and think I am going to go with a Wang Anchor. With my digital tach, I can now run some hard numbers for a tricky prop later this year.


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## dacuban1 (Sep 9, 2008)

looks bad a$$....nice and clean looking


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

I like everything that I see in your setup with one minor exception....
If it were mine, the last item I'd want is a fuel guage, period (nothing beats a properly measured dipstick if your setup allows you to use one). The first item I'd want after the tach is a water pressure guage if there's one available for whatever motor you run. A water pressure guage will save your engine in the event you wrap something around your lower unit that stops the pump from picking up water, or when you're motor is running too high to properly pick up water. If you run a lot watching that guage will save you over and over... If you wait until the overheat alarm goes off, it may be too late.

This is one of those "ask me how I know" moments since I had to be towed in yesterday for the first time in all the years (roughly 35 of them...) that I've been on the water since I quit working on charterboats. While more than 15 miles from Flamingo half way down the Joe River my water pump quit working with no warning. Because of the water pressure guage I shut down immediately, checked everything and found that, indeed it was just gone - no water at all. I'll find out Monday just what happened and hope that it's only the pump, but without it I know there'd be some heat damage.... and this is my living... 

For anyone t that wants to learn how, I can quickly take them through how to set up an accurate dipstick for any fuel tank that you can use a dipstick on....


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## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

I also recommend the pressure gauge, keeps you informed
as to the condition of your water pump and status of the intake.
If you can't afford a water pressure gauge, there have been times
I couldn't, I've run 3/16" vacuum tubing and made the engine pizzer
discharge overboard forward, where I can see it, instead of behind
me. Easy to tell you have water pressure when there's a steady
stream whizzing overboard 3' in front of you. Distance equals
pressure, so you get an idea of how things are going with the engine.
Plus it's a handy place to rinse/warm your hands.


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## Kemo (Jun 22, 2008)

> Plus it's a handy place to rinse/warm your hands.


Brett, you never cease to amaze me.   [smiley=y-10.gif]

Kemo


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## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

The forward mounted pizzer tube was the end result of a plastic
bag around the lower unit of a 2 day old outboard. Being broke
and in school meant no way to afford the parts for the repair and
a gauge. But I had lots of vacuum line available so I ran the tube
to where it would be easy to see. The hand washing and warming
was the result of a winter fishing trip not long after. When your
hands are freezing and slimy from releasing a ladyfish, and you
see steam rising from the pizzer hose water, no brains required
to take advantage of the unintended convenience.


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## pescador72 (Aug 6, 2008)

I might see about getting the H2O gauge, in the future. Really I wish I would have know before about that. The only reason that I got the Battery volt meter was more or less to fill space. I don't I will be draining the battery much cuz its a group 27, which basically is powering my trolling motor and gps. The OB is a rope start. 

I thought it more important to know how much fuel I had since I am running such a small tank up front under the deck. With only 3 gals. I feel like I need to know where I stand, without the need for stopping and check under the hatch. 

I also like Brett's idea. 


Happy New Year everyone!


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## Un-shore (Sep 27, 2007)

Gauge would be a better idea than the vacuum tube. Although a great idea, I personally can't look at the TT stream without having the urge to make the PP stream!
:-[


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## HialeahAngler (Dec 18, 2008)

call me cuckoo, but I constantly turn my head when I'm running to make sure that the engine is pissing correctly. I guess I do it cuz there's been times in the past when i've sucked in some mud and had to blow it out with my mouth. Talk about light headed!


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## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

> call me cuckoo, but I constantly turn my head when I'm running to make sure that the engine is pissing correctly


Sounds like a case of whiplash coming on... 
Seeing the whiz tube doing it's job in front of me,
saved me from having to look behind me,
which was why I located it where I did.

As for the sound of running water influencing the need to p
Go before you go, and save the cold ones for after the trip.
Simple solutions from a simple mind!


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## Un-shore (Sep 27, 2007)

> > call me cuckoo, but I constantly turn my head when I'm running to make sure that the engine is pissing correctly
> 
> 
> Sounds like a case of whiplash coming on...
> ...


Although hot coffee is my drug of choice, your advice applies just as well.


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