Who is Keyser Medallion?
He's the jerk that can't make a functioning multifunction display that we've been annoyed by since our boats were new. Here's another huge upgrade. I took the flakey and somewhat deceased zombie MMDC apart, took the circuit with display out of the housing. It's simple if you take it apart. There are four screws holding the gauge body together, and you pop out the two boards, connected by a short ribbon cable. I left the small circuit board and display all connected together and connected to the CAN bus (gauge wiring) and wrapped it in a shroud of burial electrical tape. I placed it wayyy back in the gauge hole to rest in silent slumber. There's a ton of room behind the gauge. I figure it might come alive someday, and it's my hour meter. With the MMDC as it was, I took a cel pic of my hours on the rare occasions that it came to life:)
I removed the gauge housing and drilled four #8 screw holes in the empty gauge pod and mounted a Lowrance GPS plotter, depth finder Sonar and fish finder:)) Finally, a depth finder. It has speed, incredible detail of bottom in two different sonar views, GPS plot of the lake, GPS speed, water temp, coffee maker, etc.
The device I bought is not perfect and I have my issues with accidentally going to night mode where you can't see it but it is more than bright enough when set up right. I'm not completely happy with it so choose carefully, play at West Marine with one.
It is the Hook series, and there are about 14 models that are the exact same form factor and mount, but different software or capabilities. SO same install. The base fits right over the original gauge face. There are two quick release cables that you thread up through the original display hole in the gauge mounting pod. Theres a power wire and a transducer wire. The transducer wire reaches the transom no problem. I mounted the transducer on the original speedo bracket. I drilled a 1" hole in the transom and used a waterproof bulkhead connector (west marine) to seal the hole with marine silicone (the nasty stuff) I drilled it higher up the transom than the hole for the speedo hose, but the hole saw cut right through the perimeter of the original hole. That way, I could wiggle the wire connector through the hole into the trunk, it has to be higher up to clear the trunk floor.
I routed the transducer wire along the same route as the speedo hose along the floor seam. I slit the carpet with a box knife and pulled the hose up, the cable is about the same OD and you can just push it in there. You could probably put some carpet glue or something if you want it perfect, it looked fine to me. Then route it up the gunwale and down the chaseway to the dash.
It's a big improvement!
