Seeing the dashboard

[grashley]

With the new RV, seeing and reading the dash board while driving is a real issue for me. It sits very low compared to a car. With sun glasses, it is so dark as to be unreadable. Any one else with this problem?
I can kinda see the speedometer and tach. The other gauges and message center are invisible unless I take my eyes off the road way to long to make things out. For example, when we got home Sunday, I noticed a message on the dash that said I was 21 miles from empty!! I had no clue! When I got to the station today, it was 2 miles to empty and I put 70 gal in an 80 gal tank. At least I know what the reserve volume is!

What can be done to increase visibility? Better lighting on the panel? Running with lights on and instrument panel lit did not help. What works for you?

 

[Domo]

Where blue-blocker sunglasses. Or switch to non-polarized sunglasses if you're are polarized (which plays havoc with some plastics - thus, gauge faceplates).

Blue-blockers only block a narrow spectrum and can make things look as bright as day without the glare and blinding strength.

 

[bigb56]

That is the reason I use a different way to display things. This is a tablet but you can also get a "heads up display" which is what I would get to make things simple if you're not the nerdy type.

A Scangauge III as pictured in the last photo will also work and you'll have more gauge choices but the downside is the display is smaller and not as "pretty"

I love not having to peer under the steering wheel on winding mountain roads.

 

[John From Detroit]

That table display looks a lot like Torque app. Used with an OBDii Blue tooth adapter.. It's rater nice and it can read out error codes. and clear many of them as well.

 

[bigb56]

That table display looks a lot like Torque app. Used with an OBDii Blue tooth adapter.. It's rater nice and it can read out error codes. and clear many of them as well.

That's exactly what it is, Torque Pro

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

Try gradient sunglasses. Available with prescription if you need it.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[Laura & Charles]

I just turn on he parking lights to light up the dash lights.

 

[grashley]

I am glad to know I am not the only one who can't see the dash display. I thought something like ScanGauge should exist, but I had not seen one. It really looks like what I want, with the ability to choose the gauges I want to see, and analog or digital. I'm not sure if I can wait until Christmas!

 

[bigb56]

I am glad to know I am not the only one who can't see the dash display. I thought something like ScanGauge should exist, but I had not seen one. It really looks like what I want, with the ability to choose the gauges I want to see, and analog or digital. I'm not sure if I can wait until Christmas!

Scangauge is digital only. The analog gauges are Torque Pro on a Galaxy tablet, the last pic is the SGIII

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

I run torque pro as well. Usually on an old phone with 3 or 4 gauges but also on a tablet that has pages of different gauge combinations depending on what I am interested in watching. There are low latency OBD interfaces out there for nominal money but even the cheep ones work OK for typical operation. For the cost there's no reason to not have it. Anymore just pulling codes is a key capability, with a simple interface and cheap or free software you get that and real time monitoring which takes a lot of doubt out of engine and driveline operation going down the road.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[bigb56]

I run torque pro as well. Usually on an old phone with 3 or 4 gauges but also on a tablet that has pages of different gauge combinations depending on what I am interested in watching. There are low latency OBD interfaces out there for nominal money but even the cheep ones work OK for typical operation. For the cost there's no reason to not have it. Anymore just pulling codes is a key capability, with a simple interface and cheap or free software you get that and real time monitoring which takes a lot of doubt out of engine and driveline operation going down the road.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

I love my Torque Pro but even though I could tell when a regen was happening, there was no way to see DPF load so I never knew when a regen would start, and they have a habit of starting at the worst times. So I got SGIII which shows DPF load enabling me to predict them. I also gained transmission temp which TP cannot read on a Sprinter, it just mirrors ECT all the time. (SGIII also mirrors ECT in Park but as soon as you shift into gear it shows TFT, which is how it is set up in the MB control unit)

But I really miss that TP display.

 

[grashley]

Please tell me more about the torque pro! Is this simply an app which will work with most OBDII reader? Is it a specific OBD reader? Will most any old phone work? I guess I am old school enough to like analog gauges. Regen is no longer an issue as the new RV is a V10 Gasser.

 

[bigb56]

Please tell me more about the torque pro! Is this simply an app which will work with most OBDII reader? Is it a specific OBD reader? Will most any old phone work? I guess I am old school enough to like analog gauges. Regen is no longer an issue as the new RV is a V10 Gasser.

Torque Pro is an app in the Play Store for Android. I paid $5 for the Pro version. Then you'll need an ELM327 Bluetooth adapter. I went with OBDlink-MX which is about the best one out there although very pricey. There are plenty of others much cheaper but at the time, must be over a dozen years ago, there weren't a lot of good ones to choose from. It has since been replaced with a newer version but the 2 older ones I have are still working perfectly. Whatever one you choose make sure it is compatible with your vehicle's OBD protocol. Your 2016 Ford chassis should be SAE J1850 PWM which should work with just about all of them. If possible get one with auto shutoff to save your battery.

There are other ones you can buy that give you the BT adapter along with their own program and they work just fine but I chose TP for it's customization abilities, you can customize your gauges, the layout and you can add more gauges if you have the PID and there are even csv files on the web you can download for custom PIDs just for your vehicle, but it also comes with the ability to read all the generic basic standard stuff like speed, RPM, temps etc. If you're nerdy enough you can even set up a trip computer that tracks things like distance and fuel consumed which I never tried.

Mine is on an 8" tablet but my Sprinter chassis has a cupholder right there in the dash pocket so mounting right where I can see it by just shifting my eyes, while not having it block my view out the windshield, was easy.

 

[John Canfield]

I used a SilverLeaf product (VMSpc) for diesel monitoring, fuel data, etc., etc. The app was free bit the OMDBII interface box was about $400. I had a laptop sitting on a Jotto Desk, the laptop dual displayed CoPilot navigation and the SilverLeaf app on a remote display above the dash.

If you want to go first class, this is for you.

*I'm going to let this thread run its course here and then move it to the PC, Communications, Electronics Board. Great topic!

 

[Larry N.]

I love my Torque Pro but even though I could tell when a regen was happening, there was no way to see DPF load so I never knew when a regen would start, and they have a habit of starting at the worst times.

His Sunstar is a gasser, not diesel...

 

[bigb56]

His Sunstar is a gasser, not diesel...

Yep but TP works on all OBD II vehicles, just choose what sensors you want to monitor. You can even use a single TP app across multiple vehicles, just set up a page for each one and scroll over to it when you change vehicles. If I recall there are about 6 pages available.

 

[Larry N.]

Yep but TP works on all OBD II vehicles,

OK- It was your mention of DEF and Regen that triggered my post, since I've never before heard of Torque Pro. Also, my DPs didn't have OBD II, but rather used J1708 ports, to which a Bluefire or Silver Leaf can plug in.

 

[SargeW]

I used a SilverLeaf product (VMSpc) for diesel monitoring, fuel data, etc., etc. The app was free bit the OMDBII interface box was about $400. I had a laptop sitting on a Jotto Desk, the laptop dual displayed CoPilot navigation and the SilverLeaf app on a remote display above the dash.

If you want to go first class, this is for you.

*I'm going to let this thread run its course here and then move it to the PC, Communications, Electronics Board. Great topic!

Just an FYI, the SilverLeaf VMSpc product is no longer in production. For a short time the web page and downloads will still be available. This was taken from SilverLeaf's product webpage.

VMSpc – SilverLeaf Electronics

silverleafelectronics.com

 

[John Canfield]

That's a bummer, VMSpc is a great product.

 

[SargeW]

I know, I loved that product. I used to chat with Art, the VMSpc tech over there regularly. The last time I texted him about a year ago he never replied. I beta tested several of their new products for quite some time, and even helped them solve a mystery when one of their latest generations was having performance problems.

I was concerned when the owner sold out to Winegard a few years back, and sadly I was right. Winegard didn't want to put any money into the platform, even though it was so wildly popular.