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EGT/CHT monitor

tcone1

Well Known Member
Without spending a ton of money, I'd like to add a 4 probe EGT/CHT monitor.
What's out there?

Thanks,

Tim
 
Many choices

Without spending a ton of money, I'd like to add a 4 probe EGT/CHT monitor.
What's out there? Thanks, Tim
Well Tim, There are WAY Cheaper ways to go. You can go with single gauges, one EGT or CHT and use a rotary dial to read each channel. I recommend you don't do that. You really want one with a graphical display IMHO. Also in the end good EGT and CHT probes are very expensive and a major part of the cost. When each probe cost almost $100 each, 8 probes is $800. They almost give you the electronic scanning gauge for free. Cheap probes will not last or be accurate. You can buy a cheap analog $45 Vans EGT gauge and a rotary selector, with 4 probes. You spend almost as much as you would for a cool engine analyzer, that tells you which one peak first or has limit or rate of change alarms. Saving money on some old analog gauge is really not value added. The saying, GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR, applies here in full. You are looking at about $875 for a full singing and dancing graphic analyzer (EGT/CHT). They go up to over $4000.

Three brands of graphic EGT/CHT analyzers (I know of), EI (electronic international), GEM (by insight) and JPI. My preference is either EI or GEM by Insight. They're all semi-equivalent, but I heard JPI's customer service was less than friendly. In the end features and cost may be the deciding factor and EI is the least expensive I believe (shop around). Of these all are STC'ed for the factory plane crowd, so you pay a more for what you get, verses "experimental" avionics or non STC'ed instruments. The best bargain might be the EI UBG-16. LINK

I also could recommend the Grand Rapid Technologies GRT EIS4000. LINK It's more than just an EGT/CHT analyzer. It has all the engine gauges plus the 4 EGT and 4 CHT. FF is a $375 option, which is nice to have. Even if you don't use all the other engine functions, it would make a heck of a EGT/CHT monitor. If you wanted to expand it later you have all the other functions and trash can the analog gauges you might have. You will spend about the same but have the capability to upgrade to an engine monitor, which actually monitors all limitations and warns of under/over limits you can program. It will take up more room than a 2.25" dia hole.

Things have changed so fast and so many new players have come on the scene; there might be 20 companies that make engine monitors of one type or another. It seems every month a new one shows up. Experimental system (like the GRT EIS4000) you will get more for less money. However in the stand alone graphic EGT/CHT only the three companies come to mind. Some other brands specialize in analog displays today, but I have to admit a preference for the graphic digital display. I love analog watches but for engine analyzer monitor, digital for me. With guys trying to LEAN, lean of peak and save gas an accurate analyzer that indicates FTP (1st to peak) is a real nice thing.

For engine tuning, the ability to record flight data is a nice thing. You may want to consider FF as well. It's an expensive option since the FF sender is about $350. However if you're going to do some tinkering or play with different flight operations or leaning techniques, FF is a nice thing to have (like knowing when you will run out of gas). Most FF gauges are a totalizers as well, but not always. Now is the time to upgrade.

As always bargain hunters should check out eBay, Trade-A-plane. Some guys upgrade to full engine monitors and get rid of their engine analyzers for cheap, but if they keep the probes it might be cheaper to buy new. EGT probes don't have infinite life either. Life especially depends on how close to the exhaust port they're placed. The quality of probes are much better today than past, but the good ones cost more. Again you get what you pay for. If you just want something to say you have EGT/CHT monitoring on all jugs fine, but if you want accurate and high quality you have to pay for it.
 
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MGL

I talked to them yeasterday and they are comming out with instruments that are more in line with the standard that we are all used to. They are also working on making their units with color instead of the b/w. They said that the color will be next summer. For function you cannot beat their price.
 
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