Mason alarm

[telemalc]

Damage to Bongo gauge when you remove/replace screws to fit Mason alarm

The situation on the temp gauge terminals seems to be that it is only the Earth screw that poses a risk. The nearest other Earth connection is to the Fuel gauge but that has the same arrangement so potentially suffers from the same weakness - the risk that the internal pillar will turn and break the fine wire attached to it internally. Thanks to telemalc for both those points of information.

So it looks as if the solution will be to use the Earth point marked "SP" as shown below (thanks to Simon Jones for spotting the useful earth point and to telemalc for the picture, retouched by me).

To use this the cable will have to be altered so the "tails" are longer, about 80mm I think.

Now I need someone to verify this connection arrangement actually works before I can incorporate it in the fitting instructions for new customers. Any offers? Either someone who already has one or someone who wants to buy one?

hi dave
fitted the earth to the sp connection and went for a drive. everything works fine
hope that helps
malc

[Veg_Ian]

In which case we have a problem Malc because when I tried it, I got a constant screech from the alarm. Does this mean there are different models of instrument panel?

[Dave Mason]

Mike (Jill and Emily) helpfully reports, from inspecting his vehicle ...

The E on both the fuel and temp gauges does connect directly to the E/SP via a wire link soldered to the underside of the flexible cct. If you follow the earth from the E on the temp gauge to the right it comes to a connection marked J, this is connected to the J directly above it ["J" for jumper? - Dave] and then to the E/SP terminal center back of the panel.

Which is good, and agrees with telemalc's result. So I wonder what's going on with yours, Ian? The alarm will sound continuously if either blue or red are disconnected.

[Harry]

Oh *****

Finally convinced the missus that we should get one last night and then you've suspended sales.

Boo Hoo

Please let us know as soon as they are available again

H

[Pete & Sue]

Same here. Let us know when sales resume.

[Simon Jones]

Message for Trekie: I've managed to source you a replacement temp gauge (courtesy of a new instrument cluster I purchased from Maxheadroom), so drop me a pm with your address details & I'll pop it in the post (F.o.C)

[Simon Jones]

no the wire is completely gone, i did try the soldering but did more damage to the plastic so i want to avoid a hot repair.

cheers

alex

I've managed to source you a replacement temp gauge (courtesy of a new instrument cluster I purchased from Maxheadroom), so drop me a pm with your address details & I'll pop it in the post (F.o.C)

[trekie]

hi simon,
thanks but ive already bought one iam just waiting for it to arrive in the post
(hopefully today)
i ordered it off a breaker on ebay.

cheers

alex and jan

[Simon Jones]

Glad you've got it sorted Trekie - fingers crossed.

[karen]

suppose i should read these more often
i just fitted mine at weekend - havent took her for a spin yet though
just turned the engine to hear the beep and thought - cool that will do

so if i read this correctly - as long as my guage reports higher than my tradional 11 am - then i'm fine
but if it keeps going then i've possibly broken my earth wire unless steam is pouring out the system of course

assuming the odds are relatively small (excusing fact that i'm crap at electrics)

[Simon Jones]

Karen, if it goes up to H the moment you switch the ignition on, without the engine running, then you've got the broken earth problem. I hadn't noticed a beep on power up, maybe a slight chirp

My trip to the bash was the first real run with the Masons alarm. On average it stayed just over half way (about 12:30 sort of position). The one scary bit on the way home was going up the hill by Birdlip between J11a M5 & Air Balloon roundabout. It was slow moving traffic up a big hill it it went pretty close to the right of the scale (about 2:45 position). That it the point I've set the alarm to go off, but I've not noted the number that equates to on the dial. The idea seems to be that you get to know the normal range of the needle & then be wary if it goes outside of that.

[trekie]

hi y'all
nothing is ever easy
the muppet i bought the temp gauge off arranged to have it delivered by amtrak to my home address although my works address is registered with ebay as my delivery address. i managed to ring amtrak( with a lot of problems) but they wont change without the senders authorisation. he has not responded to my last 3 emails and as yet,not the urgent one telling him the gauge was on its way back and i wanted a refund
amtrak attempt to deliver twice then hold for collection for two days then return to sender. i cant take a day of work to wait in nor can i go to warrington to collect

cheers

alex and jan

[mayk19]

Fitted my Mason alarm before our trip last week to the south coast, We've done a big trip, Sheffield to Devon, then dorset then IOW then back home. PLUS all the day trips whilst on hols.
The Alarm pretty much sets my guage at 12 o clock, although some days it ran at around 11 o clock for a while. Only time it got to 1 o clock position was sat in a trafic jam for 20 mins on a hot day.
Glad I had it though, good peice of mind.

Cheers.

[karen]

well just been out
turned key - and yep it is more just a blip (i think reassuring - as it least you know it's there)
went for short run 3 miles and it sat at just shy of 1

seem to spend more time on guage than road
first minute thinking it's not moving all all - what have i broke - how long does it normally take they it moved and sat at 11 so another bit thinking - it's no working
then gets to 12 and think - hoy stop there

[trekie]

hi y'all,
i emailed the bloke iam buying the gauge off and he assured me he didnt use amtrak and the gauge is still on its way. so what is sitting in warrington you ask
the bloke who owns our apartment bought a new cooker for our kitchen and the suppliers sent it without notice via amtrak( they were supposed to call us to arrange delivery)
so appologies to the bloke on ebay and appologies to kermit the frog

cheers

alex