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AFR/Wide band Gauge. Analog or Digital preference?

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Old 06-07-2021 | 01:03 PM
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Default AFR/Wide band Gauge. Analog or Digital preference?

I'll be installing a wideband in my boat soon. I know the digital AFR gauge I installed in my 69 Camaro doesn't like having the battery unplugged. You have to re-calibrate the gauge. If you don't it eventually corrects itself, but it's kind of finicky. Are the analog gauges better for that? Obviously the batteries will be shut off routinely and I'd rather not have to recalibrate each time.
I was thinking about picking up the AutoMeter 200870-33. It matches my current gauges.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/atm-200870-33

Last edited by HawkX66; 06-07-2021 at 01:05 PM.
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Old 06-07-2021 | 02:46 PM
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I had the Innovative digital in one of my boats. Never had a problem with having to calibrate it after the power was disconnected, even for long periods of time.
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Old 06-07-2021 | 04:51 PM
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Originally Posted by snapmorgan
I had the Innovative digital in one of my boats. Never had a problem with having to calibrate it after the power was disconnected, even for long periods of time.
Same. I’ve had all of the batteries out for months and it came back to life just fine.
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Old 06-07-2021 | 06:52 PM
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Thanks.
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Old 06-07-2021 | 08:05 PM
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The Innovative won't lose the calibration when powered off like the others have said. Works great.

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Old 06-08-2021 | 01:09 PM
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I have an Innovative WB02 in my Camaro that sits in shop with dead batt for the last couple of years. Still works fine when I jump start car so it can be moved.
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Old 06-08-2021 | 02:50 PM
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I'm running the Autometer you are thinking about. It's my second season on it. I've replaced the sensor once. It has a warm up mode that it goes into where the needle cycles at the low end of the gauge until it's hot and ready to begin reading. More often than not I can't get it out of the warm up cycle. I'm still trying to sort this out. Fortunately I got it to read when I was doing my tuning of the new engine so we could get the right fuel curve programmed in.
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Old 06-09-2021 | 07:20 AM
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Originally Posted by 87MirageIntruder
I'm running the Autometer you are thinking about. It's my second season on it. I've replaced the sensor once. It has a warm up mode that it goes into where the needle cycles at the low end of the gauge until it's hot and ready to begin reading. More often than not I can't get it out of the warm up cycle. I'm still trying to sort this out. Fortunately I got it to read when I was doing my tuning of the new engine so we could get the right fuel curve programmed in.
There's been a few things I haven't liked about my Autometer gauges. I have two of the same set of gauges, but the ones in the boat are their "marine" series. I bought them because I figured they'd be better sealed and more water resistant. It rained on them once already and there was water intrusion... The way they're lit also isn't great. The back lighting is either too harsh or too light depending on how you look at them.





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Old 06-09-2021 | 08:18 AM
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Originally Posted by 87MirageIntruder
I'm running the Autometer you are thinking about. It's my second season on it. I've replaced the sensor once. It has a warm up mode that it goes into where the needle cycles at the low end of the gauge until it's hot and ready to begin reading. More often than not I can't get it out of the warm up cycle. I'm still trying to sort this out. Fortunately I got it to read when I was doing my tuning of the new engine so we could get the right fuel curve programmed in.
Installed this same unit over the winter and have the same problem with sometimes staying in warm up cycle. Called Autometer tech line, they told me to connect the brown wire, which is supposed to be an optional switched heater control, to the same ignition source as the red wire. They also said RF interference is a big issue, and verify good ground since it is a boat. I am going to add shielding to the cable going to the sensor and make the wiring changes as they recommend and test it again this weekend.
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Old 06-09-2021 | 11:23 AM
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I've been running the Digital AEM kit for a few years now. No calibration required. It needs to heat up for about 10 secs. You can see the readout at any sun setting or angle. Also, polarized sunglasses dont mess with it.


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