Installation Instructions

Congratulations on your purchase of the high-tech DIGI-PANEL. It was developed to provide many years of highly reliable service and provide accurate and fast measurements of many functions, visual and audible alarms when troubles occur, plus an optional ENGINE KILL (automatic shutdown) feature. Some of the more common applications are trucks, commercial and light duty, motor homes, automobiles, construction and other miscellaneous equipment.

Installation can be accomplished easily by anyone with basic skills and knowledge. No special tools are required; some drilling may be necessary to mount the hanger bracket.

The kit includes:
              (1) DIGI-PANEL with its wiring harness including temperature sensors.
                  (1) Mounting bracket.
                  (1) Oil pressure sender.

The temperature sensors are connected to the ends of the twisted pairs of wires; care should be used to not severely jerk on the sensors/ wires.

The first thing to be determined by the installer is the preferred mounting location of the panel. The most common sites are on top of the dash or just below the dash. Overhead locations are sometimes selected. For overhead mounting, verify that you have purchased a unit with the "extended harness" option, which provides 4' longer leads.

To mount below the dash, use the hanger bracket provided. Holes may already exist in the bottom of the dash; if not, drill holes at the desired locations. For mounting on top of the dash, the panel may be mounted with or without the hanger bracket and by drilling or using double-sided or velcro tape.

Once the panel location has been determined, the oil pressure sender should be mounted on the engine. The sender is the iridite coated cylindrical can which has a 1/4" terminal on one end and a 1/8"-27 NPT fitting on the other end. If an existing gauge or warning light exists, it is best to keep that operational (the computers on newer rigs require that the factory's sender be operational). It can be accomplished by removing the existing sender or switch temporarily, installing a steel or brass nipple and "T" and reinstalling the sender or switch. Most vehicles have either a 1/8" or 1/4" NPT fitting. If it is 1/4", use 1/4" nipple and "T" and then use a 1/4" to 1/8" reducer bushing for the new sender. If only the new sender will be used and the vehicle is 1/4", only a reducer bushing is required. These fittings are available from most quality hardware or auto parts stores. If the location of the oil pressure sender or switch cannot be located, the parts counter of the vehicle manufacturer has diagrams showing their location. Some engines do not use NPT fittings (ie: Ford Power Stroke diesels, late model Toyota pickups). Digi-Devices can provide adaptor fittings for these applications.

Prior to routing the wiring, it is best to check under the dash to locate a hole proving access to the engine compartment. There are normally large rubber grommets where existing wiring harnesses are routed. Most front wheel drive vehicles also have large seals where the articulated steering column routes through the firewall. Care must be exercised that the wires remain clear of the steering column itself if this routing is used.

Caution: High temperature wire is used for the DIGI-PANEL, however as is normal in all motorized applications, wires must be kept clear of hot exhaust manifolds and pipes, etc. Also, keep wires away from spark plug wires as much as possible. Do not run parallel to spark plug wires, but cross them at a sharp angle.

This is easiest to connect to, or near, the fuse block. Use a circuit which is powered only when the ignition switch is in either the ON or ON and ACCESSORY position. The more common lines powered in the ON position are the fuel pump (if electric), ignition control, and windshield wipers. ACCESSORY lines include the radio. Power windows may be either.

Normally best to connect directly to the engine on the alternator mount, valve cover or miscellaneous bracket. Grounding to the dash may be attempted if the vehicle has a good engine/ body ground. This can be verified by noting a change in the oil pressure "zero" reading when the ignition is turned on, the engine not running, and then turning on the headlights or turn signals. If the reading changes under those conditions, it indicates a poor engine/ body ground. (This also causes reduced brightness on the vehicles headlights at night.)

This has a temperature sensor attached and mounted to a copper clip with a 3/8" hole. The best mounting location is one of the thermostat housing bolts. It can also be mounted on an intake manifold bolt, preferably next to a coolant passage, if it is a water cooled engine. It is best to place a flat washer between the bolt head and temperature copper clip to prevent damage to the clip.

YELLOW/ BLACK TWISTED PAIR (Transmission and/or Auxiliary temperature):
(Also see notes below)

This will also have a temperature sensor mounted on a copper clip. It can be attached to the transmission cooling line by "curling" the clip and clamping with an adjustable heater hose clamp. The alternate method is to attach to a transmission pan bolt; best to select a bolt close to the center of the transmission body. It is best to place a flat washer between the bolt head and temperature copper clip to prevent damage to the clip. Using transmission pan bolt measures mean (average) tranny temperature; mounted on the cooling line measures tranny oil as it comes out of the torque converter when it is at its hottest.

ENGINE KILL equipped panel: This panel includes three additional wires coming from a heavy duty relay inside the DIGI-PANEL

                WHITE: Common (W.- Relay Wiper)
           GRAY: Normally Closed (N.C.)
                BLUE: Normally Open (N.O.)

Two engine shut-off, or kill, modes are available. First is opening up a circuit, such as the ignition hot wire to the coil or ignition computer, when an alarm condition occurs. For this, cut the hot lead and connect the WHITE and GRAY leads to the ends. To complete a circuit, such as to energize a fuel cutoff solonoid, cut that wire and connect to the WHITE and BLUE leads. When installing a new solonoid for this purpose, connect BLUE to the solonoid and WHITE to the battery.

When installation is complete, turn on the ignition. The BATTERY VOLTAGE gauge should light up the right yellow element (3rd from left) if the battery is fully charged at 12.6V. The OIL PRESSURE gauge should light the the left-most red element which is zero pressure. Sometimes, due to ground resistance, either no light or a light to the right of zero will light. Remove the 4 screws holding the lid and adjust the blue control directly behind the oil pressure gauge for proper zero. DO NOT adjust the other controls; they are factory calibrated for correct readings.