EI CGR-30 C/P or single Garmin 275EIS?

[gmonnig]

I'm having a hard time deciding between these engine monitors or none at all. My Tach is probably original and its making a lot of noise. I know it's on its way out. I've been shopping and best i can tell, a single Garmin EIS or two CGR30s are going to run $5k. I'll probably work with my A&P to install these. Or maybe I should just replace the Tach. Ugh, airplanes... 

[0TreeLemur]

If you are considering two CGR30's, you should consider a single JPI EDM 900.  It clobbers two holes, but frees up a bunch of panel space too.  Probably for the same cost.

[McMooney]

i'm going with the single gi-275, seems so much cleaner and it's round.

[A64Pilot]

If your primary motivation is the tach is going bad, have it overhauled and buy I don’t know $4,500 worth of fuel

[carusoam]

Wait a second….

That funny noise you hear…

Is probably the cable driving the tach…  they wear out, then bounce the needle clean off the face of the instrument….

1) Get new cable…

2) Install new cable…

3) Expect the costs to get washed out of the AMU rubble…. IOWs decimals on the AMU scale…

4) The hard part is finding the right length cable…

5) On the scale of easy to hard…. Replacing the cable is wicked easy…

Hope you didn’t really want a GI275….

If you can’t determine which is better for you…. Our EI guy is around here often…. Ask him.  

 

PP thoughts only, not an instrument guru…

Best regards,

-a-

[C.J.]

10 hours ago, gmonnig said:

I'm having a hard time deciding between these engine monitors or none at all. My Tach is probably original and its making a lot of noise. I know it's on its way out. I've been shopping and best i can tell, a single Garmin EIS or two CGR30s are going to run $5k. I'll probably work with my A&P to install these. Or maybe I should just replace the Tach. Ugh, airplanes... 

Just an opinion from another owner of a '65 Mooney - You could replace the tach or its cable if that's the problem and fly on happily ever after. But then again after doing that, one of the other original 58-year-old engine gauges could (or most likely will) fail & then another, ad infinitum. Shoot me a PM and ask me how I know this. I have a CGR-30P & C on order. EI runs frequent $800 rebates & that will pay for part of the $1200 cost of two CiES fuel senders. Go big or go home, right? With a new monitor I'll be sending engine data to Saavy Aviation for analysis with the goal of catching very early indications of future, more expensive problems. That buys a lot of peace of mind. That was my solution but YM+$MV.

It's sort of like the old Fram oil filter commercial - "You can pay me now or you can pay me later." Uuuuggggghhhhh, airplanes ....... !!!!!
 

Cheers, C.J.

[gmonnig]

20 hours ago, 0TreeLemur said:

If you are considering two CGR30's, you should consider a single JPI EDM 900.  It clobbers two holes, but frees up a bunch of panel space too.  Probably for the same cost.

Very true but I actually have a ton of panel space. I have room for two CGR on the pilot side. That means the entire copilot side will be blank (already have it ready for install). Since I have a remote transponder, I still have room in the center stack for the GFC500 head. It might look weird with a completely empty copilot panel! 

[gmonnig]

17 hours ago, McMooney said:

i'm going with the single gi-275, seems so much cleaner and it's round.

It does look clean! I have two 275s already, so a third would look like I'm flexing a little. I was planning on this E model being my forever plane and have spent money to reflect that. But I must say, I've been thinking about going experimental. I think engine monitors and a GFC500 will put me at the top 5% of E's out there, and will certainly put me in the "call for price" category..... which sucks

[0TreeLemur]

34 minutes ago, gmonnig said:

Very true but I actually have a ton of panel space. I have room for two CGR on the pilot side. That means the entire copilot side will be blank (already have it ready for install). Since I have a remote transponder, I still have room in the center stack for the GFC500 head. It might look weird with a completely empty copilot panel! 

You could put a circuit breaker on every single piece of electrical gear.   I used that empty real-estate to mount the iPad using a RAM ball mount. 

[gmonnig]

57 minutes ago, 0TreeLemur said:

You could put a circuit breaker on every single piece of electrical gear.   I used that empty real-estate to mount the iPad using a RAM ball mount. 

I thought it'd be nice to put a glove box in. And definitely a mount for an iPad, maybe even fit the pro. I have a custom mount on the center of the yoke, but I hate having extra weight on a control surface. There aren't a lot of places in the Mooney for iPads. 

[0TreeLemur]

6 minutes ago, gmonnig said:

I thought it'd be nice to put a glove box in. And definitely a mount for an iPad, maybe even fit the pro. I have a custom mount on the center of the yoke, but I hate having extra weight on a control surface. There aren't a lot of places in the Mooney for iPads. 

We use an iPad pro:

 

[oregon87]

I'm here, y'all, catching up from the holidays with one sales/support staff member out of the office.  Suffice it to say, we busy!    If anybody has any specific questions, we will likely be able to answer them more quickly via e-mail at support@iflyei.com or phone at 541-318-6060.

[carusoam]

7 hours ago, oregon87 said:

I'm here, y'all, catching up from the holidays with one sales/support staff member out of the office.  Suffice it to say, we busy!    If anybody has any specific questions, we will likely be able to answer them more quickly via e-mail at support@iflyei.com or phone at 541-318-6060.

You are the best customer support person on the planet @oregon87!

Thanks for stopping in as often as you do.

Go MS!

Best regards,

-a-

[kris_adams]

go with the larger JPI or the garmin EIS on the 275...you'll be happy with either of those...the CGR is a mixed bag...some have been happy, some (like me) never go them to stop rebooting and don't even get me started about EI probes.   I've since pulled out my dual CGR and went with garmin EIS on a G3X...expensive lesson to learn doing it twice.

[oregon87]

11 hours ago, carusoam said:

You are the best customer support person on the planet @oregon87!

Thanks for stopping in as often as you do.

Go MS!

Best regards,

-a-

My pleasure!  

[oregon87]

@Kris_Adams You've mentioned several times on this forum that you experienced issues with your CGR system, which we sincerely regret.  Our records show that when you originally sent your instruments to us for repair, our technical department could not duplicate the problem and therefore we re-calibrated the units and returned them to you at no charge.  Later, when you sent your units to us, we performed a software update, re-calibrated and returned them to you, also at no charge.  We have no record of hearing from you again.  Unfortunately, had you told us that you would like to return the units to us for a full refund, we would have given it to you with no questions asked.  Neither E.I. nor any other manufacturer can claim to be perfect, although we make every effort to provide the highest quality products possible.  We're also sincere in our desire and efforts to provide exceptional customer service, including making every reasonable effort to rectify unforeseen issues.  Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!  

Edited November 30, 2022 by oregon87

[A64Pilot]

FWIW, Where I worked by the time I retired we had installed dozens of MVP-50T’s in new aircraft, without difficulty. I was product support for the company so I’m the one that would have been called. Biggest concern was what if the MVP failed? You wouldn’t have any instrumentation, not even fuel level, but I don’t think that ever happened. A big concern is most operators depaneled the aircraft and washed it daily, so the wiring etc pretty much stayed wet.

I spoke with Rob Roberts about that and they had to prove to the FAA that would be some really remote possibility. 

I don’t ever remember getting any complaints about probes, but E.I. put together a spares kit for aircraft located in away places like Ecuador or Africa for us as getting parts shipped there can be time consuming due to Customs in some countries.

[MMsuper21]

EI product support is great, love the round form factor and easy to read. But I have to warn you the more detailed information you get the more you think will need fixing. With these old planes and exact digital instruments it will lead you into rabbit holes. If you have 4 EGTs just replace the analog tach unless it’s a forever plane. 
 

Also single 275 and 375. Like to keep the retro look.