Services

What is a PCB?
PCB is an abbreviation of ‘printed circuit board’ and normally refers to the
green/brown hard board which circuit tracts and components are placed. Printed
circuit board also refers to the somewhat flexible circuit on the back of some
automotive instrument clusters.


What is a Cluster? What is an Instrument Cluster?
An instrument cluster, sometimes shortened to just ‘cluster’ is an instrument comprising
of more than two gauges. Typically gauges in a cluster share the same lens and
case, though each gauge may have separate circuit boards inside.


What is a surround?
A surround is a plastic or metal piece which attaches to the instrument cluster,
but is not the cluster (case, lens, nor bezel). Some vehicles have surrounds
which go over the top of the instrument cluster to provide added protection or
for cosmetic reasons, other vehicles have a surround which seats the cluster or
allows for it to be fitted to the vehicle.


What is a Binnacle? What does Binnacle mean?
Originally a waist high stand with navigation instrumentation atop. Typically it
would contain a compass, gimbals, timer, and light source, located in front of
the helmsman.
The modern meaning; a circular, sealed, removable instrument.
Binnacle gauge : An individual round gauge, sealed/framed with a bezel, typically seen on boats, classic cars, custom builds, and specialized industrial equipment.
Binnacle cluster : Same as the above illustration, but consisting of more than two gauges.
Binnacle shelf or panel : The shelf or panel in which the binnacle gauges are
fitted. Panel in this context normally means it can be removed from the
vessel/vehicle, whereas a shelf would be affix to the vessel/vehicle.


What does it mean [Note : Someone else has been into ****.] ?
It means that before opening or after opening the instrument being repaired,
the technician has noticed work marks, tool marks, non-factory soldering, or
non-factory parts. This is an observation made by the technician primarily for
your own information, records, and work history.


Tachometer, Tachourmeter, and Tachograph?
- Tachometer [tach-o-meter] : Colloquially known as a ‘rev counter’ displays engine revolutions.
- Tachourmeter [tach-hour-meter] : A very common dual gauge, showing both engine revolutions as well as engine hours. The word is a contraction of tachometer and hourmeter.
- Tachograph [tach-o-graph] : Typically only seen on industrial vehicles. This is a speedometer and odometer, with the added ‘feature’ of recording the vehicles speed over time, primarily to police driving hours. Typically this was done with a circular revolving chart which graphed the speed onto a physical chart. Modern units are entirely digital in operation and graphing.