Moisture under dash (gauges)

dfran1 · Apr 20, 2015

Hi ,
I took delivery this past Friday and have had moisture under the gauges, I think it is starting to go away (I parked it in the sun but it has not been that hot or worm here) but is there a way to take it apart without voiding warranty?

Is this normal?

Thanks to all!!

nybirdman · Apr 20, 2015

I wouldn't think this was normal;certainly keep an eye on it.If it persist;contact your dealer.

amigauser · Apr 20, 2015

When there is temperature extremes I get condensation inside my gauges also but it always evaporates. I have a Grand L. I believe I had the same issue back when I owned a BX but I am not positive.

s219 · Apr 20, 2015

It's common on tractors that have been stored outdoors, and I wouldn't worry about it. Should eventually go away once dried out and if the tractor is stored indoors.

varmint · Apr 20, 2015

I noticed moisture in my fuel gauge on my old B8200 (stored indoors) that would go away in the sun, but always came back under certain conditions. Didn't seem to cause any trouble.

zzvyb6 · Apr 20, 2015

Use a hair dryer (not a heat gun) to warm the front glass for a few minutes. It will force out the high humidity.

RDrancher · Apr 20, 2015

s219 said:
It's common on tractors that have been stored outdoors, and I wouldn't worry about it. Should eventually go away once dried out and if the tractor is stored indoors.

There's your answer. My New Holland's gauges fog up all of the time. After it rains the left blinker comes on by itself and stays like that for a few hours too. It's had both quirks for the last 3000 hrs. I'm not too worried about it.

skyhook · Apr 21, 2015

dfran1 said:
Hi ,
I took delivery this past Friday and have had moisture under the gauges, I think it is starting to go away (I parked it in the sun but it has not been that hot or worm here) but is there a way to take it apart without voiding warranty?

Is this normal?

Thanks to all!!

Don't worry about it, its only a slight sprinkle of moister/water and the electronics inside don't mind that sorta stuff at all.
In time they'll rust or short out, who needs gauges anyways.

von-mil · Apr 21, 2015

The only time I notice any moisture under the dash panel is on a very cold day and only after the tractor has gotten fully warmed up. Then it usually stays there until after I am done working and everything has cooled. No cab, BTW.

I wonder if placing a few of those little desiccant packets inside the dash would help.

sandyc · Apr 22, 2015

Guess I'm thinking that there should be not moist air allowed into the gauges. I have had 4 different Kubotas in the past few years and none of them have had that problem. I really think there is a seal that is broken that allows air into the gauge as it cools down. Over time, the moisture will corrode the mechanism. I'd go and look at other tractors at the dealer and see if the fogging is prevalent on that model.

PILOON · Apr 22, 2015

The quality of gauges used in tractors could probably best be described as 'water resistant' and not 'water proof'.
Generally there is a paper gasket between the glass and shell which I'm sure is more of a vibration damper than a seal.
Looking at the backsides of most gauges you will always find some gaps that allow humid air and dust to enter.

On the plus side many, if not most, of the working innards are brass and the dials generally aluminum.
Downside is most printing fades with time.

Water and dust proof gauges would have them up into aircraft (jets) quality instruments and the dash would be worth as much as the tractor.

FYI, many small aircraft (Cessna, Piper) gauges (RPM, temp, pressure) are simply adaptations of your common tractor (automotive) gauges.
Even the fuel gauges use the typical cork float technique in the sender unit.

Deano · Apr 23, 2015

The moisture in my BX24 caused the LCD to gradually go black after 300 hours. I got a new instrument cluster at that point under warranty. Tractor is kept in garage. Now when I wash my tractor, I remove instrument cluster. There are vent holes in the back that will allow moisture to dissipate.

geneP · Apr 23, 2015

I have owned a Case-IH for over 10 years and it has been shedded all that time. When the tractor warms up moisture appears under the temp and fuel gauge glasses and has ever since I've had it. I have an L5450 that I don't think had ever seen a shed until I got it and the gauges are fine on it.

dfran1 · Apr 26, 2015

Thanks to all, BUT it seems my temp guage is not working at all, it shows all the bars on start but nothing after, I even let it run for 1/2 hour to test. I contacted my dealer on it.

It seems I am going to have this dew problem big time caused by my cab, so I need to look into some type of insulation to stuff under the gauge somehow and some type of insulation, maybe that fire insulation found on cars or??

Any Ideas please?

dfran1 · May 10, 2015

I fixed my temp guage, wire was off. (And it was not me that pulled it or by accident)

BXman98 · May 11, 2015

dfran1 said:
Hi ,
I took delivery this past Friday and have had moisture under the gauges, I think it is starting to go away (I parked it in the sun but it has not been that hot or worm here) but is there a way to take it apart without voiding warranty?

Is this normal?

Thanks to all!!

This is typical on BX's, I had that happen on my BX2370 as well. I contacted my dealer, and luckily that it was within the 2 year warranty still, they just ordered and whole new dash for it and we brought the tractor up to them to replace it. It took about 15 mins, but remember the hours that you had on your first dash. They can't reset or represet the hours on the new dash.

dfran1 · May 17, 2015

I ordered some of this below and a new summertime air vent (below dash where the battery goes), so I will put this insulation under the dash guage and to my winter vent.
Hood Insulation Pad

The tractor gets air from below in the winter and both in summer.

dfran1 · Jun 1, 2015

I received my insulation pad and put some under the gauges, what a pain, I wish I knew how to get the gauges off, that would have been easier for sure. I am not sure if I have it all covered because there is just way too much in the way under there.
I also made a winter insulated vent, was a little hard getting it in, I broke one tab, but seems good so far, winter will tell how I did on that.

PeterK · Jun 2, 2015

For winter, I made a vinyl cover that velcros to the outside front of the air inlet screen (battery cover). I sewed a layer of thin auto carpet to give it rigidity. Of course, remove the plastic blocks to let (un-screened) air come in from below for winter cooling. No issue if you don't have a cab in the winter.