T-H Marine Atlas Hydraulic Gauge Kit - Black Bezel

The T-H Marine Atlas Hydraulic Gauge Kit - Black Bezel is the digital LED dash gauge that shows your Atlas hydraulic jack plate's current position from your helm. It delivers precise real-time readout of how high your outboard motor is currently set - critical information for tuning your boat's running attitude and prop depth.

Why a dash gauge matters with a jack plate. The fundamental purpose of a hydraulic jack plate (Atlas or competing brand) is to raise and lower your outboard motor vertically while running, letting you tune prop depth for different conditions: dropped for hole shot acceleration, raised for shallow-water running, optimized for top-speed cruising. The challenge: without a dash gauge, you can't see what your current motor position is during a run. You can press the dash trim switch to move the motor up or down, but you can't see the result - you have to look back at the engine (impractical at speed and impossible in chop). The dash gauge solves this. The display shows your exact current position from 0 to 20 (each digit representing 1/4 inch of motor height). You can move to your remembered optimum position for current conditions, find the right position by feel and lock it in via the gauge reading, and reproduce that exact position on future runs.

What the 0-20 display means. The gauge displays a numerical scale from 0 (motor fully down at the bottom of the hydraulic range) to 20 (motor fully up at the top of the hydraulic range). Each digit represents 1/4 inch of vertical motor rise. Total range: 5 inches of vertical adjustment (20 x 0.25 = 5.0 inches), matching the standard Atlas hydraulic rise capability. Practical interpretation: at position 0, your motor is at its lowest setting (the position you'd use for hole shot acceleration to get max prop bite during initial planing). At position 20, your motor is fully raised (the position for shallow-water running where you need maximum hull-to-prop clearance). Optimum top-speed running position varies by boat / motor / prop combination - typically somewhere in the 10-16 range. The gauge lets you find your optimum and return to it reliably.

Compatible with Atlas 6, 10, 12, 14 inch jack plates. The FAGK-2-DP gauge works with the full Atlas series jack plate lineup - the 6-inch, 10-inch, 12-inch, and 14-inch setback Atlas models. All Atlas jack plates use the same hydraulic position-sensing technology and the same gauge wiring harness, so the gauge interfaces with all Atlas variants. For a new install, the gauge is the standard companion to the Atlas jack plate purchase. For owners with an existing Atlas jack plate who didn't initially purchase the gauge, retrofit install is straightforward - the jack plate is already pre-drilled to accept the gauge sender (the position sensor that mounts on the jack plate body), so no jack plate modification is needed.

Black face and black polymer bezel. The FAGK-2-DP variant has a black face with a black polymer outer bezel - the standard aesthetic match for modern bass boats with black dashboards and tournament platforms with stealth aesthetics. Other variants in the same product line offer stainless steel bezels (for helms where stainless trim matches the overall aesthetic) and different face / bezel combinations. The functional gauge is identical across variants - the choice is purely aesthetic to match your boat's helm style.

Digital LED display vs analog needle. The Atlas gauge uses a digital LED readout (numeric display) rather than the analog needle / dial face used by some competing jack plate gauges. Practical comparison: (1) Digital LED is more precise - displays exact numerical position rather than approximate needle position. (2) LED is more visible in direct sunlight - bright LEDs read clearly in conditions where analog needle gauges can be hard to see against bright backgrounds. (3) LED is more visible at night - the self-illuminated display reads cleanly in dark conditions vs analog needles that depend on dash backlighting. The digital readout is the right choice for serious operators who want exact position feedback.

In-dash mounting. The gauge uses standard in-dash mounting that requires a round hole in the dashboard at the gauge's outer dimension. The included mounting hardware secures the gauge to the dash. The wiring runs from the back of the gauge to the jack plate position sender (a sealed sensor mounted on the jack plate body) via a 2-conductor cable. Total wire run depends on your specific boat layout - typical 20-30 ft is sufficient for most center console and bass boat configurations.

Install. Plan for 1-2 hours for an experienced installer. Tasks: (1) Cut the round dash hole at the gauge's mounting dimension (typical 2-1/8 inch standard gauge size - verify with the included template). (2) Mount the gauge in the dash hole using the included hardware. Seal with marine sealant if water intrusion behind the dash is a concern. (3) Mount the position sender on the Atlas jack plate - the jack plate has pre-drilled mounting holes for the sender. (4) Run the 2-conductor cable from the sender to the gauge through the boat's wiring harness - use the same routing as your other dash gauges (engine instruments, fuel level, etc.). (5) Connect power to the gauge - typically 12V from the dash panel's switched ignition lead so the gauge powers on with the key. (6) Verify operation - the gauge should display 0 when the jack plate is fully down and 20 when fully up. Adjust calibration if needed.

Calibration. If the gauge doesn't read exactly 0 at full-down and 20 at full-up after install, the position sender may need calibration. The Atlas position sender includes adjustment screws for setting the 0 and full-scale endpoints - follow the included installation instructions for the calibration procedure. Once calibrated, the gauge typically holds calibration indefinitely.

What's not included. The gauge ships with the dash unit, the position sender, the 2-conductor cable, mounting hardware, and basic installation instructions. NOT included: the Atlas jack plate itself (the gauge requires an Atlas jack plate to function), the 12V power wire (use existing dash panel switched 12V), any dash cutout tools (use a standard hole saw), or marine sealant for the dash mount.

Why operators value the dash gauge. The Atlas jack plate without a position gauge is functional - you can move the motor up and down with the trim switch and approximately know where it is. But without precise feedback, you're tuning by feel rather than by number. Once you install the gauge and start running tests at different positions, you'll learn your boat's optimum positions for specific conditions: position 8 for hole shot in calm water, position 14 for top speed at full throttle, position 16 for shallow water running, position 12 for cruising in moderate chop, etc. Once you have your numbers, the gauge lets you instantly return to the right position for the conditions - dramatically more effective than guessing. Most serious operators report that the gauge changed how they use the jack plate - from a generic up/down adjuster to a precise tuning tool.

Warranty. T-H Marine 1-year limited warranty. Save the receipt and the original packaging. Warranty service runs through T-H Marine's authorized service network. Most field failures T-H Marine sees in the FAGK series are install-related (improper power wiring, sender misalignment causing inconsistent readings, cable damage during routing) rather than gauge defects - careful install delivers many years of reliable service. The Atlas gauge product line has been in production for years with mature field reliability.