When you need more than factory OBD data, the Banks Bus module system lets Banks iDash Pro monitor the things that actually matter to engine and drivetrain health. The system is built around three plug-and-play expansion modules: 4-Channel Analog, 4-Channel Analog with Frequency, and 4-Channel Thermocouple. That gives you a clean way to add pressure, air temp, fluid temp, EGT, turbo speed, mass flow, tank level, and other sensor inputs without hacking up the truck. Each module adds up to four sensors and sends data to iDash at 20 samples per second for display, monitoring, or data logging. You can chain multiple modules together for up to 40 total sensor inputs, all through a single cable path with weatherproof locking connections. The analog side also supports custom 5-volt and variable-resistance sensors, with sensor scaling and parameter mapping configured in iDash. Set the sensors up in the right combinations and you can also calculate useful derived channels like air density, delta temperature, and delta pressure. The point is simple: cleaner wiring, broader sensor coverage, and real visibility into what your powertrain is doing.
At Banks Power, the Banks Bus expansion system is presented as a way to add external sensor inputs to the iDash 1.8 SuperGauge or DataMonster. The lineup includes three module types: a four-channel analog module, a four-channel analog module with frequency input, and a four-channel thermocouple module. Each module adds support for up to four sensors, expanding the monitoring, display, and data-logging capability of the iDash platform.
The four-channel thermocouple module is dedicated to K-type thermocouple sensors. By contrast, the analog module is designed as the more versatile option, supporting a wide range of sensor types including pressure, air temperature, fluid temperature, and high-temperature analog EGT sensors. The overall intent is to make the iDash system scalable, so users can build out a sensor package that matches the vehicle and the data they want to monitor.
Banks describes the modules as plug-and-play devices that connect directly to the iDash. Each module transmits data at 20 samples per second for monitoring, display, or logging. Rather than requiring custom wiring throughout the vehicle, the system is built around a single-cable network that carries information through the firewall to the iDash.
The physical connections use a weatherproof locking mechanism, allowing the modules to be stacked together cleanly. The same connection approach is used across the broader Banks Bus ecosystem, including module cables, the AirMouse ambient sensor module, and products such as the Derringer and iQ tuner. The emphasis is on avoiding splicing, soldering, and complicated cable routing in favor of a modular installation.
The expansion capability is substantial. Banks states that users can chain up to six analog modules and four thermocouple modules, for a total of 40 sensor inputs. That allows the iDash to move beyond basic gauge functions into a much more comprehensive data-acquisition role.
When sensors are configured in specific combinations, the system can also generate calculated parameters. Examples mentioned include density, delta temperature, and delta pressure, with the implication that additional derived channels are available as well. In other words, the modules do not simply display raw sensor values; they can also support higher-level calculations when the proper inputs are present.
Among the sensors available for the analog module is a stainless steel, high-accuracy pressure sensor intended for either air or fluid pressure measurement. Banks notes that these sensors are offered in multiple pressure ranges and in both gauge and absolute scaling, which makes them suitable for a variety of applications depending on whether the user needs pressure relative to atmosphere or true absolute pressure.
This flexibility is important because the same analog module can be used across different systems on the vehicle. A user might monitor boost-related air pressure in one installation and fluid pressure in another, while still using the same basic module architecture and iDash interface.
For air-temperature measurement, Banks offers a quick-response 3/8 NPT sensor with an open element. It is intended for use in a variety of air-track measurement locations and has a temperature range of -40 to 275 degrees Fahrenheit. The presentation also notes availability in 1/8 NPT and 3/8 NPT configurations, allowing the sensor to fit different installation requirements.
For fluid-temperature measurement, the company offers enclosed-element sensors designed for applications such as engine oil, coolant, or transmission-fluid temperature. The enclosed construction is intended for liquid environments where durability and stable measurement are required. Together, the air and fluid temperature sensors illustrate how the analog module can cover both intake-side and drivetrain or engine-fluid monitoring with purpose-built probes.
Banks also highlights a high-range analog temperature sensor intended for EGT and other elevated-temperature measurements. This sensor reads up to 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit, which makes it suitable for exhaust gas temperature monitoring without requiring a thermocouple module.
The sensor uses a 1/8 NPT compression fitting and allows adjustable tip insertion depth up to 1 inch. That adjustability helps position the sensing tip appropriately for the installation. The key point is that users who want EGT capability are not limited to K-type thermocouples; the analog module can also support a dedicated high-temperature analog sensor within its operating range.
For sensors not supplied directly by Banks, the system includes a universal analog input pigtail. This allows a custom sensor to be wired into one of the four branches of the analog sensor harness. Banks specifically mentions compatibility with most 5-volt sensors and variable-resistance sensors, broadening the range of devices that can be integrated into the iDash ecosystem.
The pigtail provides a 5-volt reference, ground, and signal wire. Once connected, the user can configure sensor scaling and parameter mapping within the iDash 1.8. Banks uses a float sensor as an example of a special sensor that may not be part of its standard catalog, but can still be incorporated through this universal analog input approach.
If the analog module is purchased in the version that includes frequency input, a separate pigtail is provided for wiring in a frequency-based sensor signal. Banks says it is expanding its sensor offerings in this area to include mass flow, turbo speed, and other frequency-based sensors.
This adds another layer of flexibility to the platform. Instead of being limited to analog voltage or resistance-based measurements, the system can also accept sensors that communicate through frequency output, making the module useful for more specialized performance and airflow-related measurements.
The overall message is that the Banks Bus modules are designed to make advanced vehicle instrumentation straightforward. Up to four sensors can be connected per module, the modules connect directly to the iDash, and all communication is consolidated into a single cable path through the firewall. The weatherproof locking connectors and stackable architecture are intended to keep installation clean and modular.
Taken together, the four-channel analog module, the analog module with frequency input, and the four-channel thermocouple module create a flexible sensor network for the iDash 1.8 SuperGauge or DataMonster. With support for pressure, air temperature, fluid temperature, high-temperature analog EGT, K-type thermocouples, custom 5-volt sensors, variable-resistance sensors, and frequency-based inputs, the system is positioned as a broad data-expansion platform rather than a single-purpose gauge accessory.