Malta Fishing Forum

Marine => Engines/Drives and Electronics => GPS's and Chartplotters => Topic started by: Moonwalker on December 03, 2012, 22:07:35 CET

Title: Connecting Outboard motors to GPS
Post by: Moonwalker on December 03, 2012, 22:07:35 CET
I am building a new boat (well I'm not building it myself :)) with twin outboards (mariner 150HP 4stroke).
I have a garmin GPSMAP4010 and would like to get the motors data on the GPS screen.

The motors connect to a junction box to the smartcraft dials. One of the dials have an NMEA2k connection with white and blue cables.
Then the GPS has its own NMEA2k network with antenna and supply connectors.

So do I just connect the white and blu cables from motors to the garmin NMEA network or I need some isolator to separate the 2 networks?

Has anyone done this for Mariner/Mercury outboards? Does the GPS show all information available on the smartcraft gauges?
Title: Re: Connecting Outboard motors to GPS
Post by: skip on December 04, 2012, 06:22:03 CET
Julian you need a NMEA gateway to interface with smartcraft. They are two competing systems!! Your smartcraft system Tacho will hook into a GPS NMEA output to.display GPS speed info on the gauge but that's about it.

consider Vessel view from Mercury if you want a large screen but its over $1000 or look into this gateway which for multi engines is around $370 or replace one smartcraft gauge with a MercMonitor which is around $899 for full level 3 data on twin engines.

edit: found this

http://www.veradoclubparts.com/product_p/84-8m0065208.htm

useful reading
http://www.veradoclub.com/smf/index.php?topic=2403.0
Title: Re: Connecting Outboard motors to GPS
Post by: Moonwalker on December 04, 2012, 09:43:41 CET
So from the second link it looks doable. Will check the exact gauges I have and post back.
Title: Re: Connecting Outboard motors to GPS
Post by: Moonwalker on December 05, 2012, 20:32:00 CET
Looks like I need the MercMonitor v6 to do it....
Title: Re: Connecting Outboard motors to GPS
Post by: skip on December 09, 2012, 09:10:35 CET
Why? Just use the gateway with your Garmin
Title: Re: Connecting Outboard motors to GPS
Post by: Moonwalker on December 09, 2012, 18:43:56 CET
Oh you are right. I missed the gateway link before since the second link only focuses on the MercMonitor.
Thanks m8 the gateway is much more affordable so I think I will go for it.
Title: Re: Connecting Outboard motors to GPS
Post by: Moonwalker on April 07, 2013, 10:50:54 CET
I installed the Gateway and it seems to work fine although I still have to test in the water. It is showing data from both engines except the fuel gauges. It is only showing 1 fuel gauge and if I try to select manually, although I can show 2 gauges, they are both showing Tank1.

My setup has 2 Smartcraft Rev counters (one for each motor) and a speedo showing data from both engines. From the junction box I connected the gateway feeding the NMEA2k network.
The speedo shows fuel level from the 2 engines so I cant understand why the GPS is only showing Tank1.

Any ideas?
Title: Re: Connecting Outboard motors to GPS
Post by: skip on April 08, 2013, 21:03:46 CET
Did you set up the Fuel Management page on the Garmin and indicate the correct tank configuration. Do you have two fuel tanks and two fuel tank senders?
Title: Re: Connecting Outboard motors to GPS
Post by: Moonwalker on April 09, 2013, 09:03:25 CET
Yes I have 2 Tanks and 2 senders. I tried to set the fuel gauges on Garmin but it seems it is not receiving data for Tank2. If I set to Auto, it only shows Tank1 (with 1 fuel gauge ofcourse) and if I try to set it manually, I can select 2 gauges, but when selecting the Tank for each gauge only Tank1 is visible (so both show same level).

The data is coming correctly to the junction box since the speedo shows fuel level of Port and Starboard engines properly. Tried all settings on the Garmin but did not find a way to fix this.
Title: Re: Connecting Outboard motors to GPS
Post by: skip on April 09, 2013, 10:01:05 CET
Could be a gateway feature issue, but I think you ordered the Multiengine gateway, right?. Did you buy it from Verado Club Parts?
Title: Re: Connecting Outboard motors to GPS
Post by: Moonwalker on April 09, 2013, 11:39:11 CET
I bought it from Mariner agent and I asked for the Multiengine gateway. And since it does show both engines, I think that it is the right one. Will check part number again this evening to be sure.

I contacted Medcomms and they are waiting an answer from Garmin...
Title: Re: Connecting Outboard motors to GPS
Post by: skip on April 10, 2013, 14:45:47 CET
Did you try some of the guides on a similar set up like here http://www.veradoclub.com/smf/index.php?topic=2568.0
Title: Re: Connecting Outboard motors to GPS
Post by: Meccanic on April 13, 2013, 07:59:19 CET
MULTI ENGINE N2K GATEWAY 84-8M0065208 Euro 138.20
VESSEL VIEW: 879338K51 Euro 878.98 - Single Engine BEST DEAL Euro 659
VESSEL VIEW: 879339K51 Euro 1416.98 - Twin Engine: BEST DEAL Euro 1062
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ncihol@mecca.com.mt | 79732783

Title: Re: Connecting Outboard motors to GPS
Post by: Moonwalker on April 14, 2013, 11:37:17 CET
Hi Meccanic. Thanks for the prices but I have already bought the N2k Gateway.

Can you help me with my problem? Have you installed a similar setup like mine with twin Mercury EFI 150HP connected to the N2k network?
Title: Re: Connecting Outboard motors to GPS
Post by: Meccanic on April 14, 2013, 22:31:55 CET
I will be more than happy to help you. Please email me nichol@mecca.com.mt with your request and I will come back to you.
Understand that we are in peak season too and to be on this site it is tough for me. I am leaving to MERCURY tomorrow night and will return in a week.
Title: Re: Connecting Outboard motors to GPS
Post by: Moonwalker on July 17, 2013, 11:24:07 CET
I have still not solved the fuel tank gauge problem with the Gateway.
The GPSMAP is reading the second tank as water level instead of fuel. The Medcomms tech brought an NMEA diagnostic tool and it too shows that the gateway is sending the second fuel tank as water level.
However the Mariner guys as saying that the gateway works fine with a Raymarine and so are blaming it on Garmin.

So can anyone lend me a removable Raymarine GPS with N2k port so we test my system on it please?
Title: Re: Connecting Outboard motors to GPS
Post by: skip on July 17, 2013, 15:34:46 CET
I would be inclined to put a post on veradoclub as they seem to have quite alot of experience with these gateways and they have a deciated forum.

Is your GPS map running the latest software, perhaps there are updates for the N2K gateway
Title: Re: Connecting Outboard motors to GPS
Post by: Moonwalker on July 17, 2013, 19:32:52 CET
@Freedive - This is just for display only so everything would still work fine if the Gateway stops since I have the Smartcraft gauges.

@Skip - I had posted on the veradoclub forum but did not get much help. I have just posted the above thread so will see what they reply.
Title: Re: Connecting Outboard motors to GPS
Post by: skip on July 17, 2013, 20:16:23 CET
I would get in touch with Garmin USA as they probably have more exposure to such issues with Mercury N2K gateways. As Mariner isn't available in very many markets just call your engine a Mercury 150 4 Stroke.

What fuel level senders are you using in your tanks and how did you interface them into your SMARTcraft network?

Do you have:

Two Smartcraft junction boxes (One for each engine)
1 Multiwake junction box or a 10 pin adapter
Wake harness or Dual Engine instrument adaptor
Title: Re: Connecting Outboard motors to GPS
Post by: Moonwalker on July 17, 2013, 21:16:35 CET
Yes Medcomms are checking with Garmin USA about this problem - should get an answer soon hopefully.
Fuel senders are working fine with the smartcraft so this is not the issue.
I have only 1 junction box (to reduce clutter) but I have tested with 3 junction boxes as instructed and still got the same problem.

Anyway I may get hold of a Lawrence HDS7 to test and will post the results.
Title: Re: Connecting Outboard motors to GPS
Post by: skip on July 17, 2013, 22:31:49 CET
I have a Raymarine A70D but don't have spare power cables as they are physically installed on the boat. We'd have to try and find/borrow a set but worst case scenario head unit is there.

HDS5 Gen2 for testing no probs, have spare power leads for that