multifunction gauge Hour readout

[Celtic]

I have a pair of 2009 DF150's with 2 multifunction gauges. I can get the hour readout on my starboard engine but not my Port. What wires / harness do I need to look at for connection issues?
I have just purchased the boat and have it in storage while I do electronics upgrades and maintenance.
I do know that the RPM readout worked on gauge when we water tested the boat.

Thanks in advance for the help.
Celtic

[Harper]

The only hookup to your SMIS multifunction gauge from the engines is via the single NMEA 2000 cable of each engine.. The engine hours are read directly from the ECM on each motor. So if you are getting the other information on the port engine, i.e., temperature, RPMs, voltage, etc, then it sounds like it's a matter of pushing the right buttons to bring up the desired information. There is only the standard NMEA 2000 plug-in on the gauge side of the cable, and two plugs on the engine side, one from the diagnostic port (where you get all the engine info) and the other from the trim sender.

[Celtic]

Thanks for the fast response Harper!

That is what I needed to know. I can bring up my Hours page on the Port gauge but there is no data displayed. I can diagnose knowing I have only the two connections at the engine. Will swop between port /Starboard gauges etc to track issue.

Celtic

[Harper]

One thing that I stated is probably not stated correctly (now that I'm more awake)......the engine end of the NMEA 2000 cable is connected to the Suzuki engine interface cable, which is in turn connected to the engine with the two connectors I mentioned before.

[Harper2]

Suddenly, my posts as "Harper" are being held up again for review, which means they'll never show up (an old problem that you wouldn't be familiar with). So here I am as "Harper2"......anyway what I posted was that I didn't quite state what I should have in the earlier post. The engine end of the NMEA 2000 cable is conected to the Suzuki engine interface, which is in turn connected to the engine via the two connectors I mentioned earlier.

[Moonlighter]

Just to add, in case you are not familiar with the SMIS gauges and NMEA2000, that the engines have to be turned on (key to on position though not necessarily running) for the engine data to show on the gauges.

If you have twins and just turn the one on that enlivens the network, the second engine will not display. Need to turn its key to the "on" position too.

Are you getting all other engine data - eg voltage, rpm, temp etc from that engine?

[Celtic]

Info update

I have now discovered that I have a legacy Lowrance NMEA 2000 network.

I have acquired the necessary interface cable to allow me to add new NMEA 2000 (Devicenet) equipment.

I have added my new Garmin 741 into the network and so can display a "Devicelist" on the Garmin.

I can see all of my units;
Both engines are listed BUT the port engine has a very long S/N (Identifier)which is the same as a EP15 (Fluid Sensor?) which is on the network.

If I turn the port engine off it disappears from the list. When it is ON I can get an Hour reading 127.1. I still do not get the hours displayed on my Port SMIS 400 (both of the 400's are listed on my device list)

Additionally, When I try to label the devices in the Garmin, I only get the starboard engine displayed????
If I unplug the Starboard from the network it still does not display the PORT???

One more piece of info is that the Starboard engine key turns on both of the SMIS 400's

Any suggestions would be appreciated!!

I researched that there is an engine interface cable to transfer from legacy to new devicenet. Not sure if this would help?

[Moonlighter]

Ok, first thing is a reset....... In this case, of your mind! You have to get your head around the fact that you are not dealing with gauges like you have in the past, this network stuff is in a completely different ballpark.

The SMIS gauges are not like gauges in the old days. They are just displays and are able to display any data that is available on the NMeA2000 network. Same as the Garmin ... As you have found, it can display any data that is on the network.

Think of the network as similar to the phone line in your house. Any device attached to the network can "see" and be seen by any other device attached to the network.

Because your engines are attached to the network, you will be able to see them on either or both of the SMIS gauges, as well as on the Garmin. The SMIS displays have to he set up and "told" which data to display, and where to get that data from.

Also, the SMIS gauges are powered from the network, and it is normal for the network to be powered via a connection to the engine harness of one of the engines. So this is why, when you turn the starboard engine on, both SMIS displays turn on. Your network is powered by the starboard engine key. When the starboard engine is off, the network is also off therefore no devices on device list on the Garmin.

Most people like to use one SMIS display (notice that I am calling it a display, not a gauge?) to display data mainly from one engine. So yours appear to have have been set up that way by previous owner.

So, most likely, the issue with one of the displays not showing the engine data you want is because it hasn't been told where to get that data from. Or maybe it has forgotten. Happens sometimes.

In that display, go into the menu, device list and find the "data sources" menu. There, you will be able to set the data source for engine hours to be the port or starboard engine, that should fix that issue.

Also, a special feature of Suzuki NMEAa2000 networks is that only Suzuki or Lowrance devices can configure or do things like label Suzuki devices. So if you want to do that kind of stuff, do it thru one of the SMIS displays, not thru the Garmin, as the Garmin probably won't work.

From what you described re the port engine as it appears in the device list, well, that sounds a bit weird! But if all its engine data is available on the network, I wouldn't worry about it.

So, to summarise:
1. Your network is powered by the starboard engine harness. Starboard engine key on = network has power and is operative.
2. The SMIS displays are powered by the network, therefore when the starboard engine key is on, so will they be.
3. For a device to show up on any device list, it must be turned on.
4. Therefore, even though the SMIS display that you have set up to show data from the port engine is on, it will only show engine data from the port engine when that engine key is on.
5. The SMIS devices will appear on the Garmin display when the network is powered on (by the starboard engine key being on) but data from both engines will only appear on the Garmin when both engine keys are on.
6. Now that you have a Garmin display on the network that incorporates a GPS antenna, you will be able to show real time fuel economy data on any network device (the SMISdisplays and/or the Garmin.

Hope this helps.

[Celtic]

Thanks Moonlighter,

I will try directing Port gauge to the data source tomorrow.
Hopefully this will allow Garmin to display both engines data?

[Moonlighter]

It should do. I am not overly familiar with the Garmin displays. You may need to set it up so that it knows that it is on a twin engined boat??

While you are in the SMIS display, just check that the boat is configured correctly. In the setup screen, you should be able to find the option for "2 engines and 2 fuel tanks". If that is what your boat has, it should be set up that way. It also should have your tank capacities set up correctly. Have a read of the manual (available free download).

Sometimes when you inherit someone else's boat, it might be necessary to start the setup from scratch, if they have played around a lot in there and got it all mixed up, that can sometimes be the easiest way to get it all sorted and working properly.

[Celtic]

Thanks again Moonlighter!

Went into the Port SMIS and drilled down thru the menu to the "Bus Device List"
When I initiated the Device list --the Starboard engine was listed along with a "unconfig engine". I identified the unconfigured engine as the Port and I could then see the hours and voltage listed on my "Pages" on the port SMIS!

In addition on my Garmin I now had 2 engines and was able to label the 2nd engine as port. This in turn allowed my Gauges display to show both engines!!

I still have a Susuki EP15 sensor in the list but I am not sure what Fluid level it is Monitoring. Will have to wait until I get boat back in the water before I can probably Identify. Possibly a fuel level sensor?? I don't know why they would have added this when the SMIS gauges can be calibrated to show the fuel!!

[Moonlighter]

Alright! Good results achieved there. You are pretty well sorted now, plus you have gained confidence in how this system is set up and configured.

In the un-configured motor, did you go into the configuration screen and make sure it was set to correct hp etc?

The fluid level sensor could be many things. Could be for a fuel tank, live bait tank, water tank, other liquid holding tank etc.

If you were keen, you could find the network T pieces and trace each drop cable to the device it is linked to. This way you will soon find the cable leading off somewhere to the fluid level sensor.

Good work on sorting it out. It is quite intuitive once you get into it, hey!

[Celtic]

Thanks again Moonlighter!

Yes I configured engine to the DF150 as optioned.

I can put my hands on the EP15 Drop cable at the T but like many boats it disappears down the rabbit hole back towards the stern. It is a 25' CC and so not as many access panels as I would like!!

My hope is that when I get the boat back in the water late Feb or early march then I will be able to see level changes on the readout.

My next interface project will be adding a Garmin 4210 unit into the system. I will be transferring from the boat I am replacing with this 25 Nauticstar.

Cheers again
Celtic