Nmea 2000

[Seaduck]

Ive read some topics on here but still have a few questions. I have a lowrance hds unit that is nmea capable. I also have a 2007 DF115. I found on the lowrance website which cables were needed for my motor. The engine interface cable and engine interface adapter. My question is what else is needed so that I will be able to read my engines data on my lowrance unit. Any help would be appreciated.

thanks

[Moonlighter]

Ive read some topics on here but still have a few questions. I have a lowrance hds unit that is nmea capable. I also have a 2007 DF115. I found on the lowrance website which cables were needed for my motor. The engine interface cable and engine interface adapter. My question is what else is needed so that I will be able to read my engines data on my lowrance unit. Any help would be appreciated.

thanks

Just a Lowrance NMEA2000 starter kit. That's all. Has all the T pieces, cables and other parts you will need in that kit.

By the way, you will need the reverse K8 adapter, not the normal SDS to SMIS adapter cable, because your engine has the older style round SDS plug.

[Seaduck]

Thanks moonlighter. I saw in the description where it said the reverse cable. Once I get everything I will start the process but where on my motor is the round sds plug. Im going to look through the manual but figured you would know. Thanks again for the help.

[Moonlighter]

Thanks moonlighter. I saw in the description where it said the reverse cable. Once I get everything I will start the process but where on my motor is the round sds plug. Im going to look through the manual but figured you would know. Thanks again for the help.

Take the cowling off. It's in the port side, about half way up, in the middle. It usually sits in a rubber cap. This is the same plug that the technician connects their laptop to when servicing the engine.

[Seaduck]

thanks again moonlighter. I will check it out this weekend. looking forward to hooking everything up.

[Wired Up]

Cables

The problem is that cable is expense! $100!
Let me know if you find it cheaper. I have a parts list for my DF225s, with pictures if you want!

[Seaduck]

Found the hookup moonlighter. Yeah I saw the cable was expensive. Looks to me that I will need a third t for the engine interface setup. One t will have the nmea from unit, one t will have nmea from engine and then a third for the power supply. The lowrance starter kit only cones with 2. Thanks for the help.

[Seaduck]

Just looked up both cables I will need from brownspoint. The reverse K8 and actually the second part number shows it has been switched from the 134 to 148 which comes with a T hookup. So you were right moonlighter. With the lowrance starter kit which has 2 and then the one in the SMIS cable package I will have enough.

[Moonlighter]

No worries.

The interface cable nearly always ships with its own T piece.

[Harper]

The problem is that cable is expense! $100!
Let me know if you find it cheaper. I have a parts list for my DF225s, with pictures if you want!

Best price on the net for any Suzuki part

https://www.perfprotech.com/suzuki-e...ch=990C0-88148

...just under $81 for the interface cable. Still over $100 with shipping, but that's another story.

Actually, considering that it's not just a cable, but includes some electronics (maybe an EEPROM or two) the price isn't necessarily out of line. What's really crazy is paying over $80 for the reverse K-8, which is nothing but a foot of wire and two connectors!

[Moonlighter]

I was chatting to my local Suzuki dealer mate the other day and this came up.

When he fits the NMEA 2000 setup to older Suzuki's with the round SDS port, he now changes the round plug on the engine to a square one that suits the normal SDS adapter cable.

Pretty simple because the pins pull out of the back of the round plugs (little lug inside the front of the plug you lift it with a tiny optometrists screwdriver and pull gently on the wire from the back and the wire comes out with the pin attached. The pin then pushes into the new square plug!

There is nothing special about the adapter cable. I have made several of them up myself using trailer wiring. Or, if you want to be fussy, some marine tinned wire of suitable size.

Actually, it's not a bad idea to make up your own adapter cable. This means you can make it of a length to suit your boat. By that, I mean you make it the correct length to connect to the SDS port on the engine, and then to go back thru the rigging tube to the boat, and then up to the back of your dash, where you the connect the interface cable. All in one unbroken length.

You can get the correct, OEM, Sumitomo HM sealed and waterproof plugs very cheaply from Eastern Beaver in Japan. I usually buy a dozen at a time, in different pin configurations, and some extra pins. Because they are very nice waterproof and engine heat proof plugs that have many uses on a boat. I have always had great service from them and last time I ordered, postage was very reasonable too.

Here is a link to the site. If you scroll down you will find the 4 pin square plugs. I usually buy a few sets of m and f plugs complete with pins and grommets. I always also order a few of the blank grommets for sealing unused sections in a plug.

http://www.easternbeaver.com/Main/El...-HM/sm-hm.html

[Seaduck]

That is great. This will save me some serious money. Just to make sure I will need the 4 Position .090 Waterproof Connector. Do I need the male or female. Im guessing I would just change the plug under the cowling then plug the SDS directly to it. Again thanks for the help on this project.

[Moonlighter]

No, you still need the normal SDS adapter cable but as I said, it's easy to make up yourself.

Reason is that the SDS plug on the engine is used by the technician to plug their laptop into. If you change it to a M plug, it is then the wrong S. E. X. for their laptop connector. So it needs to be changed to a F plug.

Yes, it's the 4 pin .090.

The F plug is actually the small one, the pins are the F ones, the blade pins are for the larger M plug that the F plug fits inside. This seems wrong, but it isn't! It is the blades that determine the plug s.e.x, not the plug shape.

I will dig out my wiring details and post the wiring arrangement for the plugs for you.

Edit:
These are my old notes on wiring up the adapter cable. You just make the pin placements to achieve the following. If any of your wires are a different colour to those shown, well, the are only 4 wires, and the red and black (positive 12V power and earth) are usually the same, it's only the other 2 you might have to test and swap around if they are wrong. If you have it wrong, it simply doesn't work, the interface will not appear on the network and no data comes thru. If you have it right, it will all work!)

Please note that gray/red and orange/yellow on the engine side indicates "gray wire with a red stripe" and "orange wire with a yellow stripe".

Engine side: ------- Interface side:
yellow - ------ blue wire AND red wire
gray/red ------- single red wire
orange/yellow ------- white wire
black - ------ black wire

I would post a pic, but with the shrink wrap it is difficult to see the colors and would be a waste of time.

These codings are exactly as paired up on my 2010 DF115 which works perfectly.

I suppose there is one more option.

You could change the plug on the engine to a F square one, and then change the plug on the interface cable to a the M one, which is larger. Then the interface cable would connect direct to the engine. But then the interface and its T piece would both be under the cowl and you would need a long network expansion cabe to go thru the rigging tube to the dash where all the other T pieces are located. Can do it that way if you like.

[Seaduck]

thanks bud. so whether you have the round plug like mine or the square plug you will still need an adapter cable. Whether it be the reversed model or the regular. Thanks for the help.

[Moonlighter]

Correct. Need an adapter cable either way.

You may ask why? There is a reason!

Because, on boats where they ONLY have SMIS or other NMEA gauges, the wiring harness under the cowl is connected to the main control harness differently, and the interface then plugs directly into the wiring harness behind the dash, and the standard inteface plug is correct for that application.

It is only when you want or need to keep your standard analogue gauges working that you connect up to the SDS port in the engine. Then the adapter cable is necessary for that application.