Suzuki C10 MFD on a 2007 DF300

[Albertan]

Hi all,

I was reading through the paperwork on my HDS-16, getting ready to upgrade my Lowrance electronics from Gen 2 to Carbon units. The Installation Manual said if a Suzuki C10 color display was on the same NMEA 2000 network, a dedicated Suzuki instrument panel would be unlocked and automatically enabled on my HDS units. Hmmmm.... So I went to Google and read up on these new displays. I read that they *may* not work on Suzuki outboards older than 2013...bummer. But then I read the sticky above and thought maybe it would be possible if I have one of the older interface cables. Or perhaps if I use a Simrad is35 instead of the Suzuki C10. Can anyone shed some light on this before I do hours and hours of reading, only to find it's not possible on my outboard. I can provide any serial numbers and/or find out which interface cable I have. Thanks in advance for any help.

Dean

[Moonlighter]

Nope, using an older interface software version won’t help.

To be honest, the whole “Suzuki instrument panel”is majorly over rated IMO.

Without any of that stuff, the Lowrance has an easily customisable virtual dashboard page that can be set up in a few minutes to give you every bit of engine data that the Suzuki engine outputs. If you have analogue gauges, you already get fault codes via them. So what is gained??

Its not clear from your post whether you already have your Suzuki networked to show engine data on a digital gauge or MFD?? If you dont, its probably going to be difficult because for your 2007 engine you need one of the older interface cables running an earlier version software. And they are no longer available.

The new cable running V2.9.0 software is supposed to work with pre-2012 engines, but quite a few people found it doesnt. The earlier the engine, the less likely it will work. You could try it, if you like.

[Albertan]

My boat is a 2008 (with a 2007 DF300). It was originally rigged by the dealer when new with HDS Gen 1 stuff. A few years later I upgraded with Gen2 (non-Touch) units and also upgraded the ghastly NMEA system with my own NMEA 2000 network after doing a lot of reading. I have the EP-20 Suzuki Engine Interface, and the EP-15 Fluid Level Sensor (for the fuel tank), The boat came with a Suzuki-branded LMF-400 gauge, but it no longer works properly and will be replaced.

I recall the system working well when I first installed it. But over the years issues cropped up. What I can recall:

1) The motor always defaults to the smallest Suzuki outboard in the HDS menu (I'm gonna say a DF40) So a lot of the functions (fuel consumption, etc) don't work properly. In order to get everything working properly, I have to select the DF300 every time I fire things up.

2) The tilt/trim reading never did work on the HDS units nor the LMF gauges (I have the Suzuki LMF-400 and two LMF-200s).

I get beeps when a trouble code is set by the engine, but there are no lights or anything because the Suzuki LMF-400 isn't working properly. Should I just consider going back to an analog gauge? Is it only the Suzuki-branded LMF-400 that can display the codes, or will a regular Lowrance LMF-400 also be able to do it?

Thanks so much for your help. It's time to redo all my electronics again before ice out in Canada, and I want to make sure I correct all the gremlins that have crept in over the years.

PS. Maybe I didn't answer your question. My Suzuki is networks into my NMEA 2000 network. I typically try to view the engine data on the LMF gauges. Most/some of the engine functions also display on on my HDS units if I choose. But I am usually using the sonar and chartplotter pages of those.

[Moonlighter]

Comments/suggestions added below in bold

My boat is a 2008 (with a 2007 DF300). It was originally rigged by the dealer when new with HDS Gen 1 stuff. A few years later I upgraded with Gen2 (non-Touch) units and also upgraded the ghastly NMEA system with my own NMEA 2000 network after doing a lot of reading. I have the EP-20 Suzuki Engine Interface, and the EP-15 Fluid Level Sensor (for the fuel tank), The boat came with a Suzuki-branded LMF-400 gauge, but it no longer works properly and will be replaced.

I recall the system working well when I first installed it. But over the years issues cropped up. What I can recall:

1) The motor always defaults to the smallest Suzuki outboard in the HDS menu (I'm gonna say a DF40) So a lot of the functions (fuel consumption, etc) don't work properly. In order to get everything working properly, I have to select the DF300 every time I fire things up.

This is very likely due to an old version of the Suzuki interface software with a fault. I recall having the same problem many years ago. It can be fixed by uploading Version 2.5.0 software. You can check the version currently running as follows:

- with engine key turned on, turn on the Lowrance HDS gen 3. In the menu, fund the network menu, select devices or device list, it opens up a new window listing all devices on the network. Select the Suzuki device. It opens a screen showing the device config and also lists the software version. I bet yours is earlier than V2.30!

- You can upgrade it to V 2.5.0 or even the older V 2.3.0 quite easily.
In the thread at the top of this forum on Suzuki networks, the first posts includes links to the various interface software files, stored on dropbox. You can copy the one required from there to a SD card that will fit into your HDS. Put the card into the HDS. Open the files menu. Make sure the Suzuki key is turned on to where it beeps. Then, select the .luf file on the SD card and upload. A progress bar shows it being done. When finished, go back into the network screen for the Suzuki and recheck the software version. It should show V 2.5.0 if the update was successful.

If you uploaded V2.30 you need to select engine year and hp. If you uploaded V2.5.0 it automatically detects the engine its connected to so you cant change the selection. It will be a year close to your actual (or maybe 2010) and same engine family hp. Doesnt matter, the data will be correct.

2) The tilt/trim reading never did work on the HDS units nor the LMF gauges (I have the Suzuki LMF-400 and two LMF-200s).

Probaby the trim connector plug on the interface cable was never connected or calibrated. The engine end of the interface cable has 2 plugs - both are white, one is a 4 pin plug (for the engine data) and the other is a 2 pin plug for trim.

If you have a analogue trim gauge, the engine’s trim plug will be connected to the harness under the cowl. If you want trim on the SMIS gauge or HDS, you have to disconnect the plug from the engine harness and connect it to the 2 pin plug on the interface cable. The engine’s trim plug can be a mongrel to find. It is usually tucked down the front of the engine below the cowl line, near the latch. Good luck finding it!! (PS you can have either analogue or digital trim, not both)

I get beeps when a trouble code is set by the engine, but there are no lights or anything because the Suzuki LMF-400 isn't working properly. Should I just consider going back to an analog gauge? Is it only the Suzuki-branded LMF-400 that can display the codes, or will a regular Lowrance LMF-400 also be able to do it?

Only a suzuki branded LMF (which is called a SMIS gauge) can show the fault codes. But there is a solution! If you want to replace the old faulty Suzuki SMIS gauges, you can still pick them up from some Suzuki dealers. Eg Brownspoint Suzuki.

If you can get a Lowrance LMF400 easier or cheaper, there is a link in the Suzuki networks thread to a SMIS software file that will convert them into a Suzuki SMIS and then, they will show fault codes etc.

I put links to those files on the sticky thread on this forum already. Have a look.

But either way, its pretty easy and the software change is done exactly the same way as described earlier for the interface. Except you have to do one gauge at a time, ie unplug all except the one being updated from the network, do each one separately. If there are several gauges on the network when you try to update them, it will try to update them all simultaneously and that will crash the network. So one at a time is the go.

You could also just try updating the existing SMIS gauges with the same SMIS software as mentioned above, maybe it will fix them without having to physically replace them. Check what version they are running first. This can be found in each SMIS gauge’s system menu. I would try SMIS Version 2.5.0.

Thanks so much for your help. It's time to redo all my electronics again before ice out in Canada, and I want to make sure I correct all the gremlins that have crept in over the years.

PS. Maybe I didn't answer your question. My Suzuki is networks into my NMEA 2000 network. I typically try to view the engine data on the LMF gauges. Most/some of the engine functions also display on on my HDS units if I choose. But I am usually using the sonar and chartplotter pages of those.

You can of course overaly almost any engine data item on any HDS screen

Hereis a link to the forum thread mentioned earlier.

i would recommend V2.5.0 interface software for you engine year, and also V2.5.0 software for the SMIS gauges. There are links to where you can download both of them on this thread. Do not try to open the files, just copy them onto your PC or direct to the SD card.

http://www.suzukioutboardforum.com/f...a2000-networks

[Albertan]

I did start working through the sticky above. Thanks for the helpful info! I'm going to try to log some more hours on the install this coming weekend. I still have my bow HDS 10 setup. I'll try to remember to check what version I had on the old system just for information purposes. I'm sure it's an old version.

Regarding the trim plug, I will also check that in the future. I don't have a lot of space to move around my boat where I have it stored in my heated shop for the winter. I installed the interface years ago. Well, actually, the original system set up by the dealer (with the NMEA backbone hanging zip-tied to the steering column under the console), may have been when the trim function worked. Perhaps when I upgraded to a new interface I didn't connect the trim plug. That would be odd as I'm usually pretty anal about stuff like that. So now I recall having an old Suzuki interface with the the big blue connectors (NMEA 0183?) and the newer one with grey/red connectors I think it is. I'll be much more clear on all of that as I go through all the wiring on the boat over the next few weeks as time allows.

I kind of like the idea of getting a regular Lowrance LMF400 and converting it to the SMIS gauge. I'll definitely do that as well. Thanks for the heads up there. I already have one or two extra LMF gauges around as my console has room for two LMF400's and two LMF200's, and it was my goal to run a pair of each so that I didn't have to page through each one. Do you think it would be best to convert just one LMF400 to a SMIS, or should I do both? Both sounds like a recipe for trouble....

Thanks again for your help. I have a feeling this will be quite a long thread by the time I have it all sorted out. But I am looking forward to a new system working properly and integrating with all my other marine electronics.

[Moonlighter]

Uploading the Suzuki software to the LMF gauges is easy, as mentioned above, its simply a matter of connecting one LMF to the network, upload the software, then take it off and put the next one on. Once they are all updated, you can reconnect them all to the network.

I think there is a 50/50 chance that updating the existing SMIS gauges to V2.5.0 software might help. There were compatibility issues between very early SMIS software and some interface software.

We have learnt that this Suzuki network stuff all starts with matching the interface software to the engine, and then, matching all other software with the interface software.

So what that means is that you should start with updating the interface software. Then, do ALL the SMIS gauges and LMF’s. You need to do them all to the same version otherwise there is likely to be compatibility issues and conflicts.

[Albertan]

I haven't been doing much with the boat, as I'm waiting for some electronics mounts to arrive from the US. I did hook the HDS 10 at the bow back up just to check the software version. It was 2.2.0 FL800D. The model was listed as 3.0.0, and the serial number was 1424994.

[Albertan]

I updated to the V2.5.0 interface software today. Of course, nothing ever goes smooth for me. When I selected "UPGRADE" after clicking on the .luf file, two devices showed up.
IMG_0555.JPG
So I let it upgrade, and it went to 100%. I left it afterwards as nothing popped up and I thought maybe the second device was also going to update. But instead the EIC updated again to 99%, then looped and started over again. I let it do that again and on the fourth loop decided I would stop it once it hit 99% and then check the version on the EIC. It froze at 92% on the fourth loop... Anyways, I went and checked the EIC on the NMEA network and it appears to have updated. I wonder if the fact that it was beeping the whole time (routine maintenance warning) caused the funky update. Maybe I'll try it again once I get the gauges sorted out.

Speaking of the gauges, I don't know if the SMIS is going to come around. It's not on my NMEA network list at all, and only lights with no display at all. I'm going to check the connections and maybe swap out the cable and/or the T to see if one of them is the culprit. Then I'll update it if I can get it to display anything. If not, in goes the LMF-400.
IMG_0554.JPG

Perhaps of interest, the LMF-200 on the left also came with the boat and was set up as an SMIS gauge as I recall. The one on the right I installed years ago. When I checked the software versions, I started to understand why I've been having issues...

IMG_0558.JPG
IMG_0557.JPG

Anyways, thanks so much for your help Grant. Your .pdf was very thorough, and saved me a lot of research. Now it's just a matter of working through everything.

[Moonlighter]

Ok, good work so far.

you could also try doing a hard reset on the LmF00, as follows:

Hard Reset (Deletes stored data.) 1. Turn Unit Off. 2. Press and hold the DOWN button. 3. Turn unit on (activate power to NMEA network or connect unit to operating network). 4. Release DOWN button after test screen appears. 5. Turn unit off (disconnect power to NMEA 2000 network or remove unit from network).

[Albertan]

Tried swapping the wires and T's and it appears the NMEA backbone is fine. Installed the new LMF-400 and it appears to work fine, so I went ahead and updated it to version 2.5.0. Confirmed the version on the HDS and saw the Suzuki symbol at startup, so everything looks promising.

Oddly, the piezos are still squawking a code intermittently even though none of the LMFs are connected to them. I'm not sure what that is about yet.

Also, still wondering if I should update all of the LMF units to SMIS units or just the one?

[Albertan]

No dice on the old LMF-400. I tried the hard reset, but there is no display at all on the screen. Just the backlight. I also tried updating the LMF-200s and the SMIS update does not work on them. Makes sense since LMF400 is right in the file name. Odd though that one of my 200s identifies on the NMEA network like a Suzuki gauge instead of a Lowrance. Any recommendation of a Lowrance software version for the LMF-200 gauges?

EDIT: Looks like Lowrance v1.1.0 is about as good as I'm going to get.

[Moonlighter]

I will see if i can find a Suzuki update file for the LMF200, its not the same file as for the 400.

[Albertan]

I was out in the shop working on the NMEA network tonight and noticed the EIC isn't showing up on the network. I'm not sure how to approach this issue. It showed up the other day when I updated it to v2.5.0. I'm suspicious something got corrupted during the update, even though it appeared OK when I checked it afterwards. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I saw the model number on a little silver tag near the connector, but didn't bother to write it down. BTW, I did try the EIC on different T's on the backbone to no avail.

On the bright side, I think I found out why I don't get a trim reading from my EIC. Apparently, some sort of extension cable was run from my DF300 to under the console and then the EIC was plugged in there. Based on how it's all neatly zip-tied, that's my handy work from years ago. I'll have to run the actual EIC all the way back to the outboard. I need to run a Lowrance Point 1 antenna along the same route, so not a big deal.

IMG_0565.JPG

[Moonlighter]

Suggestions:

- check all plugs to make sure they are firmly connected, and that wires are not damaged or pins out of place.
- Try to load the software again.

Dont forget that the engine key must be turned on for the EIC to be visible on the network.

Good luck.

[Moonlighter]

This is the only update file I have for a LMF200. should work, though.

Dropbox link:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/5jsbppvydi..._v220.luf?dl=0