C10 gauge question

[mugneroffshore]

I have a 2017 DF175 with just over 200 hours now. When I did the install the dealer added the C10 gauge which I love and has worked perfect. I have never noticed the potential "problem" i am going to describe below before, unless I just really haven't paid attention to it which I doubt.

The C10 gauge now powers up every time I turn the battery switch on, not when I turn the ignition key to the on position. (it goes to a page screen with no data displayed) It also does not go to the menu screen until I turn the key on, it then runs through its usual programming routine, except it now does not always automatically show the did you add fuel to the boat message. Sometimes I have to go to the menu and select add fuel if needed. Also when I turn the motor off, the gauge will not power off, it will stay illuminated on a page again showing no data until I turn the main battery switch off.

When the engine is on and operating everything seems to work fine and fuel burn, engine data, and fuel level all seem to be still be accurate. Is this a known issue, any "fix" to it, or am I going crazy and this is all normal?

Thanks for any help
Chris

[Moonlighter]

The C-10 is powered by its connection to the NMEA2000 network, it doesnt have a separate power supply connection.

This means that whenever the network has its power on, the C-10 will also be on. But it will only have engine data when the engine key is also on at the same time.

In your case, the network must therefore be powered by a connection to the battery. Probably it is connected to the positive and negative busbars behind the dash. This is an acceptable way to have it connected, but perhaps not the most common way. As long as theres a fuse in the + wire its OK. Have a look behind the dash and you will find the group of network T’s, one of them will have a connection to power - that is the network power node, follow the red and black wires to see where they are connected.

In many cases, the network is powered by a connection to the engine harness, which means that it is only powered when the engine key is on. Thus the C-10 only turns on when the engine key is turned on.

Either way to power the network is OK, there are some plusses and minuses, mainly depending on what other devices you have connected to the network.

If you want to change it, first, tell us what other devices are on your network, then we can tell you what will happen if you do.

[mugneroffshore]

AHHHHHHH! Thank you for reminding me of that. The installer moved the NMEA2k power to the ignition switch, and I just recently switched the power back to the battery switch for the following reason. If the NMEA 2k power is on the ignition switch, the when I turn the motor off after getting on my spot to bottom fish the NMEA is now obviosuly off. This causes everything connected via nmea2k to be no longer assessable through my Garmin 741xs. The biggest concern is that the VHF radio now loses its gps coordinates from the garmin 741xs and it starts giving off an audible alert tone. I moved it back to battery power so that the VHF would always have the coordinates in the event I had to hit the distress button.

I guess the only question I have now is, is it proper to power the NMEA2k through the battery or should it be on the ignition switch? Is it being hooked up to the battery going to cause any problems for the C10 gauge?

[Moonlighter]

Ok, now you know the reason!

As I said in my post, there is no technical problem powering the network the way you now have it. Its fine. It would be “best practice” however to have the network power on a switch (such as a spare accessories switch on your dash) so that it can be turned off independently of the master battery switch. And also with a fuse on the + wire as I also mentioned.

There is another option for circumstances where you want part of the network to still have power and be operating when the engine is turned off - Garmin make a “power isolating T piece”, and what you can do is to arrange your network T’s so that all the engine related T’s are at one end (eg the T’s for the engine interface, C-10 gauges, with the power T now connected to the engine harness, and the other devices such as GPS etc are at the other end, with the Garmin T inserted between them. Then add another power T to the non-engine end.

What this does is to have 2 networks that share data thru the Garmin isolating T, but not sharing power, so when the engine is turned off, the engine gauges turn off, but the devices on the other end all continue to communicate.

[mugneroffshore]

Perfect, thanks moonlighter, I almost sent you a PM on THT bc you helped me like 4 years ago setting up the right interface cable and proper software version when i had the 07 DF150 and wanted engine info on the garmin. Glad to see you are still helping folks!

I do have the network powered with an in line fuse. I will grab an isolating T and set it up that way. Thanks again!

[ManolisM]

I have a DF225 2016, I'm wondering if the c10 connect to the engine through the same interface cable (v 3.5) I have for smis or directly to the engine through diffsrent harness.

[Moonlighter]

The C-10 will connect to your existing NMEA2000 Suzuki network exactly the same way as the SMIS is connected. You can use it to replace the SMIS, or, just add another T piece to the network and connect the C-10 to it. Easy.

The C-10 will fit into the same hole as the 4” SMIS gauge.

[ManolisM]

Hello and Happy new year.
I installed the c10 but I don't have trim indication. I have the same issue with smis gauge. The suzuki analogue gauge it is working fine. Any idea to check?

[Moonlighter]

Did you calibrate the trim function in the C-10?

Engine key on. Menu/system/network/device list/Suzuki/select calibrate trim. Follow the prompts from there.