Multi Function gauge + GPS

[aquamort]

Hey all,

Recently purchased a 2015 DF250APX in Aus. I was told the gauge has built in GPS and an antenna is just needed to be connected so that then you can have all your fuel efficiency stats etc?

On Suzuki's website it says a speed sensor needs to be connected? Whats the go? (I know i can hook up to an NMEA 2000 compatible MFD but was hoping to avoid that)

[Moonlighter]

The SMG4 does not have a inbuilt GPS antenna.

If you want fuel economy and speed over ground data to show, you need to connect the gauge to a NMEA2000 network that has either a GPS puck antenna or a MFD on it.

[aquamort]

Hi Moonlighter,

The dealer was telling me it's built in and you just connect an antenna. But then i see on Suzuki website that to get fuel etc you need a speed sensor or GPS module.....now i've just also seen on Suzuki webpage in the 'News' section a promo for free rigging that includes a GPS antenna...https://www.suzukimarine.com.au/news...of-suzuki-sale

Also in my digging ive just found a pdf http://www.arnosmarine.com.au/wp-con...ifuncional.pdf that indicates a GPS module receiver plugs straight into gauge?

Ive also read where the new gauge hooks straight to engine and doesnt use nmea2000? I am confused 0_0

It's not the end of the world if they dont as i have an existing nmea network i can hook up to, but i was hoping i could use the gauge stand alone to give me fuel used/economy as currently i have a Raymarine E97 and a Garmin Echomap 95 and was potentially going to have 2x garmins - networked. The issue there would be the ecomap95 only has 1x nmea port so i would then need to buy a garmin network extender......

[Moonlighter]

You are misinterpreting what the dealer said. Yes, you are confused.

You said, in your own words, “you just connect an antenna”.

Why would the gauge need a GPS antenna to be attached, if it was already inbuilt!!??? that makes no sense at all.

What the dealer means is that the gauge has the ability to display GPS data and use it to calculate fuel economy. But it needs INPUT from a GPS antenna eg it needs GPS data including speed to be sent to it from either a puck antenna or a MFD (which has inbuilt GPS antenna).

The new Suzuki SMG4 gauge that you have connects directly to the engine. NO INTERFACE CABLE or NMEA2000 network is required for the connection to the engine.

All you need to do to get fuel economy on the new gauge is to add an extra T piece to your existing NMEA2000 network and run a NMEA2000 drop cable from the Suzuki gauge to the T. As long as one of the displays on your existing network outputs GPS data to the network, then the gauge has everything it needs to calculate fuel economy.

NOTE an ethernet connection (usually to yellow plugs) is NOT THE SAME as a NMEA2000 network and wont work in its place. Totally different networks.

Your confusion also extends to your mistaken belief that a device might need more than one NMEA2000 plug on it.... if the ecomap has one NMEA2000 plug on it, that is all that is needed to connect it to the NMEA2000 network. Once connected to that network, it shares data with ALL OTHER DEVICES ATTACHED TO THAT NETWORK.

While it may be possible in Europe to buy a special Suzuki GPS puck antenna and connect it to the gauge directly, why would you go to that expense when you’ve already got a N2K network and for the cost of 1 x T and 1 x drop cable you can use that just as effectively? The gauge document from Arnosmarine on the link you provided that shows a direct puck antenna connection is NOT the same gauge that you have. Thats the Euro gauge).

I am confident that you will have this one:

https://www.suzukimarine.com.au/part...unction-gauge/

Here is a link to a copy of this gauge’s installation manual, showing GpS puck connected via N2K network
https://www.dropbox.com/s/u2fa08g7nw...glish.pdf?dl=0

[aquamort]

Thanks for your reply, I will have to have a chat with the dealer again....

My comment re attaching an antenna was based on that you can connect an antenna to all GPS to improve range etc. I assumed that if the gauge had an inbuilt GPS that it required an antenna to function effectively.

I will also have to have a chat with the marine electronic installer where i bought the garmin Echomap plus 95sv from....as he noted this unit only has one port available (labelled panoptix) and you can link 2x units together by just using an ethernet cable into these ports......if i then want to also link into an NMEA i was advised i would need an ethernet port expander...

Maybe i got it wrong both times.....

[aquamort]

Dealer has got back to me and stated that gauge comes with aerial that i can use or can use drop cable to hook up to my gps

I've looked into the Garmin linking up.. I want to link 2 x Garmin units together. Garmin recommend, on my model, that this is done using an Ethernet cable using the panoptix port (live scan). I was concerned that i then would not have a port to link into a NMEA2000 to link to gauge. I have had a look at my unit and it has the panoptix port (ethernet) and a NMEA so all good. (i didnt realise panoptix port was ethernet and not nmea)