mercruiser analog to nmea2000 engine data?

army_greywolf

Anyone running a analog mercruiser to nmea 2000 engine data converter?  I'm looking for someone who has done this, converting the analog gauge set to nmea digital gauges.  I could eliminate a huge amount of wiring and really clean things up, and also plug it into the existing network. 

Handymans342

Im working on this with help from @LaRea who has helped a lot. Its difficult to say the least. 

LaRea

The key questions are:  what year is the boat, which engines, and do you have digital throttle and shift (DTS)?  If it's a post-2003 boat with DTS, the conversion is much easier.

The steps are:
1) Install a gateway that converts engine data to N2K.
2) Connect your fuel tank level senders and outdrive trim level senders to the engine computers.
3) Install a VesselView, SmartCraft gauges, modern MFD, or some other way to display engine data.
4) Network everything together.

What do you have in mind?

LaRea

Here's the thread about my conversion.  It's an extreme example ... a conversion can be done for a lot less money and effort than I put into it.  

https://rinkerboats.vanillacommunities.com/discussion/7295/conversion-to-all-digital-helm-on-a-2007-370

LaRea

Oh, wait.  Your boat is an '88?  Forget most of what I said.  You need an analog-to-digital converter, not a gateway.  Try this for starters:

http://www.digitalmarinegauges.com

Ian

How can I tell if I have Smart Craft on my 2003 FV310 with 5.0 MPI? Seems to be on the border of when it became mainstream.

Cableguy Greg

icoultha said:

How can I tell if I have Smart Craft on my 2003 FV310 with 5.0 MPI? Seems to be on the border of when it became mainstream.

Call Mercury customer service with your engine serial numbers. They will be able to tell you.

reneechris14

You should have this simbal on the cover. 
Also I thought the pcm555 was smart craft.
That the computer on the riser.

Ian

Thanks guys, I'll have a look, if I recall that riser module is on mine. I had thought to call but not got around to it and I know there is the knowledge here.

SeaHare

I have a Noland RS11 analog to NMEA2000 converter. Works well after setting it up... Im still trying to figure out what PPR my engines are (5.7 carbed) so i get correct RPM's

Handymans342

SeaHare said:

I have a Noland RS11 analog to NMEA2000 converter. Works well after setting it up... Im still trying to figure out what PPR my engines are (5.7 carbed) so i get correct RPM's

Did you set it up on a laptop or hard drive before you wired it up? I bought the same thing but I will need another

army_greywolf

I am looking at the noland, if you want to know it is a 4 to 1 trigger on the merc.  I had to replace my tach and setting up the new one required me knowing that.  Anyways, 4 ppr.    I have badly aging wire, I want to really go through everything, clean it, reduce bundle size of wires going to the console too.  I have a water pressure sensor installed, A silt trap (I fish shallow some times and it's nice to know im not filling the water jackets with silt roaming around in 3 feet of water). 

I'm taking this rig on adventures next year which means I want my electronics in good order.  I already have a fuel flow sensor, secondary gps and a barometer on the nmea2k network.  I use a lowrance elite 7ti, and I have a wireless gateway with an ipad to keep an eye on things remotely, or even use as a primary should i have problems with the lowrance.

SeaHare

Handymans342 said:

SeaHare said:

I have a Noland RS11 analog to NMEA2000 converter. Works well after setting it up... Im still trying to figure out what PPR my engines are (5.7 carbed) so i get correct RPM's

Did you set it up on a laptop or hard drive before you wired it up? I bought the same thing but I will need another

You set it up with a laptop after you hook it up. The only thing I cant get right are the RPMs.. Ive tried 004 PPR and its close on 1 engine but way off on the other engine... I dont know....

Handymans342

Call them

SeaHare

i did... and emailed...waiting for reply

army_greywolf

off which way?    what year and size engines?

SeaHare

army_greywolf said:

off which way?    what year and size engines?

The RPM's are high. 5.7's 2001 merc, carbed

army_greywolf

Alright so it's a thunderbolt V engine, which means if the nmea is taking the trigger from the distro it needs to be set to 6 ppr,   your other option is to make sure the analog rpm data in is actually hooked up to the gray wire coming from the coil (tach signal).  It is expecting it to come from here and thus is a ppr of 2 3 or 4 depending on the engine cylinder count divided by 2.  I am not sure when but the denso labeled thunderbolt v modules that do not say mercruiser on them actually fire two sparks 20 degrees apart and that means your signal is actually 8ppr.  It's going to be either 6ppr or 8 so give those a try. 

SeaHare

army_greywolf said:

Alright so it's a thunderbolt V engine, which means if the nmea is taking the trigger from the distro it needs to be set to 6 ppr,   your other option is to make sure the analog rpm data in is actually hooked up to the gray wire coming from the coil (tach signal).  It is expecting it to come from here and thus is a ppr of 2 3 or 4 depending on the engine cylinder count divided by 2.  I am not sure when but the denso labeled thunderbolt v modules that do not say mercruiser on them actually fire two sparks 20 degrees apart and that means your signal is actually 8ppr.  It's going to be either 6ppr or 8 so give those a try. 

Much appreciated!! I will give it a try!!! I wont be to the boat for a week but ill report back

army_greywolf

So I have a a/d nmea2k converter coming, along with a relay box to drive all my accessories.  I already started ripping out the rats nest of wires, almost everything is LED now so the wire sizes can be built right into a 6 or 8 wire core same size as the 2 pair the boat was installed with. 

I'm looking at some inductive touch screens to replace the entire gauge set with.  Not really worried about water but a inductive screen also works with a special pen tip if they are wet.  Probably source them wholesale and drive them with a rasberry pi or maybe an intel nuc, whichever has a good start up time.