ETEC/LOWRANCE/NMEA2000

[sprig56]

Sorry, I believe I posted the following in the wrong forum page:

ETEC/LOWRANCE/NMEA2000

I've posted this issue on the Evinrude section and got a pretty straight forward answer pointing to a Lowrance problem. I thought I'd try the Lowrance section to see if I can get any different answers.

I recently had a certified, independent, marine mechanic install a Lowrance Elite 7Ti on my Ranger Rt188, along with Evinrude interface and NMEA 2000 cables. I set up the dashboard on the 7Ti to read several engine data items which included the alternator. A few weeks ago, I happen to be on the water and turned the 7Ti to the dashboard page. Everything seemed to be registering correctly except the alternator which was pegged at 18v. I got my voltmeter out and checked the voltage at the starting battery. It read 14.5 volts. I turned the engine off and got a battery reading of approx. 12.9 volts. I left the voltmeter on the battery and started the engine to see what the battery condition was upon starting. It momentarily dropped to 11.9, then started rising up to 14.5 volts where it stayed for several minutes. I realize my 115 hp ETEC alternator puts out 55v then converts that down to 12+ volts to charge the battery, power electronics, etc. What I don't understand is why my 7Ti is showing what's coming straight from the alternator (55v causing the digital meter on the dashboard to be pegged at 18v) rather than what is being converted down to (system voltage?) to charge the battery . . . . 12-14v? I contacted Lowrance about this and their position is...."Our unit just works as a NMEA 2000 reader. We don't have a way to alter or change how the data is received. Seems like the sentence is not being sent correctly(by the ETEC). Otherwise, every engine interface like this would have the same problem". I went to the devices page on the 7Ti and looked at the data it was receiving from the ETEC EMM. Alternator was at 55v, battery was showing 12.9 volts so everything seems to be working as expected EXCEPT the dashboard voltmeter being pegged at 18v. Talked to my Evinrude/Ranger dealer about this issue. They couldn't help because they had never installed an interface or NMEA cable system. I realize this isn't a "show stopper"; however, the alternator gauge on the Elite 7Ti is not supposed to be pegged out at 18v(see Scott's YouTube video on the subject). ANY IDEAS? THANKS!

[tdt91]

I've found on mine not everything works and shows readings just because I have NEMA connected to my HDS. Trim don't read like I thought it would but reading about it here I know why. I don't remember exactly about the alt meter but I think mine is pegged also, but I'd habe to check to be sure.

[sprig56]

It would be nice to know if yours is pegged,also. Lowrance is basically telling me it's an ETEC problem but I don't know how to change what the ETEC is putting out since the alternator produces 55v then an alternator regulator(probably not the correct lingo) drops it down to 12+ volts . . . . which is what I expected to see on my Lowrance dashboard.

[Moonlighter]

Lowrance advice is basically correct - their Display (and any other display attached to the network for that matter) will simply show whatever data is sent to the network by the engine. The display is just a dumb display for simple stuff like voltage, it doesn’t do any interpretation or calculation from the data it receives in order to display it.

So its more than likely an issue with either one of 2 things -

The engine interface may be faulty, or
You may in fact have a faulty regulator. The dealer should be able to test this.

I would investigate those things.

Note also that the Lowrance can display 2 voltage readings, from different sources

1. Is engine voltage from the alternator (as output via the voltage regulator) VAlt

2. Supply voltage - being the voltage supplied to the display at the plug. vSupply

The only other suggestions I have, and this applies to all “weird” or missing data, is to run an auto-configure for network data sources.

this is how:

Menu/settings/network, then select the option to auto-configure data sources.

it will pop up a message to tell you to make sure all devices attached to the network are turned on, and warning that all data sources will be reset. Yes you want to do this so accept and proceed.

There is no real downside to running this procedure so its a good first thing to try when strange problems happen.

[Team Colibri]

Lowrance is most likely correct.

[sprig56]

Thks guys for the feedback. I'll have my dealer check the voltage regulator next time I'm heading his direction. Don't believe that's the problem since I checked the voltage going to the cranking battery straight from the engine and it read 14.5v. That's what I expected to see on the digital alt. gauge on the Lowrance dashboard. Gonna try the auto-config idea from Moonlighter, as well. Thks again!

[Team Colibri]

The regulator itself is most likely OK as you have already measured the output. But the voltmeter (in the outboard) reading that output and feeding it into the NMEA2000-network seems to be incorrect.

[MTPOCKITS]

STILL NOTHING

[ThomasD]

Select battery voltage and it will show correctly. I have the same setup but with a 9ti.

Edit: didn’t realize this thread was so old.