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Installation of a smartcraft fuel gauge
Hi,
I have a MercMonitor(SmartCraft?) and I had my analog fuel sending unit switched over as well so that I could read gallons of gas left on my monitor. I LOVE IT! But, I have to scroll through a bunch of screens to see it.
My question is this: I want to replace my old analog fuel gauge with a smartcraft(?) digital gauge. My local shop is absolutely slammed and it will be quite a while before I can get in.
1) It seems like this is "plugging into the daisy chain" kinda easy? 2) Can I even buy this gauge, or does it need to be ordered from a dealer?
It is OK for the answer to be "WAIT and let your mechanic handle this." It is a convenience thing.
P.S.- What is the difference between Mercmonitor and Smartcraft? Is the first the digital data and the second the gauges? Sorry if this was answered before, I didn't find it in a search.
THANK YOU!!!
dash.PNGmonitor.PNGfuel.PNG
Last edited by Troul Hawk; 09-14-2021 at 01:30 PM.
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Smartcraft is Mercury's trademarked communications protocol not an instrument. A Mercmonitor, as in your pictures, and an excellent choice IMO, is one of many Smartcraft instrument options.
What you want to do can be done, I recommend you contact Rhonda at European Marine for the parts to do as you wish, be sure you have your engine serial number handy and also let her know you're a BBC member for potential discount.
If you want to order or price Mercury Engine Parts or Accessories
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Phil
'09 Hewescraft ProV
'09 150 Optimax
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Member
YES, ORDER EVERYTHING FROM DON!!!!
It is VERY easy to do as long as you can put a two lego blocks together. You may need a short extension as well as the SystemLink Fuel Gauge and that is it. You already have the hard work completed at the sender.
Remove your old fuel gauge and wires.
Cap off all the wires to make sure they will not accidentally get shorted.
Install the SystemLink Fuel Guage making sure not to pinch the wires in the back.
On the wire harness for the Mercmonitor, you will find a plug that has a "SystemLink" tag on it and a plug installed in it.
Remove the plug.
Insert the proper plug from the SL Fuel Guage into the Mercmonitor Harness.
I am not sure if it is needed but, I put the plug I removed from the MM harness into the second plug of the SystemLink Fuel Guage.
Done.
A couple of notes.
You may need to recalibrate the fuel in the MM Settings page. I doubt it but you never know.
The needle of the guage is delayed to prevent the needle from sloshing around while running. Sooo, if you are trying to fuel up to a half tank, do not watch the fuel guage. If you do, you will end up with a full tank...ask me how I know. It works perfectly while running and is as reliable as your Tow Vehicle gauge.
USN Retired
2020 Basscat Caracal
2020 Mercury 225 ProXS 4s
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Awesome! THANK YOU so much! I was hoping that would be the answer. LOL. AND thank you for helping me understand these names.
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I wanted to post a follow up, and of course ask another question.
1. THANK YOU to Don/Rhonda at European Marine for the necessary parts. That was great advice. 06 SB THANK YOU, your instructions were very helpful!
2. I removed the old gauge (twp purple wires, a red and a black). The dashboard in my 1998 Ranger was way to thick for the retaining sleeve on the new digital gauge so some hole modifications were necessary.
3. Plugged up the new gauge and it is working like a charm!
My question: I have a gauge that reads my hydraulic jackplate location, and it stopped reporting. Is it related, did I bump something? Is it a daisy chain of data that I need to re-connect?
jackplate.jpgdigital_gas.JPG
Last edited by Troul Hawk; 10-14-2021 at 09:31 AM.
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Mercury 3L/4 Stroke/Verado Moderator
The jackplate gauge would not be connected to any of the System Link Wiring.
It MAY, however, have been connected to the PURPLE or BLACK wires that were on the old gauge. If so you may have interrupted the power or ground to it.
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Thanks Don!
I suspect that is the case, can you recommend a way for me to test that theory? Should I start with the ground? what to do with the purple? BTW what does the purple do?
Sorry for being so ignorant, just trying to get this thing working while my mechanic is out of pocket.
Thank you!
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Mercury 3L/4 Stroke/Verado Moderator
Purple is "key-switched power from the ignition switch". Normally went to each analog gauge and daisy-chained from gauge-to-gauge.
Ground (black) is usually the same way.