multifunction display

[toporanger]

I am contemplating adding a multifunction display to the boat for my 250ss. What is recommended if at all? Right now I am just running a tach with monitor functions. I feel I would get more use and info out of a c10 or SMIS, which is where I am getting a bit confused on the direction to go.

[booter]

What graphs are you running? Personally, I have the Suzuki NMEA 2000 interface cable and have everything displayed on my Lowrance HDS Live. The C10 is okay, but some people have issues with them crapping out over time.

[toporanger]

I am running Garmin 126sv. I read Garmin is supporting some displays now. But I think with the SMIS you get error codes also.

[booter]

I would check to see if the Garmin 126SV has a NMEA 2000 network input and see if it's able to read engine data or not. This will avoid you from needing to get the SMIS or C10 gauge.

[toporanger]

I have a network input. I guess getting the NMEA might be the cheapest easiest solution with the option to add a smis etc later if needed

[Moonlighter]

The solutions/options all depend on whether you intend to keep the analogue tach or not.

Booter’s setup where he retained the analogue tach, which has the warning lights that provide both warnings (over heat, over rev etc) as well as engine fault codes and service reminders (failures of sensors, sensor error reporting via various flashing sequences of the lights), then he added the Suzuki engine interface and linked it to his NMEA2000 network means that he can see all the available engine data on his Lowrance displays as well.

I have that same solution on my boat. Eg analogue tach + engine networked so I get all engine and fuel data onto my Simrad and Lowrance MFD’s, plus rpm and engine fault codes on the analogue gauge.

Plan B is if you want to remove the analogue tach - in this case, its VERY important to provide some mechanism in the new setup that will give you those engine fault codes, which are so important for fault finding and to allow you to respond appropriately to the code and not cause further damage to the engine.

So the options are then …..

1. The old “SMIS” round gauges, which are really just rebadged Lowrance LMF400’s, are simply NOT SUITABLE for engines newer than about 2013. They are so old and antiquated, they havent had any software updates since about 2010 so their integration with newer Suzuki interface software is plagued with issues. Noah has even updated the Ark’s gauges and got rid of them centuries ago LOL!

2. The C-10’s will do everything required. Fits in the same round hole as the analogue tach so you wont need to cut a new hole. Early models had issues with screens allowing moisture in but that was addressed years ago. Some people seem to have issues with the enter button failing… but I think that may well be a user issue with overly vigorous use…. because the majority of others have no such issues. You can set the gauge to auto scroll thru various pages so the need to constantly be punching buttons is almost non-existant.

C-10 displays data from the engine via the Suzuki engine interface cable thru a NMEA2000 network. You can then also share the engine data with other compatible MFD’s from many brands provided they (a) have NMEA2000 capability and (b) can receive and display engine data. A bonus for Lowrance/Simrad users is that, in combination with a C-10, they also show the custom Suzuki gauge page and will display engine fault code messages.

Other brand displays CANNOT and will not display those fault codes/service reminders, no matter what!!

3. Suzukis from 2016 onwards can use the special Engine Connect Gateway Interface cable that allows any compatible Lowrance or Simrad display to activate the Suzuki custom gauge display and to also show the engine fault and service codes. So no need for a C-10 on the network, you can just use the Lowrance display in combination with this cable. Works with Elite ti and newer, and all HDS models.

Some of the saltwater guys use a Simrad GO7 display flush mounted in the dash which works great and looks cool in that wide “glass bridge” style dash, but this probably doesnt apply to most bassboat dashboards. But it works and looks great!

4. Engines from 2016 can use the Suzuki SMG4 digital gauge. Its completely different from the C-10 although it is still a square shape. It doesnt use the Suzuki engine interface cable. You have to get the gauge plus a special adapter harness to connect it to the engine harness behind the dash. There are several versions of that harness depending on it you have a fly by wire engine or mechanical engine, or if you have single engine or twins, triples etc. Its quite expensive and in very short supply, most dealers have them on backorder or are only supplying them with new engines.

Once the gauge and harness is installed, it can then be connected to a NMEA2000 network and it will output engine data and fuel flow (but not fuel used) data to the network, which will then be able to be displayed on any compatible MFD.

So you need to decide which way you want to go, and this will be influenced by what year your engine is too.

Happy to answer any further questions on these options.

[toporanger]

Thanks Moonlighter. I have read several of your threads here and other boards. I think I will start with just the NMEA and keep my round gauge for now. Even if I decide to go with the c10 or the SMG4 having the NMEA will be needed or useful.

That Simrad unit would be amazing on my boat, maybe thats what I work towards in the future. The price isnt much different than SMG4.

I am running a 2021 250SS for a motor.

Can you use the Simrad 5"?

[Moonlighter]

Yes if you can still get a 5” Simrad GO5 series display that will be fine…. Though they discontinued them a while ago, might be hard to get one?

Simrad Cruise series - no. Doesn’t have NMEA2000 capability.

With a 2021 engine, get the latest version interface cable, currently V 3.5.07.

To do the install while keeping the analogue tach working, you will need:

Interface cable: https://www.brownspoint.com/store/pc...5-38p71395.htm
SDS adapter cable: https://www.brownspoint.com/store/pc...S-38p63581.htm

Plug the adapter cable into the SDS plug on the engine. Run it back thru the rigging tube to the boat. The interface plus into the other end.

I always recommend that if necessary, you cut and extend the adapter cable (simply solder and heat shrink in an extension using multi-strand marine wire, nothing special is needed, just pick similar gauge wire) so it is long enough to reach behind the console and this keeps the (somewhat sensitive) interface cable up there where its clean, cool and dry rather than having it down in the transom end of the boat where it can be affected by water ingress. This way all the T’s and plugs are kept away from moisture too, as best as possible.

Then connect the interface to the existing NMEA2000 network using a new T. If you don’t already have a NMEA2000 network, you need to create one, buy a NMEA2000 Starter Kit, the kit has all the parts needed and is miles cheaper than buying them individually.

Ideally, after the install is complete, you should configure the Suzuki interface using either a Lowrance or that Simrad GO display on the same network, or a C-10 that you temporarily attach to the network if you don’t have the Simrad etc.

Its easy to do, just turn it all on, engine key on where it beeps, open the network menu on the Simrad display, scroll down, select the Suzuki device and select Configure, and use the dropdown menu to set engine location as Centre. Dont try to change the engine year or hp, they are automatically set and cant be changed anyway. (Note you cant configure the Suzuki interface like this with a Garmin display).

If you just want to use your Garmin to display engine info, check the user manual to see if it has engine data display options, some don’t. Or, call Garmin support and ask.

[toporanger]

I have engine display on the echomap 126sv. Or at least its an option that brings up tach etc but its currently not connected to anything so its useless at the moment.

So I will need both of those cables if I just go the garmin or only if I go to a simrad? is the interface plus for the analog tach connection?

[Moonlighter]

You need both the interface and adapter cables regardless of which display you use.

I will explain a bit further to help everyone understand.

The Suzuki engine’s ecu for mechanical control engines has 2 output plugs. Depending on what gauges you use, the harness that runs up to the dash will be connected to one of these plugs.

One plug is for raw engine data and it is used for analogue gauges. I think this data is in J1939 format. So your harness will currently be connected to that plug because you have the analogue tach running.

The other ecu plug is the SDS plug. This is the same plug that the mechanic plugs their laptop into that runs the diagnostic software.

If the harness is connected to this SDS plug, it sends digital data up the harness to the dash.

Then if you have NMEA2000 digital gauges or MFD’s for engine data, the interface cable will then plug directly into the gauge harness behind the dash and it provides the NMEA2000 format data to the network. The gauge harness is designed for this and has the correct s e x plugs there.

(as an aside you will see that the Suzuki interface cable has a black module in it about the size of a usb stick. This is the memory module that is much the same as the Fuel Data Manager devices that have to be used with Yamaha, Evinrude, Honda and Mercury engines when they are connected to netwoeks running Lowrance or Simrad displays.)

So the harness at the engine end can only be connected into one or the other of those ecu plugs.

So when we want to run analogue gauges, plus get digital data onto a gauge or MFD, we need to leave the main harness connected to the analogue plug on the ecu, and find a way to connect into that SDS plug.

That is what the SDS adapter cable does. It enables the interface cable to be connected to the SDS plug, and because that plug on the engine is the wrong s e x to connect directly to the interface cable, thats why they call it an adapter cable.

So in effect we are running a extra harness up to the dash from the SDS plug to take digital data up there where it can be connected to an interface cable and then to the NMEA2000 network.

Regarding the NMEA2000 digital “gauges” such as C-10 and LMF400, they really are nothing more than small displays preconfigured to show mostly engine related info.

A NMEA2000 network doesn’t care whether you display the data it has available from the engine interface on a “gauge” or on a 12” MFD screen or both, as long as the displays can accept and display NMEA engine data PGN’s (data items in laymans terms) then they will work on that display.

Suzuki engines also output some proprietary PgN’s which are for the engine fault codes and service reminders, and that is where the C-10 display (see I called it a display and not a gauge? LOL) comes into its own, because its programmed to read those proprietary codes.

In the same way, newer Lowrance and Simrad displays have special software to read those PGN’s that is activated by either seeing the C-10 on the same network or by the special Suzuki Gateway Connect interface cable.

Hope that explanation helps.