MercMonitor / SmartCraft Install on RT188 - Help Needed

[ckeck]

Never done something like this on a boat and while I'm technically inclined I'm totally lost at the moment. Haven't even made it to the HDS install.

If anyone is well versed enough to talk through this on the phone I'll pay for your time, it would really help! $50?

PM me, thanks :)

[Z518 Comanche]

PM sent

[Ka'King]

Did you buy it from Don Weed? He knows it like the back of his hand and will walk you through it. I've done three of them now and could be some help, I will be offline until Sunday evening though. Email me (in profile) and I will try to help.

[Lwabirds]

I installed one in my Ranger. I bought it off Don.... We walked me through step by step.

[ckeck]

I ordered some parts from Don but not the MercMonitor/SmartCraft Gauge itself since I had some dealer credit to burn. They ordered that for me but I decided to install and it SEEMS like I wrongfully assumed the kit included everything I need. Apparently it has everything except for the damn harness that runs from the console to the engine itself. I figured this was something that was factory rigged and just available under the console.

So there went about 4 hours of my life this afternoon looking for this ever elusive "junction box" that clearly doesn't exist. The instructions for install are also extremly unclear at what this System Link stuff is.

Now I'm pretty sure I need to order this harness as I didn't see ANYWHERE to plug in this dang MercMonitor harness from the gauge itself, but if someone could clarify a few of the other wires for me that would really help.

1) Do I hook up power directly to the gauge or is its power supplied from the engine?
2) The NEMA2000 cable/harness seems straight-forward...
3) If I do have to power this, where the heck do I plug/hook it up? (please excuse my ignorance here...first time doing anything like this on a boat)

4) Do I need to separately supply power to the NEMA2000 network?


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[Lwabirds]

I had an older square gauge on mine and it was simply plug and play. I did not use all of the plugs that came in the harness. You can power the nmea directly on your cranking battery or you may have a power block under your dash. I believe The smart craft gauge gets its power from the motor.
What motor do you have? Did you get a manual with your gauge?

[fat1]

call ranger, give them your serial number and they will tell you if the mercury harness is there or not. On my z520c it was in the side, there was no "junction box" just the cable from the engine with an extension/harness type connection for me to plug into. You could also look on the engine side to see if the cable is thee because if it is not then obviously the other end will not be in the boat...

[ckeck]

call ranger, give them your serial number and they will tell you if the mercury harness is there or not. On my z520c it was in the side, there was no "junction box" just the cable from the engine with an extension/harness type connection for me to plug into. You could also look on the engine side to see if the cable is thee because if it is not then obviously the other end will not be in the boat...

Yeah, was just trying to get it squared away this weekend but that's not going to happen. I'll give them a call tomorrow and I'm about to check on the engine side to see if anything is connected.

You mentioned yours was in the side. Is there a specific way to access this wiring? Any idea where I should look on the RT188? Thanks for the note.

[ckeck]

I had an older square gauge on mine and it was simply plug and play. I did not use all of the plugs that came in the harness. You can power the nmea directly on your cranking battery or you may have a power block under your dash. I believe The smart craft gauge gets its power from the motor.
What motor do you have? Did you get a manual with your gauge?

2016 RT188 with a 2016 Mercury 4S 115. I did get a manual with my gauge but it's not very helpful (maybe it's me).

The missing harness (or hidden harness) explains a lot though. If I can get that squared away and then power the NEMA2000 network directly and then the HDS units of course I think I'll be good. The NEMA backbone is pretty self-explanatory, so that part I think I have rigged ok, just was't sure about power to the SmartCraft gauge and some of those other connections.

Would be great if that harness was just hidden somewhere but I have a feeling it's not. Going to explore here shortly.

[Bill Reynolds]

I installed a level 1 on my RT188 with a 115 Optimax. You will have to run a "SmartCraft" Cable from the console to the motor. Where the smart craft cable connects to the MercMonitor, you either need a hub or a Gender Mender. Don Weed sent a gender mender with mine. I sent a link to instructions for removing and replacing the motor end connector (De-Pin ) in a previous post. The MercMonitor wiring harness has a connection to power the NMEA 2000 network which works fine if you only have one HDS and a GPS puck on the network. However, since I had more units connected, Don suggested that I use a power node for the network. He did suggest that I connect the ground side of the N2K power wire in the wiring harness to the same ground connection of the node to insure common grounds between the network and the MercMonitor. If you have not pulled any wires from the console to the motor, I can help with that. Just search my previous post.

[fat1]

I have an access panel on the side behind a black vent. here is a photo of the vent removed (there is a horn in there, not the boat horn but a different horn it appears) anyway:

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[ckeck]

Is this the connection for the MercMonitor harness I seem to be missing? If so I'll need to pick up that part...but I'm already scratching my head at how to thread that harness through with the other cables. It all looks incredibly tight...

Bill, I'll look up your past post on running the wires for sure, thanks.

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[Bill Reynolds]

ckeck - I found the previous post. It is not exactly the same scenario but should be helpful. http://www.bbcboards.net/tin-boats/5...ml#post5479328 You sill need an electricians fish tape. I bought a 1/16 wide one to make it easier to pull through the tight spots.

[fat1]

Is this the connection for the MercMonitor harness I seem to be missing? If so I'll need to pick up that part...but I'm already scratching my head at how to thread that harness through with the other cables. It all looks incredibly tight...

Bill, I'll look up your past post on running the wires for sure, thanks.

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In my photo, the cable labeled "gauges" was going back to the engine. The connection from the mercmonitor ran down from the console and into a slot just to the left of this access panel. It was looped right there in the photo and connected to that cable. Don in the merc forum has a tutorial on disassembling the connector so the cable can be snaked through, seems simple enough except there are several precautions to take such as disconnecting batteries and such.

[Deerchaser]

How would I get in touch with a Don Weed?

[Ka'King]

http://www.europeanmarine.org/
parts@europeanmarine.org or visit the Mercury boards here on BBC.

[justsomeguy]

Make sure you power your network to a switch, not direct. If you do it direct plan on replacing your battery......maybe speaking from experience.