Displaying engine data fields on the Ray-Marine display

[inewbie]

Hi All,

So my used 2016 NC 11 powerboat with a D3-200 volvo penta engine set....it should certainly have the ability to generate fuel flow rate and subsequent MPG calculations to the helm Raymarine display (as well as seawater temp, etc.), ...should it not? I am surprised that ability does not come standard with the required electronic backbone. But when I try to populate those data fields on the Raymarine display in the cockpit, I just get empty data fields.  That sort of information,were it available, would be very helpful in efficiently setting the the preferred outboard trim and other engine operations.

My local shop says'"it's complicated (and expensive)", but my quick survey of youtube seems to indicate it should only take a quick install of an NMEA 200 cable kit.

Any thoughts?

Here's one from me: Happy New Year! The boating season is only a few monsths away!

Cheers,
Mike

[richardc1]

I too am struggling with a similar issue. Paid for and installed the Volvo Penta EasyConnect module, and have it connected to my tablet.

But no fuel flow data. Volvo technical support tells me my dealer "has to enable that data". (=$$$). However dealer and technician have no idea.

That's where it ended up at the end of last season... Maybe I'll try again this season.
Good luck!

Richard

[apo]

For our new SO410 I looked to have the Yanmar engine data displayed on the Raymarine instrumentation, thinking this would be easy. Our Yanmar dealer came back saying we needed a) an engine CAN convertor b) extension harness c) Yanmar to Raymarine convertor d) drop cable.  These parts, together with the installation came to £1500 which I considered not worth the money! 

[inewbie]

I am considering the Easy-Connect as one possible solution. Seems so crazy that a simple "enable" , probably taking all of 5 minutes, would be so expensive!......but I guess not surprising given that we are talking about marine repair zaniness.

Here is a link to an electronic backbone kit off Amazon....70$ USD, and supposedly "plug and play". I'm actually considering having my old aircraft mechanic take a throw at it.....sadly less expensive.

www.amazon.com/Ancor-Marine-Products-Device-Starter/dp/B074KHXXMF/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=23B0VMQ7E7W5P&dchild=1&keywords=nmea+2000+starter+kit&qid=1609788975&sprefix=NMEA+%2Caps%2C230&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExS0UzQTdKTUhLS05HJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwOTkwOTI2MTNSOUYwVDhaSE5WUCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNDE3Mzk2MUdDVlhDM0ZBV1IySyZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

I'll try to report back if I can figure something out.

Should it really be this hard?

[Pedro]

Jan 4, 2021 14:31:25 GMT apo said:

For our new SO410 I looked to have the Yanmar engine data displayed on the Raymarine instrumentation, thinking this would be easy. Our Yanmar dealer came back saying we needed a) an engine CAN convertor b) extension harness c) Yanmar to Raymarine convertor d) drop cable.  These parts, together with the installation came to £1500 which I considered not worth the money! 

Hello.
I have a SO 410, and found a converter from Yatch Devices that does the trick for a couple of hundred of euros.
Worth to take a look:
www.yachtd.com/products/engine_gateway.html

It has a version with seatalk ng that can connect directly to the SO410 backbone (T connector behind the electrical panel)

Have one unit with me but did not try it yet.. if you are interested, as soon as I have it installed can give you some feedback.

[inewbie]

Good luck. That does look promising. So much proprietary stuff...

[jy51]

Jan 2, 2021 14:13:18 GMT inewbie said:

Hi All,

So my used 2016 NC 11 powerboat with a D3-200 volvo penta engine set....it should certainly have the ability to generate fuel flow rate and subsequent MPG calculations to the helm Raymarine display (as well as seawater temp, etc.), ...should it not? I am surprised that ability does not come standard with the required electronic backbone. But when I try to populate those data fields on the Raymarine display in the cockpit, I just get empty data fields.  That sort of information,were it available, would be very helpful in efficiently setting the the preferred outboard trim and other engine operations.

My local shop says'"it's complicated (and expensive)", but my quick survey of youtube seems to indicate it should only take a quick install of an NMEA 200 cable kit.

Any thoughts?

Here's one from me: Happy New Year! The boating season is only a few monsths away!

Cheers,
Mike

I believe, to display this information on your Raymarine display you will need to purchase the Raymarine ECI-100, this interface has two connections but is supplied with only one cable and this is the one that it connected to a free connection on your Raymarine SeaTalk back bone.  If you don't have a free connection on one of the 5 plug connections you will need to purchase a T piece and adapter cables, and possibly an extension cable from Raymarine.  The other connection is to connect into the wiring harness that goes from your engine (s) management system to the steering and motor control position.  This will vary with each manufacturers engines and this is where it starts to get complicated, for this you will need to see the spare parts manual relating to the control wiring harness on your engine model.

[jonnykrash]

I bout the easy connect as well.  Had to get an adapter to connect it to the sea talk backbone.  It displays engine info on the Raymarine but only what is available on the analogue gauges.  no fuel data or sea water temp.  I am investigating another option as apparently to access this information it needs an $800 firmware update per motor plus labor.  Odd but not surprising.  Will let you know how this other program works out.

[dthompsonusa]

Jan 4, 2021 14:31:25 GMT apo said:

For our new SO410 I looked to have the Yanmar engine data displayed on the Raymarine instrumentation, thinking this would be easy. Our Yanmar dealer came back saying we needed a) an engine CAN convertor b) extension harness c) Yanmar to Raymarine convertor d) drop cable.  These parts, together with the installation came to £1500 which I considered not worth the money! 

Apo, does your gauge at the helm display engine data or only provide warning indicators?  We have a new SO389 and am being told: “As for oil pressure and temperature, the engine does not come with senders for those, just alarms for low pressure or high temp. You can order the sender units from Yanmar and wire them in if you wanted the additional data.”  

[richardc1]

Jun 13, 2021 0:11:44 GMT jonnykrash said:

I bout the easy connect as well.  Had to get an adapter to connect it to the sea talk backbone.  It displays engine info on the Raymarine but only what is available on the analogue gauges.  no fuel data or sea water temp.  I am investigating another option as apparently to access this information it needs an $800 firmware update per motor plus labor.  Odd but not surprising.  Will let you know how this other program works out.

Thanks for the update on the information re the $800 firmware update (per motor). Odd but not surprising indeed. I can't recall the total amount I spent for the easy connect + installation by the Volvo dealer but it was probably $700. At this point I'm calling it quits. Volvo Penta support for easy connect just says that its working the way they intended. That's some really misleading advertising as it was the fuel flow data / fuel economy optimization that people would like. Easy Connect potential customers...be warned it's basically useless.

[Charlie-Bravo]

I have never seen a NC11 and don't have a volvo but have gained some insight recently into the 'modern' way of networking electronic bits and bobs via Seatalkng/ nmea 2000. Half of my gadgets come from 2006 (but were available much earlier) running on something called seatalk and more excitingly named seatalk 2 ..... and new gadgets of 2021 didn't seem compatible as they were seatalkng and nmea 2000 compliant ,  all Raymarine, so surely must work ........ 

Local marine electronics magicians said it could be done but mystified me with terminology and just put me off the whole idea of upgrading ..... and the prices confirmed it wasn't a good idea, and then after I thought " o well just go for it" they just didn't turn up to do the work, which infuriates me, so when some bits died completely , I decided to educate myself on the subject.

Phrases of 'easy install' don't mean it all just fits , it means 'can fit together once you have purchased lots of other bits', 
'Starter kit' ...... your going to need more bits, your just starting.
nmea compatible .... the plugs and sockets are not going to work together even if the gadgets can, you need 'adaptors'

Once you accept the hassle of the above, and are still keen to get the screens to display the desired info, it is possible, and not that difficult, but , and it is a big 'but' , mental stamina is required.
Its a bit like getting a tv with a scart socket to talk to a newer gadget with hdmi..... then getting it to network over wifi and bluetooth to your hi-fi, and if possible you would like your old 8 track tape deck to play your archive of music with the same hardware, ( if 8 track means nothing to you .... you are young)      here there will be set backs, but in the end it is doable.

For engine data there are two routes, either the engine electronic management, which often has the data output but needs a 'special' plug or socket and some extra wires , or, after market sensors which you can install into each and every part of what you want to monitor, it becomes a hobby, a challenge  .... in addition to actually useing your boat.

I guess you either accept the challenge, or pay someone who previously has and succeeded, or question how much extra value the desired info will benefit your boating and make your choice.

Having scrambled my brain and got 90% of my system talking to each other I am happy, and wiser, but still got beaten up a bit on the Tripod overfalls near Bardsey Isle two days ago, all the gadgets in the world don't help much when it gets bad out there.

Hope you find a way of getting one bit to talk to another, it can be done, have a go yourself, it might just work, and could be a new hobby !

All the best
CB

[lynnardm]

CB

Thanks for your entertaining and realistic viewpoint on this subject. Well Written. Gave me quite a few chuckles. Oh... I don’t know what the Tripod overfalls are. But if anything like what can develop at the Point Wilson rip where Admirality Inlet enters the Straight of Juan De Fuca you better have an ocean capable boat and captain that knows what he’s doing :,)

Capt’n Lynn

[Charlie-Bravo]

The Tripods are a set of pointy shallows just outside of a narrow sound which runs at 6-8 knots at springs, at the Tripods the tidal flows can meet and given a bit of wind over tide create 'merengue pie' waves going in all directions and breaking into each other..... a confused sea it is.

Timing is everything, and we were a little early by making too good a use of some inshore eddies, and still getting used to a faster boat.
Wind change not forecast giving wind over tide conditions making the rocky inshore path dodgy , so headed out away from land just north of the Tripods but their effect was still felt, we avoided the worst of it, but it was still not a good place to be. A couple of hours later approaching the sound the waters calmed and we hitched a free ride through on the north coastal eddy.

The boat always felt safe, and we remained very dry, and I still think the new gadgets, whilst nice to have, didn't make holding a course any easier .... just informed us of how little progress we were making, which I suppose was good to know at the time, but nothing to be done .... just endure it and do the best to stay safe.
As a bonus, the rough waters knocked the hull clean !

All part of the fun

CB

[ydm]

Jun 15, 2021 2:26:34 GMT dthompsonusa said:

[ydm]

Maybe a bit late answer.

I have my Sun Odyssey 410 delivered in 2020 with Yanmar Engine.

I have made the connection between the Yanmar and Raymarine backbone and it works very well.

Oil pressure, water temp, average fuel consumption are displayed on the Axiom.

Sea water temperature comes from log/depth sounder.

Only one cable and coupling was needed.



I receive very good technical assistance from Slimship BV. [e-mail]

Dutch website but most of us also can communicate in English.

Installation was a piece of cake



Yanmar 4JH adapterkabel voor YDEG                                                                              Cost 29€ (2022)

slimschip.nl/product/yanmar-4jh-adapterkabel-voor-ydeg/



NMEA2000 J1939 Motor koppeling                                                                                  Cost 189€ (2022)

slimschip.nl/product/nmea2000-j1939-devicenet-seatalkng-motor-koppeling/

[Time Out]

Jan 4, 2021 3:15:06 GMT richardc1 said:

I too am struggling with a similar issue. Paid for and installed the Volvo Penta EasyConnect module, and have it connected to my tablet.

But no fuel flow data. Volvo technical support tells me my dealer "has to enable that data". (=$$$). However dealer and technician have no idea.

That's where it ended up at the end of last season... Maybe I'll try again this season.
Good luck!

Richard

In short: Volvo Penta EasyConnect will only show data that's already available on your 2.5" Volvo Penta EVC Display.
Remember to browse through the settings to enable view for all options.
In order to display fuel consumption, your engines must have the "Trip Computer" software-option installed.
pubs.volvopenta.com/publications/47709999

If you don't have the data available on your EVC Display, EasyConnect cannot make it available on you plotter/NMEA display.
I think the price is ~ USD 500 per engine for the Trip Computer option.