2002+ Smartcraft Twin Engine Info

[ANZAC_1915]

I have done a bunch of research on how to hook up Smartcraft on the twin engine boats.

I am just going to dump all of my notes here. I do not have this installed on my boat yet so if it doesn't work for you, it is not my fault!

This should work either with a Northstar plotter gateway, and/or a Mercury SC5000 System View (not Mercury Vessel View, which only works with 2006 and later engines).

Cables, Junction Boxes and Terminators
There are at least three ways you can configure it:
A) one long cable from the bilge to the helm, with junction boxes at both the bilge and helm to allow for additional connections at the helm, and two short cables, one to each engine, and of course a short cable to connect your display device to the helm junction box
B) one long terminating cable from the bilge to the helm, with a junction box only in the bilge to connect each engine to, with two short cables, one to each engine
C) two long terminating cables (terminator would go at engine end), one from each engine, to a junction box at the helm

4 way junction boxes are p/n
84-878492 T14 bare junction box
or
84-878492 K14 which includes 1 term resistor and some weather caps

Short 6' cables (without term resistors) are:
84-879968 T6
Long 30' cables (without term resistors) are:
84-879968 T30
Long 30' cable with term resistor at one end:
84-879981 T30

I am going with option A, which looks like:



                     +----+                                +----+
SV --[????????????]--+ 4  +-------[84-879968 T30]----------+ 4  +-----[84-879968 T6]---- STBD CAN
                     |way |                                |way |
                n/c -+junc+-[T]                        [T]-+junc+-----[84-879968 T6]---- PORT CAN
                     +--- +                                +----+


                                                        ------->>------------ STBD CAN-bus power
                                                        ----->>]      [>>---- PORT CAN-bus power
                                                                                (see below)


Note there is one terminator [T] at each end of the bus.
Note that you could possibly install another Smartcraft device on the unused connector "n/c".
Note SV is System View or Northstar Gateway

CAN-bus Engine Identification
You need to use Diacom or similar to ensure your engines are configured as port and stbd. They do not come from the factory like this, typically they are both configured as STBD 1 (from memory).

CAN-bus Power
You will also need to remove the connection ON ONE ENGINE between the engine power and the CAN-bus power. CAN-bus should only be powered by one of the engines. Locate the CAN-bus power connector, remove it, and cap the ends with:
881176A1 female cap
881175A1 male cap

Each entire CAN bus can only be powered by one engine on multiple engine boats. If you locate the CAN bus connector on your engine (the one with the yellow TERMINATOR cap, that you will connect the smartcraft cable to), about 3 inches below it (3 inches along the harness) there should be a 3 wire plug (this is the CAN BUS power connector), it should be red/blk, blk, ppl. this needs to be disconnected from ONE of your engines and capped. I would say not the starboard engine. Hope this helps.

Helpful Links
Smartcraft thread on iboats: http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=269999

6ft harness: http://greatlakesskipper.com/product/56_429-gauges-mercury-smartcraft/9702-mercury-marine-mercury-smartcraft-6-foot-boat-gauge-harness-assembly.html

30ft harness: http://greatlakesskipper.com/product/56_383-gauges-gauge-harnesses/11918-mercury-marine-mercury-smartcraft-30-foot-boat-gauge-harness-84-879968t30.html

30ft harness w/ terminator: http://greatlakesskipper.com/product/56_383-gauges-gauge-harnesses/7089-mercury-marine-mercury-smartcraft-30-foot-boat-gauge-harness-assembly.html

4 way junction box: http://greatlakesskipper.com/product/56_429-gauges-mercury-smartcraft/7340-mercury-marine-mercury-smartcraft-boat-gauge-junction-box-kit.html

SC5000 (I paid $400 on ebay): http://greatlakesskipper.com/product/31_32_33-oem-parts-and-accessories-miscellaneous/7727-mercury-marine-mercury-smartcraft-sc5000-system-view-boat-monitor.html

Northstar twin engine gateway NS005021 http://www.starmarinedepot.com/Northstar+SmartCraft+Gateway+Dual+Engine.html

[Dream 'Inn]

Thanks!  That is some great help for me to start looking into.

[ANZAC_1915]

I just checked yesterday and the System View has a harness kit that plugs into the 4 way junction as well as other stuff (NMEA input etc.)

For the Northstar gateway you may need a short Smartcraft cable.

[Dream 'Inn]

Ok, I got to do some playing today.  I have the Northstar Explorer 557 unit connected with a dual engine gateway with your option C listed above.  I was able to get one engine at a time to work if I disconnected the CAN power on the other engine.  I've done quite a bit of reading and some of it says to disconnect the CAN power on one engine if they both use the same bus, but mine each have their own bus up to the junction box behind the dash.  Each of my cables have the terminator in the cable, at the engine end.  Nothing states I need a terminator type on the junction box, so I don't have it there.

Any suggestions?  On the explorer unit itself when you set it to use Smartcraft it automatically sets it up as 1 engine.  Not sure how to have it recognize it as two engines.

I will say some of the stuff seems like it's gonna be fun to play with over the summer!  Just need to get the twin engine part working.

One last thing, for some reason when I click the Navbus option (to remove it), then it doesn't work at all.  & this should not have any affect on it all.

[ANZAC_1915]

Ok, I got to do some playing today.  I have the Northstar Explorer 557 unit connected with a dual engine gateway with your option C listed above.  I was able to get one engine at a time to work if I disconnected the CAN power on the other engine.  I've done quite a bit of reading and some of it says to disconnect the CAN power on one engine if they both use the same bus, but mine each have their own bus up to the junction box behind the dash.  Each of my cables have the terminator in the cable, at the engine end.  Nothing states I need a terminator type on the junction box, so I don't have it there.

Any suggestions?  On the explorer unit itself when you set it to use Smartcraft it automatically sets it up as 1 engine.  Not sure how to have it recognize it as two engines.

I will say some of the stuff seems like it's gonna be fun to play with over the summer!  Just need to get the twin engine part working.

One last thing, for some reason when I click the Navbus option (to remove it), then it doesn't work at all.  & this should not have any affect on it all.

Did you reconfigure the engines as "port" and "starboard" in the ECM using the Mercruiser diags or Diacom?

[Dream 'Inn]

Ok, I got to do some playing today.  I have the Northstar Explorer 557 unit connected with a dual engine gateway with your option C listed above.  I was able to get one engine at a time to work if I disconnected the CAN power on the other engine.  I've done quite a bit of reading and some of it says to disconnect the CAN power on one engine if they both use the same bus, but mine each have their own bus up to the junction box behind the dash.  Each of my cables have the terminator in the cable, at the engine end.  Nothing states I need a terminator type on the junction box, so I don't have it there.

Any suggestions?  On the explorer unit itself when you set it to use Smartcraft it automatically sets it up as 1 engine.  Not sure how to have it recognize it as two engines.

I will say some of the stuff seems like it's gonna be fun to play with over the summer!  Just need to get the twin engine part working.

One last thing, for some reason when I click the Navbus option (to remove it), then it doesn't work at all.  & this should not have any affect on it all.

Did you reconfigure the engines as "port" and "starboard" in the ECM using the Mercruiser diags or Diacom?

   ??  Nope, know nothing about that.  hmmm...wher can I get that info at?  Is there a special tool I need to do this?

I feel I'm getting closer!!   if I can get out there tomorrow and get it going it sure would make my weekend!!!   Thanks for all your help!!