Does your system tach show sea temperature? Maybe you just need to enable it!

[Jdr01930]

So I was mildly disappointed that my Sundeck 220 didn't show ocean temp. Not a huge deal, but it's fun to have an idea of what the temp is when swimming. I never really got a clear answer if the stock transducer (or other sensor in engine) provided this info, but think I was told it did not do sea temp.

I assumed the transducer did not have that ability since it was not on the tach screens.

Wouldn't it be funny if the feature was there all along, just not turned on?
Turned out that was the case - I found the System Tach and Speedo manual on Mercury's website, and enabled the sensor and told the display to show it, and like magic it was there.

So - if you have a sundeck or possibly other sport boat that does not show sea temp and you'd like to see it, just try turning on the sensor and the display!

Gotta love discovering a new feature a year after ownership. I was about to buy a pool thermometer to dangle overboard when anchored.

Edit: I'm thinking maybe the sea temp comes from a sensor on the B3 outdrive, like the speed does, since they are on the same screen. So when the sea ray person said the ducer did not provide temp, he was actually correct.

 

[surfinjoe]

Great find! Can you walk us through the steps required to enable it on the display

 

[Jdr01930]

Instructions for the system tach (at least the on one my boat) can be downloaded here:
http://www.mercurymarine.com/gauges-and-controls/gauges-and-displays/digital/sc1000-sc100/

Download the doc called "Smartcraft Gauges Owners Guide"

Direct link here - not sure if it will work:

http://www.mercurymarine.com/media/mercury/documents/SmartCraft_Gauges_Owners_Guide.pdf




Page 23 shows how to tell the system that you have a temp sensor.

Page 21 or so shows how to to enable the display of Speed/Sea Temp screen so you can see said data. (you can also turn off some of the redundant screens while you are at it to clean things up a bit)

Pressing and holding the Mode/Select button for specific amounts of time gets you in the calibration modes needed to to do this.

I can try to provide a little better step-by-step later on, but that's the jist of it.

 

[surfinjoe]

Worth a try. Thank you!

 

[surfinjoe]

I was able to add sea temp on my tach. Thanks so much!

 

[kaz911]

on my 2009 210 Select it was the transducer providing the temperature. If you have the "Mercruiser" branded smart transducer - you have sea temperature in that. (Equal to Airmar DT800 from 2008 and forward). It delivers information via NMEA0183 to the SmartCraft Instrument.

There is no temperature sensor in Bravo 3's - only pitot speed/pressure sensor to the best of my knowledge.

 

[quailrunner]

Any chance that feature is available on a 185? I think I'll be replacing my tach gauge soon, and if so, I'd like to have it...

 

[spfortjohn]

What about the fuel management system? Any experience with that?

 

[kaz911]

What about the fuel management system? Any experience with that?

What do you mean with fuel management? I used the tank refill smart craft function all the time. And I calibrated my fuel tanks since mine took 160 litre vs book of 146. After recalibration it was much more precise. I do not think it is calibrated from the factory.

 

[surfinjoe]

My fuel tank was set at 65 gal from the factory (should be 50).

Any my B3 does show the sea temp so I guess it has the sensor....

 

[spfortjohn]

None of the fuel or seawater show up on mine. How do you program the fuel. My tank is never empty can you do it full

 

[matthewmiller01]

It seems odd that you can't see seawater temp on your SC gauges. Mine didn't originally show up, but once I turned it on in the settings of the gauge, it was there.

There are only two ways to calibrate your fuel tank indication - [less accurate] one is to just accept a standard calibration (that essentially assumes your tank is a big square and the level change is linear throughout the entire tank range) or [more accurate] start from empty and fill it, marking E, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, F along the way.