Northstar 550 - Smartcraft Installation

[MarysPool]

I bought my 2006 Searay 250 SLX new with a Navman 5500 factory/dealer installed. After having first discovered, on this forum the Smarcraft connectivity, which was made available on newer versions of the Navman, I bought a Northstar 550 model NS002961U and Navco Smartcraft Gaterway AA010187. The specific purpose for this purchase was to get the Smarcraft data, via this instrument, which many have wrote about on this forum. But now after two months of much communication with the Navco support center, installing, uninstalling, reconfiguring, loading later versions of software, I have come to realize that there is a distinct possibility I won't get this system working on my boat..... and that after having spent some $700 for this upgrade that in its current smarcraft inoperable state does nothing more than my existing 5500.

So yes, I was hoping that via this forum there may be someone who has installed this device and may have one nugget of information that may resolve all. For me, this has been no "plug and play" operation.

I could write a book about all that has been done. But the high points

1) The Smarcraft configuration on this boat matches exactly the smartcraft electrical diagram, which is included in the SeaRay owners manual. I simply swapped out the 4-way smartcraft junction box for a 6-way. And verified the Smarcraft can-bus does have resistors on both sides of the network. The 1st question Navco will ask. Incidently, the factory installed SC1000 ver 3.04, which is a smartcraft capable instrument, is also connected to the same smartcraft junction box and works perfectly; has no problem reading the smartcraft data.

2) The 550 was setup per the setup instructions, smartcraft checkbox checked. It has been set, reset, newer software version loaded, even a special "secret" reset performed for which the procedure was provided by Navco.

3) The gateway has been sent back to Navco where they have verified today that it is working properly.

4) I have now been given authorization to send the explorer back to Northstar where they will test to verify it is working per spec. So yes, there is hope. Interesting to note that the gateway and 550 are sent to 2 different repair/test facilities, each being in a different part of the country. So if the 550 comes back as "working properly", I will have no verification that they work together.

So a question for something that lingers. Is my Smartcraft on the boat wired correctly and not causing the problem? So is it suffice to assume that since the SC1000 works properly and has no problem reading the smartcraft data that the smartcraft on the boat is working properly and therefore can be ruled out as at fault for causing this problem? I am not sure who can answer that. I have brought it to Navco's attention. But no real positive response from them.

Thanks in advance.

 

[skolbe]

Is your boat in St. Louis? I am in STL and my 567 worked fine installed and running.

 

[MarysPool]

No... boat is down at LOTO. That's been one of the reasons why it has taken such a long time to diagnose. I am hopeful that the 550 is going to come back as defective. I know it sounds crazy. But the installation seems so simple. And if Northstar tells me it is not broke, not sure where to turn. Marinemax down at the lake, where I bought the boat didn't seem too knowlegable. They had never installed one, or so they say. And I think the nearest Northstar dealer is Chicago.

 

[skolbe]

Dave Ludwig an ex-MM mechanic was there top Smartcraft guy. He helped me figure my issue out.

 

[Henry Boyd]

To go back to the original question, if the SC1000 is working, then the network is functioning.

Think of it this way, the engine ECM transmits data regardless of whether there is a network, or gauges attached. So if you have a device(s) on the end of the network that are showing output, the network is working.

I'm kind of curious as to why you needed to upsize the junction box. I have a SC5000 display and a SC1000 tach, and have an open port. All of my smaller link gauges are daisy chained of of the SC5000.

Did you try testing the new hardware on the old 4 port junction box? You would have to drop something, but it would at least let you know if the new j box was wired ok.

Finally you didn't mention if you called Mercruiser CS. You really should if you haven't as they can be a big help. I found one fellow, Andrew, really is top notch.

Henry

Henry

 

[MarysPool]

The prior configuration had attached to the 4-way the main harness comming from the engine, the sc1000 harness, a harness to the steering wheel (sc1000 can be controlled from the wheel), and a termination resistor plug. So I needed 1 additional port for the gateway. And the 6th or unused port I attached a weather cap.

As for as testing the gateway on the 4-way before replacing; you bet. Tested with both the SC1000 and steering wheel harness disconnected. Wanted to take all out of the loop.

I got one piece of good news from the Navco folks. They are going to bench test both the 550 and gateway together. That's important.

Thanks for the feedback re the operation of the network. That is what I was thinking. I guess there is that possibility that there could be some problem with version incompatability between my network and Navco's gateway, i.e., later versions. When you got 2 pieces of software talking to each other, they got to be speaking the same language. But I sure would think that would be something Navco would have documented. And nothing was ever indicated as a possibility to check.

And that its one thing I could check with Mercruiser. That's a great idea. Will contact tomorrow.

 

[WJB]

Make sure you have the NavBus option enabled in addition to the Smartcraft option (it's on the "Comms" display on my Explorer 657). I installed my gateway and everything worked great until I deselected the NavBus - oops.

 

[Dave S]

You don't really say what your problem is but I will add one thing here.

After helping another member on this board with his interface on a 260DA we discovered that the Gateway was package labled incorrectly and the wrong Gateway was in the package for the 550. He had bought his Gateway from Jim here on BOE and all of Jim's Gateways were packaged wrong. I had a spare Gateway that we installed temporarily and his system worked fine but I am not sure whether that CSR member ever did locate a correct one. I would certainly run that one by the Northstar folks to see whether that could be the problem.

Dave

 

[MarysPool]

The problem is that the Northstar will not display any Smartcraft data via the gateway. After almost 2 months of back and forth communication with the Northstar Tech, and trying several configuration changes and even updating the software on my 550, they recommended that I send the both units (550 and gateway) to be checked out at their repair center. Northstar agreed to have both the 550 and gateway checked out together on the same test bench. That is where I am at now. Waiting for the results of that test.

Incidently, I did check with Mercruiser re the operation of my smartcraft and can-bus. I asked if there was anything I could do to prove that it was working properly. Here is their response:

“Based on the fact that your SmartCraft SC1000 monitor is working then we would say it would be reasonable to conclude the problem is not with the SmartCraft system. Also, the SmartCraft language has not changed from earlier versions to current so that should not affect anything related to communicating with your GPS. Our best advice would be to keep working with Northstar as it would appear to us that the problem would be on that side.”

So... as I indicated above, I have the gateway, which Northstar states is valid for this unit. The 550 works properly in all other GPS functions. It just won't read smartcraft. It works just like the Navman 5500..... And as you know that isn't good enough. We acquired the 550 to get the smartcraft.

Also.... Northstar has stuck with me so far. Been working the problem since the 1st of April. That is good. But, if by chance they come back and say that the 550 and gateway are working properly together....... I am truly lost and without hope.

 

[MarysPool]

Thought I would bring this saga to a conclusion for the next guy that may search the subject.

All functions now work as advertised; GPS and Smartcraft display.
Northstar replaced both the gateway and the 550. Sorry to say I do not know what unit was at fault. Northstar did not have a facility to test both units together. But I suspect it was the gateway. If buying a gateway, stick with model # NS005020 to work with the 550 (even though the AA010187 is specified in the 2009 Northstar Catalogue).

Took a long time to get the problem resolved, but it is done.
I can say that Northstar stood behind their product and worked with me to solve the problem.