Raymarine i70s Instrument Display - Anyone using one?

[Skybolt]

I am looking to replace my current digital tach(s) with something NMEA2000 based. I currently have Garmin GMI20(s) I use for engine displays. And Aetna Engineering tach(s) for RPM. I am wanting to switch them out with more modern N2K displays for RPM.

I currently use the GMI 20's for engine readout, trim tab position and rudder position. I wish they displayed RPM in tenths, but they only are displayed to the nearest 50 rpm. For me that is way to wide of a readback. MY engines WOT are 2300 and typical cruise at 1800. 50 RPM is almost 2 mph. so I need a little more accuracy, and why I am using Aetna tach(s).

I am considering the Raymarine i70s instrument display, but curious as to what the read back is like. And how it may be configured. I am going to call Ray tech sup. but They may not understand my questions for the display and if there is RPM smoothing or not.

Anyway anyone out here using the i70s Instrument display?

 

[Golfman25]

Not the raymarine stuff, but what if you got another garmin MFD and feed the engine data into that. My plan is to use a 742xsv already installed. You can see it there.

 

[Skybolt]

Not the raymarine stuff, but what if you got another garmin MFD and feed the engine data into that. My plan is to use a 742xsv already installed. You can see it there.
View attachment 141005

Yeah and there is the rub. I already have what I am looking for, but it doesn't increment like a normal tach. It increments in +50 rpm instead of +1 or even +5. I am all Garmin as well except for the AP. I do display the engine data on my 1243(s) also. But I like having dedicated display(s) for the engines. The GMI 20(s) I have now turn on/off with each engine breaker as a normal engine display would.

I put in a tech request to fix it, but nothing ever came of it. The newer MFD's do support the normal +1 incrementing but that needs to be turned on, it defaults to +50. I was also thinking of using my 7608 but decided against it.

Nice dash, it should work out nicely for you.

 

[dtfeld]

Dumb Question Are you sure the 50 RPM increment limit is actually in the GMI 20’s? I would think the display would only repeat the info on the network.

I’d have to look but I think the Maretron will display +/- 1RPM.

 

[Skybolt]

Dumb Question Are you sure the 50 RPM increment limit is actually in the GMI 20’s? I would think the display would only repeat the info on the network.

I’d have to look but I think the Maretron will display +/- 1RPM.

Oh yeah, it's the GMI20, the Garmin MFD(s) have a setting to turn off what Garmin calls rounding and they will display in +1 increments. They refuse to add it to the GMI 20.

The DSM410 does increment in +1, but has a very fast refresh rate, or no smoothing. The last two digits are constantly changing and makes the display very distracting. The RPM displayed int he corners of the MFD(s) in data boxes works fantastic and is very smooth.

 

[dtfeld]

I’ll have to go back and look at my DSM410 tach, I don’t remember it jumping around, so maybe something being done in my converter. There has to be some smoothing done at that level. I’m interested to see what Raymarine offers, but I’m Luke warm on their instrumentation capabilities

 

[ocgrant]

I am looking to replace my current digital tach(s) with something NMEA2000 based. I currently have Garmin GMI20(s) I use for engine displays. And Aetna Engineering tach(s) for RPM. I am wanting to switch them out with more modern N2K displays for RPM.

I currently use the GMI 20's for engine readout, trim tab position and rudder position. I wish they displayed RPM in tenths, but they only are displayed to the nearest 50 rpm. For me that is way to wide of a readback. MY engines WOT are 2300 and typical cruise at 1800. 50 RPM is almost 2 mph. so I need a little more accuracy, and why I am using Aetna tach(s).

I am considering the Raymarine i70s instrument display, but curious as to what the read back is like. And how it may be configured. I am going to call Ray tech sup. but They may not understand my questions for the display and if there is RPM smoothing or not.

Anyway anyone out here using the i70s Instrument display?

You want one to play with? I have one I took out when I re-did my dash set up just sitting in a box doing nothing. I will ship it to you if you want something to test with.

 

[Skybolt]

You want one to play with? I have one I took out when I re-did my dash set up just sitting in a box doing nothing. I will ship it to you if you want something to test with.

Grant that would be awesome! Thank you.

 

[Skybolt]

To follow up on this thread a bit. A very big Thank You to @ocgrant Grant for lending me the i70!

This was invaluable learning on the i70. To start off it can do what I was looking for, the RPM is not rounding at 50 RPM's like the GMI20 is. There are subtle differences between these two instruments and it really makes it difficult to choose between the two unless you need something specific like I am looking for with the RPM.

Most people wouldn't care about 50 RPM rounding and the GMI is on the newer Sea Rays like the 51 Fly and the like. But to my old Detroit's 50 RPM is ~2MPH difference and a little over 2% of my RPM range.

So here are some screen shots of the two and I tried to find similar screens to compare and really couldn't. To begin with the i70 doesn't have a four quadrant screen and the GMI does. But the GMI only has 1,2,3 and 4 quadrant screens where as the i70 has many different types of combinations. Many more then seen below.

To start, the engine alarms on the i70 are all on one screen and can be acknowledged at one time. Where as the GMI only display one alarm at a time and the individual ones need to be acknowledged separately.

Really nice screen on the i70 and the GMI doesn't have anything like it. But it is more bling then functional IMO.

This shot is in favor of the GMI, the two data gauges on the bottom can also be on the top in different configurations giving a four quadrant display. The i70 can't do this, there isn't a config for that. When the Tach gauge is displayed full screen, both look the same and with increments ~100rpm.

Here is as close as I could get to having the same data layout on both. The engine sync is on and this is the RPM rounding I am talking about. While I like the GMI better, the i70 is more vestal with the RPM.

I am really torn on what to do, as the i70 does what I am looking for. All my displays are Garmin with two Maretron DSM410's at the helm. I am thinking of getting two i70's to complement my two GMI20's and display the RPM mostly. I guess they would match my autopilot head unit while it is still RM. But having the four display grouped together might look a little strange. I am probably making more of this then I should and may be crazy to even worry about it.

I would go with with the DSM40's as they also work, except the DSM doesn't smooth the rpm and it jumps too much where as the i70 is pretty smooth and doesn't jump nearly as much. It actually works like a tach should, where as the Maretron just displays what it gets.

Trying to figure this out as I am getting my new dash back in a week or so and would like to have this finished. I made room for this upgrade if I decided to do it. If not the dash will still look nice with the Aetna Engineering tach's.

 

[Golfman25]

To follow up on this thread a bit. A very big Thank You to @ocgrant Grant for lending me the i70!

This was invaluable learning on the i70. To start off it can do what I was looking for, the RPM is not rounding at 50 RPM's like the GMI20 is. There are subtle differences between these two instruments and it really makes it difficult to choose between the two unless you need something specific like I am looking for with the RPM.

Most people wouldn't care about 50 RPM rounding and the GMI is on the newer Sea Rays like the 51 Fly and the like. But to my old Detroit's 50 RPM is ~2MPH difference and a little over 2% of my RPM range.

So here are some screen shots of the two and I tried to find similar screens to compare and really couldn't. To begin with the i70 doesn't have a four quadrant screen and the GMI does. But the GMI only has 1,2,3 and 4 quadrant screens where as the i70 has many different types of combinations. Many more then seen below.

To start, the engine alarms on the i70 are all on one screen and can be acknowledged at one time. Where as the GMI only display one alarm at a time and the individual ones need to be acknowledged separately.

View attachment 141659


Really nice screen on the i70 and the GMI doesn't have anything like it. But it is more bling then functional IMO.

View attachment 141660


This shot is in favor of the GMI, the two data gauges on the bottom can also be on the top in different configurations giving a four quadrant display. The i70 can't do this, there isn't a config for that. When the Tach gauge is displayed full screen, both look the same and with increments ~100rpm.

View attachment 141661


Here is as close as I could get to having the same data layout on both. The engine sync is on and this is the RPM rounding I am talking about. While I like the GMI better, the i70 is more vestal with the RPM.

View attachment 141662

I am really torn on what to do, as the i70 does what I am looking for. All my displays are Garmin with two Maretron DSM410's at the helm. I am thinking of getting two i70's to complement my two GMI20's and display the RPM mostly. I guess they would match my autopilot head unit while it is still RM. But having the four display grouped together might look a little strange. I am probably making more of this then I should and may be crazy to even worry about it.

I would go with with the DSM40's as they also work, except the DSM doesn't smooth the rpm and it jumps too much where as the i70 is pretty smooth and doesn't jump nearly as much. It actually works like a tach should, where as the Maretron just displays what it gets.

Trying to figure this out as I am getting my new dash back in a week or so and would like to have this finished. I made room for this upgrade if I decided to do it. If not the dash will still look nice with the Aetna Engineering tach's.

Got a pic of the Aetna Engineering tachs? Since it sounds like you have other displays to give you electronic data if needed, I might just go "old school" with the digital tachs.

 

[Skybolt]

Got a pic of the Aetna Engineering tachs? Since it sounds like you have other displays to give you electronic data if needed, I might just go "old school" with the digital tachs.

Complete with dust and dog hair:

 

[Golfman25]

Complete with dust and dog hair:

View attachment 141674

Wonder if you could fabricate a black square bezel to make it look a bit more uniform.

 

[Skybolt]

Wonder if you could fabricate a black square bezel to make it look a bit more uniform.

I could, but I just ordered a new dash panel to get rid of the individual panels. So it's going to be one or the other, i70's or the tach's. The Aetna tach(s) are one of the most popular tach for older diesel engines and are super accurate. They just look a bit dated among the digital displays.

 

[dtfeld]

I struggled with the RPM display too, but I like the Aetnas and the sync guage in the middle of my panel and added the DSM410. I like the old/new look. I have RPM displays on my DSM410, but never use it.

You don’t say if you kept or use a sync gauge, but it’s the one thing I haven’t found on any display. I kept the sync because I find it useful getting up on plane, or running in congested areas where I don’t engage the sync. It will at least get me in the ball park, and I can manually sync by ear from there.

I don’t see a problem mixing the Raymarine and Garmin. Both are attractive and very functional. Have a pair of both!

 

[Skybolt]

I struggled with the RPM display too, but I like the Aetnas and the sync guage in the middle of my panel and added the DSM410. I like the old/new look. I have RPM displays on my DSM410, but never use it.

You don’t say if you kept or use a sync gauge, but it’s the one thing I haven’t found on any display. I kept the sync because I find it useful getting up on plane, or running in congested areas where I don’t engage the sync. It will at least get me in the ball park, and I can manually sync by ear from there.

I don’t see a problem mixing the Raymarine and Garmin. Both are attractive and very functional. Have a pair of both!

I don't have a sync gauge, boat didn't come with one. The boat came with four gauges, tach's on top and single round quad gauge on the bottom. I don't miss having on though, the mech sync is set perfectly and to your point by works really well as well. And also to your point the Aetna's have been great and very accurate.

I think as you do that the RM and GMI will look nice together and it also matches my pilot head the p70r.

 

[Dave Batistig]

At the risk of sounding dumb...how are you getting RPM data from your 6V92s onto the NMEA2000 network? I have a pair of i70 displays that I'd love to get engine data onto. My boat is a 1994 500DA with 6V92 engines

 

[Skybolt]

At the risk of sounding dumb...how are you getting RPM data from your 6V92s onto the NMEA2000 network? I have a pair of i70 displays that I'd love to get engine data onto. My boat is a 1994 500DA with 6V92 engines

Not a dumb question at all. Here is the link to my plight, and believe me it was a plight ...
It was not an easy road to go down, but one I would do again. Having all of this being digital is awesome.

I have all of the engine data including engine alarms on the N2K network. This information displays on any MFD capable of displaying this data.

http://clubsearay.com/index.php?threads/actisense-emu-1-engine-converter-analog-to-digital.101609/

 

[Skybolt]

To sum up where I decided to go with this, I am sticking with the Aetna tach's for the moment and will probably upgrade at the end of the season. I still haven't received my new dash panel from Tecnografic's, it's been two months and still waiting. ...

 

[dtfeld]

At the risk of sounding dumb...how are you getting RPM data from your 6V92s onto the NMEA2000 network? I have a pair of i70 displays that I'd love to get engine data onto. My boat is a 1994 500DA with 6V92 engines

I followed Orlandos lead and went with a SeaGauge G2 unit that is still running fine. Either way, its a custom engineering project with a steep learning curve, but it is doable. I'm not sure I am at the top of the learning curve 5 years in ...

https://digitalmarinegauges.com/seagauge-g2-28-function-sensor-interface-unit/

 

[Skybolt]

I followed Orlandos lead and went with a SeaGauge G2 unit that is still running fine. Either way, its a custom engineering project with a steep learning curve, but it is doable. I'm not sure I am at the top of the learning curve 5 years in ...

https://digitalmarinegauges.com/seagauge-g2-28-function-sensor-interface-unit/

While that is definitely the best hardware piece to use, very good design, they never fixed the programming tool as was originally told. And as a result is next to impossible to program because the files get corrupted and then get downloaded corrupted as you know. So if you can't custom program then you can't use the hardware. A real shame. Although I have heard of someone else who made there own programming tool. It was mentioned on the other popular forum.

@Dave Batistig read the link I posted above. Then take a look at the Actisense EMU-1.