Replacing Smart Craft Sc5000 on 340 Sundancer

[boatrboy]

I have read a lot on this so far but am still unsure of practical options. Any feedback on my list below would be great. I prefer not to replace everything since my budget is nearing the end for this year.

My sc5000 needs replacing due to a faded screen and no night light. The rudder indicator is important to me. As a note I have the std gages not the ones with a display at the bottom.

So my options so far are,
1) have my sc5000 screen replaced and fix the night light

2) purchase a used vessel view and try my luck with the cabling etc. I like the look of the color option here, and from a post I read here that’s several years old, it looks like it should work relatively painless. (Famous last words). This unit looks to display the rudder indicator from what I have seen. The negative is that the unit is still old and no nema 2000 which is not a deal breaker for me. I would have to live with the Raymarine C80 for a while as both the gps and radar work fine.

3) I really miss my Garmin GPS. So if I purchase a Garmin GPS and replace my Sc5000, can I get both the sc data and the gps on the same screen? I called Garmin and the tech I spoke to told me they do not communicate with Mercruiser but I showed him the link on their website that show a press release that with some link (smartcraft connect) they can get all the data and he said “you know more than me”.

My thought here is to add a nema 2000 network, replace the sc with Garmin, but keep the c80 for now. Next year maybe upgrade the c80 and add a Garmin with radar.

Can I get the radar on the gps screen that I replace the sc with? Is this going to cost a small fortune? Does the link really need to be set up by the dealer to get the data onto the Garmin?

4) my last option is using a small led flashlight to light up the sc at night

Hoping to get some advice here - thanks

 

[boatrboy]

I even tried Mercruiser customer service for some input on number 2 above and was told to bring the boat to the dealer as he could not even find part numbers for the harness and basically did not know what I was talking about. I’m not having much luck on customer service lines .

 

[ttmott]

I'd look to change it to a Vessel View 502 which will not only give you the data the SC5000 provided but also integrate with an NMEA 2000 network (chartplotters) and also drive your gauges. I believe you will need the Mercury primary harness with the VV to integrate the gauges which is P/N 84-8M0075065 and the wake harness so the gauges operate with either ignition switch. I know there are several others on this forum that have done exactly this update. Make sure you verify this with Mercury and not only me as your boat may have some unique challenges/needs.
https://www.mercruiserparts.com/8m0110646-v-view-502-multi
https://www.mercruiserparts.com/8m0075065-harness-asy-mfd-1
https://www.mercruiserparts.com/892323t01-harness-adaptor
Some here will recommend the VV mobile but that will not provide your vessel's critical data right in front of you permanently in the dash or drive your existing gauges. VV mobile is a pocket hobby in my opinion.

 

[Skybolt]

... My thought here is to add a nema 2000 network, replace the sc with Garmin, but keep the c80 for now. Next year maybe upgrade the c80 and add a Garmin with radar.

Can I get the radar on the gps screen that I replace the sc with? Is this going to cost a small fortune? Does the link really need to be set up by the dealer to get the data onto the Garmin?
...
Hoping to get some advice here - thanks

Starting with the 1243 series of Garmin plotters, you can get radar and also view all engine data on that screen. The radar works really well in overlay mode on the same screen as well. The radar is off in the screen shot but you can see the button in the upper lefthand corner to turn it on. The nice thing about N2K is you get the same data where ever you want to view it. Notice in the SS below there is engine data in data boxes on the MFD and also on the smaller display as well. The MFD is displaying RPM, Oil Pres. and Coolant temp for both engines. In this SS I was still calibrating the RPM(s) so that is why they are off.

 

[alnav]

The latest "dongle" solution from Mercury is Smartcraft Connect. It physically installs basically just like VV Mobile or their VV Gateway. Smartcraft Connect will provide standard engine data to chart plotters but will also send fault messages and that is unique. But, it does have to configured by a dealer. It also will not drive your gauges. Another consideration would be whether you would need or want to dedicate an expensive plotter like a Garmin to engine data. Probably wouldn't be a consideration with a wholesale shift to multiple Garmins but since you need to do this incrementally, I think @ttmott's solution is a good one. If you can find one, a VesselView 4 would be an even lower-cost option while providing the same capability @ttmott describes.
If you do go with a dongle-type solution, another idea that seems to work well for others is to keep you SC5000 connected but move it behind the dash and let it continue to drive your gauges.

 

[ttmott]

The latest "dongle" solution from Mercury is Smartcraft Connect. It physically installs basically just like VV Mobile or their VV Gateway. Smartcraft Connect will provide standard engine data to chart plotters but will also send fault messages and that is unique. But, it does have to configured by a dealer. It also will not drive your gauges. Another consideration would be whether you would need or want to dedicate an expensive plotter like a Garmin to engine data. Probably wouldn't be a consideration with a wholesale shift to multiple Garmins but since you need to do this incrementally, I think @ttmott's solution is a good one. If you can find one, a VesselView 4 would be an even lower-cost option while providing the same capability @ttmott describes.
If you do go with a dongle-type solution, another idea that seems to work well for others is to keep you SC5000 connected but move it behind the dash and let it continue to drive your gauges.

Al - VV4 will not drive the syslink gauges.

 

[alnav]

Al - VV4 will not drive the syslink gauges.

Tom, I have a VV4 driving my gauges. It needs to be set up using the "EasyLink" menu in Settings. My gauges are the SC100 System Link family type which I think are/were the standard. There may be others out there that are not compatible AFAIK.

 

[ttmott]

Tom, I have a VV4 driving my gauges. It needs to be set up using the "EasyLink" menu in Settings. My gauges are the SC100 System Link family type which I think are/were the standard. There may be others out there that are not compatible AFAIK.

I had thought I had read something about the limitation but learn something every day - Thanks!

 

[alnav]

I had thought I had read something about the limitation but learn something every day - Thanks!

No problem. I believe I saw that the latest 4" VesselView (403) is incapable of driving gauges. Just pulled the install and ops manuals. No gauge on the harness shown and no mention in the ops manual. So, I think you have a good point. Last time I looked, the older VV4 can still be had online.

 

[boatrboy]

Thanks for this feedback

SKY - did you need to install the smart connect and have your set-up configured at the dealer? Is there a screen on the gps for Rudder angle (small on the boarder or on a separate gage screen)?

Ttmott - My goal was to have a GPS replace my SC5000 but be able to see gage information on the boarders as Sky's picture shows. The thought was if I buy the 943 for ~$1,500, and if the smart connect was another $1,000 would that be better than the vv5 for $1,800 and still not have a GPS I like. If I have to get the dealer involved, well that's another story . I do realize that I would need to invest in a starter nema 2k kit.
I am assuming you are thinking I remove my speedometer and install the 4" unit there?

 

[boatrboy]

After much hesitation, I decided to just upgrade to the Vessel view 1.5. I found one on eBay and as well as the individual harnesses I need. Hopefully I have everything correct. So for the short term I will live with the Raymarine C80. I will update this after it all works.

 

[boatrboy]

Update - I received everything and completed the install last night. It seems to all be working and Saturday I’ll take it for a ride and hopefully all is well. I’ll report back after the ride and post a picture.
All good

 

[Redhook98]

I have a 2007 40DA with the older Vessel View as well (SC5000). Was this a seamless install? What all did you need to find to make this happen? Did it fit in the same cut-out for the older unit?

 

[boatrboy]

I have a 2007 40DA with the older Vessel View as well (SC5000). Was this a seamless install? What all did you need to find to make this happen? Did it fit in the same cut-out for the older unit?

Red - It was literally plug and play BUT I did a lot of research on which wiring harnesses I needed. I found everything on e-bay and it totaled around $900. I work at a manufacturing company so I had the dash panel milled open to fit as it will be bigger than the sc5000.

I can try to provide you my parts list but I am sure yours will be different being a diesel. Once installed I went through the set-up menus and it took a few times to get things right as I was unfamiliar with some of the terminology. I am very happy I did this as the screen in color makes a big difference. I reached out to Mercruiser but they were unable to help me, but you may get lucky and get the correct part numbers and scour e-bay. I found everything here on CSR.

Hope that helps

 

[ocgrant]

I have a 2007 40DA with the older Vessel View as well (SC5000). Was this a seamless install? What all did you need to find to make this happen? Did it fit in the same cut-out for the older unit?

Been there done that... this is from @rlynch03 and it was my "Oklahoma Blueprint" and it was perfect. I to ordered all my cables using these part numbers on ebay and plug and pray it all worked.

 

[boatrboy]

Been there done that... this is from @rlynch03 and it was my "Oklahoma Blueprint" and it was perfect. I to ordered all my cables using these part numbers on ebay and plug and pray it all worked.

View attachment 136447

Maybe I misunderstood - I thought he was talking about using the vessel view I used which is a 1.5 not a 7. I did not add the new network only used what was there already.

 

[Bigridge420]

I have a 2007 40DA with the older Vessel View as well (SC5000). Was this a seamless install? What all did you need to find to make this happen? Did it fit in the same cut-out for the older unit?

 

[Bigridge420]

My Smartcraft screen is getting hard to read. Everything works. I am looking for a solution to repair or replace this unit. Did you find a solution to replace your unit? If so what did you find and how difficult was the change?

 

[Lenny3]

LCD screens are easy to replace.

YISRAEL Dashboard LCD Display for Mercury Smartcraft SC1000 Speedometer Tachometer Multifunction Gauge, Black (500226307) https://a.co/d/ioNwaah

 

[Blown284]

Interesting. I used an existing plug on the harness under the dash, added the Smartcraft plug from the J1939 to NMEA and now it works with all my Garmin devices (7612xsv & 1243xsv), respectively.