Smartcraft Diesel View to Vessel View

[Tman]

Winter project....upgraded the display in a 2005 390DA. Minimal issues during the install with biggest headache being the enlarged cutout in the dash to accommodate the new display.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/rd9j32dw94k6juh/2014-12-26 15.49.41.jpg?dl=0

I now have the old Diesel View for sale. Screen is 100% visible with no UV damage as the dash was always under cover. PM me if interested to purchase.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/07h0odnzp6hf2o6/2014-04-19 17.33.43.jpg?dl=0

Tom


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[Rocket]

Tman, is this plug an play? Curious of the cost on the vessel view. I have the old one as well and screen is difficult to read.

 

[CAMELLA]

I too would like to know more details.

 

[Tman]

It was plug-n-play once the appropriate wire harness was swapped with the original. Really not a complicated effort as that in it of itself is 'plug-n-play'. The VV comes with the respective wire harness and it merely plugs into the J-boxes typically located under the dash. The wire harness is about 3' long and very easy to manage.

One element of surprise to me was discovering the SIM's(system integrator modules) on my engines were not of sufficient version to accommodate the newer vessel view. My SIM's were some of the earliest manufactured (jan 04 to May 04) with this engine (QSB 380) which cummins later upgraded. The updated P/N is 4929301. The SIM's are located on the engine near the ECU and look like this...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/hvwxau5jdt0fcay/2014-12-27 08.30.14.jpg?dl=0

The change out is simple...3 bolts each and plug in the cable. Hardest part was finding the right access point to get the long neck ratchet on the bolts....typical task in a typical ER with limited room.

Cost of the VV system can be found on the net for $900 - $1400 which includes the display, wiring harness, bezel, and cover. I've seen lower prices in fact on eBay but always question the true condition. The SIM's were $400 each. All told, not a cheap upgrade in my case but the color display and processing speed is far superior to the original Smartcraft display. If your cummins engine is post 2004, you may not need to upgrade the SIM's which would reduce the cost by some $800.

As to the cutout...a dremel was key to be able to work within the space between steering pedestal, spot light control, trim tab rockers, and throttle controls.

Tom


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[tc410]

Hey Tom:

Nice upgrade! On a side note, have you tried the Cummins NMEA gateway to get the engine data fed into your e120's? I have the same classic displays that you have and my boat yard spent all of last summer trying to get the gateway to work. No luck. If you - or someone out there - knows how to get this working, I'll gladly start another thread on it.....

 

[Rocket]

Thanks Tom, great info.

 

[SearayPaul]

Tman, I have Vessel View in my 2012 boat which is powered by a Cummins QSB. I am trying to connect VV to my Garmin 5012 GPS. I have already located the 2 pairs for the Garmin using Nema 0183. In the VV manual (which is incomplete) the VV harness has a Nema 0183 connection which I need to find. Do you know what color wires feed the Nema 0183 connection on the VV wiring harness?

Also the book does not show a NEMA 2000 connection in the VV harness. Is this correct? I already have a NEMA 2000 backbone that would be the easy way to do this. I have found a connector labeled NEMA 2000 under the helm but have not been able to determine what it does. It has a purple ring on the connector and MAY go to the generator.

I have called Merc Cruiser twice and they promise to get right back to me... Garmin on the other hand answered my question in about 10 minutes.

Thank you for your help

 

[Tman]

Tman, I have Vessel View in my 2012 boat which is powered by a Cummins QSB. I am trying to connect VV to my Garmin 5012 GPS. I have already located the 2 pairs for the Garmin using Nema 0183. In the VV manual (which is incomplete) the VV harness has a Nema 0183 connection which I need to find. Do you know what color wires feed the Nema 0183 connection on the VV wiring harness?

Also the book does not show a NEMA 2000 connection in the VV harness. Is this correct? I already have a NEMA 2000 backbone that would be the easy way to do this. I have found a connector labeled NEMA 2000 under the helm but have not been able to determine what it does. It has a purple ring on the connector and MAY go to the generator.

I have called Merc Cruiser twice and they promise to get right back to me... Garmin on the other hand answered my question in about 10 minutes.

Thank you for your help

If I recall correctly, the NMEA 0183 input wires on the VV harness are (1) white with dark blue strip and (2) dark blue w/white stripe. I don't recall offhand which of the above is neg or pos though.

Are you installing the Garmin GPS as an upgrade? What is on the boat now for GPS and is it's (lat/lon) currently displayed on your VV in the status bar or on the environmental pages?

No NMEA 2000 connection on the VV harness...at least not the version I have anyway. I do think there is a product out there to convert 0183 to 2000 but I have not explored or considered it though.


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[Tman]

Hey Tom:

Nice upgrade! On a side note, have you tried the Cummins NMEA gateway to get the engine data fed into your e120's? I have the same classic displays that you have and my boat yard spent all of last summer trying to get the gateway to work. No luck. If you - or someone out there - knows how to get this working, I'll gladly start another thread on it.....

Thanks! I've heard of the Mercury inline gateway but haven't heard from anyone directly about ease of install....seems it shouldn't be all that difficult from the product literature...Famous last words though in boating world!! Unfortunately, I have classic C-120's, not the E's so my networking between the two C plotters is nil.


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[SearayPaul]

Thanks for the wire colors TMan. If you know a better way I am all ears.

My boat is equipped with the Garmin 5012, External GPS sensor, and radar which was installed by the dealer at delivery, works fine. The VV was installed at the factory and works fine. The VV does not have lat/long data on any screen. As you know I need the GPS input to make all of the features of VV come to life. The VV and the Garmin are not connected at this time. The installer had no idea how to make it work, that is another story.

My immediate goals are:

1 Get the Garmin GPS signal to VV to enhance the VV information (Nema 0183)

2 Have the VV display data on the Garmin Screen (mpg sog etc)


After I get this working I will tackle getting the Onan generator hooked up to VV. I think I just need a cable and it may be that NEMA 2000 connection I can't identify at the moment.

 

[tc410]

Thanks! I've heard of the Mercury inline gateway but haven't heard from anyone directly about ease of install....seems it shouldn't be all that difficult from the product literature...Famous last words though in boating world!! Unfortunately, I have classic C-120's, not the E's so my networking between the two C plotters is nil.

Ooops... My bad! Saw the two Raymarine's side by side and drew the conclusion they were networked e120 Classics. In any event, the NMEA Cummins gateway kept sending a "Seatalk Alram" to the E's along with a beeping alarm..... Raymarine blamed Merc/Cummins and Merc/Cummins blamed Raymarine.... Left me and the yard in the middle..... Pulled out the gateway and new connecting cables this fall and abandoned the project.