SmartCraft

[besuci]

I have also been looking into adding the Smartcraft system this year. There are lots of conflicting stories about the new "Vessel View" not being compatible with engines prior to 2007 - it even says this on their Q&A section of their website. But.......I have confirmed with several Sea Ray dealers along with Mercruiser that the Vessel View is compatible with Smartcraft enabled engines. I was quoted about $3K for it installed. $1675 for the unit, about $400 in cables and 8 hours installation.

 

[Henry Boyd]

Bob,

I went through a smartcraft upgrade last year. I am adding the link gauges and the system view monitor (just finishing dash re-design). Here are a couple of things I have learned.

1. You have to go all the way with this. If you add the vessel view, or system view, you also have to change the gauges to smartcraft versions. What Mercury told me was that the gauges operate on 12v, smartcraft and the PCM (E?) not sure of acronym, but it is the engine computer, and it operates on 5v. When smartcraft and analog gauges are operating simultainously, they are concerned that the circuits might overlap, allowing 12v to be fed to the computer. This is fatal to the computer.

2. For the same reason, you will also have to disconnect the fuel tank sender from the analog circuit and wire it into the smartcraft harness.

3. You may also have to replace the trim sending unit(s). I say may as the newer smartcraft trim sender is backwardly compatible, and if the trim sender has been replaced before it might have been replaced with the smartcraft version.

4. Unless you choose the SC1000 speedometer that can take a NMEA feed from your GPS, you will also need to add a speedometer sending unit that plugs into the pitot hose back on the inside of the transom. And by the way, if you do go the GPS / SC1000 speed route, DO NOT forget to plug the black hose from the old speedo, or you will get very wet!

Henry

 

[besuci]

Henry - thanks for the response - that was very helpful. I had asked my SeaRay dealer about the old analog gauges still working and they said they would - but I don't think they even checked. No one seems to have much experience retrofitting to Smartcraft.
The more I investigate, the more I think I will just do it myself - or get as far as I can and then ask for help. I don't think I will mess with a speedo at all - Ill just use the GPS.

 

[CJ Martin]

It's a straightforward upgrade, one I did myself on our '02 320DA.

First off, if you are going the SC1000 route try to order the dash plates from a later year boat that had Smartcraft installed from the factory. The old tachs are larger than the SC1000 ones. We were able to order the dash plate from a '03 and up 340DA. It fit and matches perfectly with the rest of the helm.

You may want to consider talking to your local Merc guy as you may need him to use his Smartcraft diagnostics computer on your set to get everything working right. Some folks I've talked to have simply plugged everything together and had it work, we needed a few things tweaked. Also it turned out our ECM firmware needed to be updated on both motors. All told, it took about two hours of labor to get everything sorted out, and probably half that time was spent figuring it out on their part. Ours was the first one they had done.

The analog gauges will work, we ran that way briefly before I got the Smartcraft Searay logo 4-way gauges (used from a large internet dealer). You will get a "fuel fault" error on startup which is annoying but doesn't cause any harm. The point about 5vdc vs. 12vdc is valid, however if you are just running the Smartcraft tachs / speedo / LCD display(s) and not the 4-ways you will not have a problem.

If you go the 4-way route your fuel gauges will not work until you get the fuel tank sender data onto the Smartcraft buss. I did this by determining which pin the fuel tank sender wire comes into the Smarcraft harness on, then running a new wire (pink of course) from the sender to the harness.

The connectors are the "automotive" type and in my case the plug I needed had no wires going to it, only a dust cap. The dust caps are really just normal plugs with rubber sealing pins in place instead of metal pins. I was able to buy pins off of eBay very cheaply. The wire is crimped to the pin and then inserted into the proper hole on the the plug. Make sure you get the right pin, as once the pin is inserted, it can't be removed without a special tool.

VERY IMPORTANT - make sure you've disconnected the original fuel sender wire (should be pink or pink/black) - this is the line the analog gauges uses and carried 12vdc. I capped and tied this wire off. The only wires that should be connected to your sender are the new line you just ran, and the black ground wire. You do not need to run a new ground all the way back to the engine, in fact this can cause problems according to Merc.

Everything else is just plug and play for the most part. You'll have to go though the Smartcraft cal routines to set up the right data sources, units, etc but that is straightforward. On my list for this spring is a cleanup of the cable routing - I had left the engine cables long in the engine compartment and coiled up the extra next to my batteries...in hindsight this was a poor idea as it looks untidy and is a potential step hazzard (i.e. someone may step on a loop and damge the cable). I'm going to pull all the excess cable up to behind the map/drinkholder insert and coil/tie them there.

Good luck!

-CJ

 

[beachcombersc]

Assuming your boat has Smartcraft Gauges like my 260DA, you will need to purchase three things. A Northstar/Navman single engine Gateway AA005020R, a four plug junction box (I don't have a part number for this one), and a Smartcraft cable 84-879979T from Mercury Marine. Your dealer can order all of this for you or you can look for it on the internet.

Heres the part # for the box...

878492T 4

 

[daim64]

With twin engines you need a 6 way junction box to replace your 4 way junction box.

When i bought my smartcraft system i get a 4 way junction box.
I have never get it to work on the both engines at the same time. No one knows whats the problem is.
Can it be the 4 way junction box who needs to replace to a 6 way junction box? I have one Navman 8102 monitor.
/Daim64

 

[skolbe]

I needed a 6 way - because my gauges are all smartcraft - so I needed them for that as well.

Scott