Marine Electronics / Networking for idiots

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jamiepyoung

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I'm a bit confused....

I have the following equipment on board:

Garmin gpsmap 550
Garmin fish finder 160c
Icom ic-m411 VHF

The manuals say that everything can somehow be networked.

I'd like to link the chart plotter and radio (to share position etc) and depth from fish finder to chart plotter etc. I'd also like to integrate a fuel flow sensor to the chart plotter.

It all seems possible, but I've no idea how. Can this be a DIY job? We really can't afford profession fees at the moment (having just fitted a new engine!!).

Can anyone advise me how, or point me in the direction of a good information source. I have searched but I just can't understand it all.

Thanks
 
I've been looking at upgrading some nav gear, and have decided it's a professional job because it's just too damn complicated once you get a few different items that need to be linked. There are so many different connector types, for Raymarine - ST, ST2, SThs, STng, nmea 1083, nmea 2000, raynet, RJ45, then you need couplers, multiplexers, splitters etc ... I spent a day trying to map it all out, and eventually gave up.

Even if you can manage to get the right cables connected, you still have the challenge of configuring all the equipment to look in the right place for its data, and make sure the right baud rates are used etc. etc.

That hasn't helped you at all of course, but I share your pain .. :D
 
The icom uses old school nmea0183. You therefore need to connect the input lead on the icom to the nmea0183 output on the GPS. It will be a pair of coloured wires labelled as tx+ and tx- on the Garmin. The manuals of both units will help, the Garmin manual usually has a drawing of all the typical connections.
 
There is nothing that difficult but it does need planning.

The main thing is that each unit will have a set of interfaces it will support.

I do not know your kit, but the most modern one will be the starting point. It will probably have a wide range of interfaces - NMEA 0183 and NMEA 2000 + maybe a few others.

NMEA 2000 is new, 0183 old.

Find out what interfaces the other units have. Of preference use NMEA2000 first ( it is new and fast) and if not then fall back to older standards.

Also, make sure you understand what other kit is in the network as well - autohelm, depth and so on.

The user guides will also tell you if there are any limitation. I just installed a Garmin GMI10 and that could receive NMEA 0183 data, but not transmit it ( I think that was the way round) - so make sure this fits.

Just map it out on a piece of paper it wont take long.

If there are only 3 units as per your post I would just rip out all other wires and start again. It will not take long and will be simpler and neater.

Finally ... check if the units ( most likely the plotter) needs various interfaces to be enabled in the setup menu - this will be on / off and maybe the interface speed for NMEA 183.

It is not simple simple but not rocket science either.
 
These units are very simple though, so surely better to do it yourself before asking /paying someone else

Basics:
None of this gear is NMEA2k. It is all NMEA0183.
The 160c cannot listen to NMEA0183. It talks only.
The VHF is the opposite: it only listens to NMEA0183, it cannot talk.
The 550 receives GPS directly from a built in GPS engine (ie there is no external mushroom or antenna needed) and it can both talk and listen NMEA0183 messages.


So the only wiring you can do its the following:

1. connect the NMEA-out wires in the 550's multicore cable to the NMEA0183 wires in on the Icom VHF. Two cores of cable, + and -, observe polarity. Check manual for 550 to get the right colours for these two "NMEA0183 out" wires

2. Connect the 2 nmea-out wires on the 160c (blue is +, black is -) to the 2 NMEA-in wires in the multicore cable at back of the 550. Again, check manual for colours and observe polarity

That's it. There is no more wiring other than those 4 simple connections. You might have to select which data is transmitted via the menus, but probably the defaults will be fine. The NMEA0183 out from the 160c will only contain depth, STW and water temp data, I believe, and these will then show nicely on the 550 display

As regards fuel flow, I do not think there are any NMEA0183 sentences that convey this data, and I do not believe the 550 even has a page with the field that will show it. Hence the whole fuel thing is a non starter unless you buy more hardware.
 
Last edited:
jfm said:
These units are very simple though, so surely better to do it yourself before asking /paying someone else

Basics:
None of this gear is NMEA2k. It is all NMEA0183.
The 160c cannot listen to NMEA0183. It talks only.
The VHF is the opposite: it only listens to NMEA0183, it cannot talk.
The 550 receives GPS directly from a built in GPS engine (ie there is no external mushroom or antenna needed) and it can both talk and listen NMEA0183 messages.


So the only wiring you can do its the following:

1. connect the NMEA-out wires in the 550's multicore cable to the NMEA0183 wires in on the Icom VHF. Two cores of cable, + and -, observe polarity. Check manual for 550 to get the right colours for these two "NMEA0183 out" wires

2. Connect the 2 nmea-out wires on the 160c (blue is +, black is -) to the 2 NMEA-in wires in the multicore cable at back of the 550. Again, check manual for colours and observe polarity

That's it. There is no more wiring other than those 4 simple connections. You might have to select which data is transmitted via the menus, but probably the defaults will be fine. The NMEA0183 out from the 160c will only contain depth, STW and water temp data, I believe, and these will then show nicely on the 550 display

As regards fuel flow, I do not think there are any NMEA0183 sentences that convey this data, and I do not believe the 550 even has a page with the field that will show it. Hence the whole fuel thing is a non starter unless you buy more hardware.
Click to expand...

Thank you - very helpful!

What wire to use to connect it all?
 
OK - wire, connectors and insulation tape purchased.

My job for tomorrow morning.

I will report back!

PS - The GFS 10 fuel senor seems to work with the GPSMAP 550 via CANet - would this interfere with the above installation in anyway?
 
Do take time to make the joints properly. I solder mine. You can also get jointing boxes where the joint is made using a connector block that is then inside a waterproof grometed box.

Marine environment is salty, exposed and moves alot, so a bit of care at the outset saves grief at a later date.

I would avoid insulation tape other than to bind leads together to make it neat.

If you solder the wires, cover with heat shrink and then by all means tape it up as belt and braces, but dont rely on it on its own to do anything other than cause long term grief.
 
Thank you so much JFM!

It worked.

Just the fuel flow now.

I think the Garmin GFS 10 works with the GPSMap 550, so I'm going to give that a go.

It connects via Canet. Will that interfere with my current connections?

Thanks again everyone.
 
Ok. I've gone it all a lot more complicated now....

I've bought a Garmin GFS 10 fuel sensor and GMI 10 display.

I want to link the chart plotter GPS data to the GMI10 and the Gfs10 data to the Gmi unit, so I can display knots and fuel use info, including range etc on the GMI10.

This all seems possible using NMEA 0183. Would the existing 0183 connection from my chart plotter to VHF be ok if I just splice all this together?

Thanks again for the help all.
 
Does the 550 have a CANet connection? If it does, then fine. If not, you'll have to connect the gfs10 to the n2k port on the GMI10 and make a mini N2k network, which is fine

Yes, to get GPS speed into the GMI10 (using the GMI10's nmea0183-in port) you can splice into the existing NMEA0183 2-core cable that is already connecting your 550 to your VHF.

I must admit I'm not sure if the GMI10 can calculate litres per mile, (or miles per gallon) even though it has speed and fuel flow rate. Maybe it can. Or maybe a garmin plotter is needed to do that. Not sure

Also it cannot show range unless it knows litres of fuel remaining in tank, and I don't think it will know that in the set up you propose. You'll need to connect a tank sender too.
 
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