How my Suzuki DF60A learned to speak to my Garmin GPSMAP 546

[LordElsinore]

I read some time ago that Suzuki outboards like mine could be connected to a NMEA network and that by doing so, you get could access to all kinds of good info such as fuel usage, engine hours, RPM, temperatures and more to display on your chart plotter. This year I went ahead and did just that and I'll quickly share what was involved.

First, these were the two parts I needed:

https://www.brownspoint.com/store/pc/Ca ... p63581.htm
This is the cable that connects to your engine. For a tidy install, I ended up cutting this cable, threading the end up into the engine, and then splicing the wires back together just like the guy shows in the video that I'll post below. There's a rubber 'plug' you can knock out so that the wire can go up along side the power and throttle cables. This interface cable is "dumb", or at least doesn't speak NMEA 2000. The next part takes care of that.

https://www.brownspoint.com/store/pc/En ... p71396.htm
This "smart" cable plugs into the other end of the adapter cable that you run from the engine. On the other end, it connects into a Garmin-style NMEA 2000 network. This cable also has a separate connector that is supposed to connect to the trim sensor of the engine, but I didn't do that - both because it wouldn't reach and because the place it is supposed to connect it wasn't very accessible. I hear a plug for it exists under the engine fuse box, but I'm sure it would need some kind of extender.

It's probably important to note that there are two different versions of that "smart" interface unit. The one above is meant for engines made in 2008 - 2012. There is a newer one that is only compatible with models from 2013 and on. Make sure you get the right one!


Here's theYouTube video that I watched that showed what to do:



On my boat, I have a Raymarine SeaTalkNG network that connects the various components of my autopilot together (compass sensor, controller, display). I had previously spliced together a cable with a Garmin NMEA 2000 connector on one end and a SeaTalkNG connector on the other (you can just buy those as well) and used that to connect to the NMEA 2000 port on my Garmin GPSMAP chartplotter. That allowed my Garmin stuff and my RayMarine stuff to talk together and get along. To add the engine cable, I just added a T connector on the Garmin-style NMEA 2000 side of that network so that it and the chartplotter can both connect in. It all worked perfectly and the next time I turned things on, the chartplotter asked if I wanted to set some information such as fuel tank capacities, etc. It then started making all kinds of engine data available to the "numbers" dashboards and made a new engine-specific dashboard available with all kinds of digital gauges and things.

[Starscream]

Thanks for that. I may attempt something similar this spring now that I know it's possible!

[Russ]

Thanks for posting. I may take this on in the Spring now that my chartplotter is capable.