Suzuki new Multi Function Gauge and NMEA2000

[KillerWhale2]

Message to Kreuz1971 / Per

Hello Per,

I happen to be Danish as well (but live in the UK), with similar problems/questions as yours. I also have Lowrance HDS instrumentation. Drop me a note on lars at ronning dot net. Perhaps we can get this working together.

Lars

[Flippa]

Sorry, with the type of connection you have, i simply dont know how it works so i cant help.

If the cable isnt the normal Suzuki interface cable, then it possibly does need the memory device. Can only suggest that you ask whoever set it up this way what is required. It would help if you post back what you find out.

I am hearning some similar stories here in Australia that with 2017 models, the interface cable will not be used and the engine will be connected to the display directly - apparently similarly to what yours is. I will be trying to get some documentation.

One final question - there are, i believe, 2 types of Suzuki branded colour NMEA 2000 "gauge" displays available - one is the Suzuki version of the Simrad IS 35 display - this is sold/used in the USA. It only has a NMEA2000 connection and a USB port on the back.

The other, I have been lead to believe, is a "true" Suzuki display and is the one that is used here in Australia and Europe. I suspect that you have this version, it has corners cut off whereas the Simrad version is a complete square shape.

Which one do you have??

Hi Grant,

To confirm, my gauge is the same as this link:

http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rc...6rS5kWx64iMd8w

After more thought, I think what Suzuki are doing with this gauge is replacing the engine interface cable, as it connects to the same place and will pass engine data to your network. It may also incorporate the same functionality as the EP-85R as it will also total the fuel used.

My thoughts are that they haven't implemented the N2k integration very well yet. The gauge/engine isn't recognised properly on the network when connected and powered up but data is passed to the network. The EP-85R functionality doesn't appear to be available to the network either as none of the integrated data is available.

I do recall reading another version of the brochure attached where the N2k connectivity had a * beside it with a note explaining that it was a future feature.

My main hope is that Suzuki will do a software update to bring the N2k connectivity up to speed. At this stage I suspect that this will require taking the gauge/engine to a dealer so they can connect to it with a laptop via the data plug as I don't think you could upload software to it from an HDS at this stage since the network doesn't recognise it properly.

Regards

Flip

[Moonlighter]

Hi Flip

Yes, that is the same gauge as they now sell in Australia. But I gather that at the moment here, they are still connecting it to the engine via the interface cable. You may be right that this is because the N2K output is not yet sorted properly.

I will endeavour to get some more info feom my mate who is our local Suzuki dealer, it would be good to understand this new approach they are taking outside the USA so we can make it work properly.

[Moonlighter]

Hello Per,

I happen to be Danish as well (but live in the UK), with similar problems/questions as yours. I also have Lowrance HDS instrumentation. Drop me a note on lars at ronning dot net. Perhaps we can get this working together.

Lars

Thanks for chiming in Lars!

If you and Per get this working, it would be great if you could come back here and let us all know what was involved.

[Flippa]

G'day all,

Just a quick update, I have contacted Suzuki Australia telling them of my issues and they have replied that they think the gauge has failed and to take the boat to my nearest dealer to have the issue rectified. I have asked them to tell me what the gauge should do and will let you all know when I have any further information.

Regards

Flip

[Moonlighter]

Ok, keep us posted!

Had a chat to my local Suzuki guy in Cleveland Qld and he has now installed a few dozen of those gauges (displays) on 2015 and 2016 MY engines and says they are dead simple to set up and are recoding 100% accurate fuel used data.

They store the fuel data internally (no need for EP85 or the "old" engine interface cable).

He agrees if it isnt working properly then take it back. Unfortunately i cant get hold of the owners manual as they only come with the gauge and Suzuki are not handing them out to anyone else...... (Maybe someone might scan their manual and share it round.... )

By the way, if you included your location in your avatar I would have known you are in Australia and would have known which gauge you wwere talking about!

Keep us updated on how it works out.

[Black Pig]

I had very similar problems with this gauge Suzuki multi function gauge 3420087L12000; art: 00000216 . Buy Suzuki multi function gauge, price online The connection diagram was very similar to the one posted by the OP. Both the engine interface cable & gauge needed to plug into the SDS port, otherwise the gauge wouldn't "wake up" when the key was turned. Suzuki UK were useless & no help whatsoever. I eventually made up a "Y" cable to plug both the interface cable & gauge into the SDS port. It works perfectly.

[Flippa]

G'day all,

Just a quick update on my situation.

I took my boat into my local Suzuki dealer last week and he took a quick look at the multifunction gauge. He said that the wrong model gauge was installed as its part number is 34200-96L00 (found on the back of the gauge). This model is for installs not requiring networking.

The part number for the networkable gauge is 34200-96L10.

He has organised a replacement to be sent out by Suzuki and he'll fit and program it for me later this week.

Fingers crossed this will solve the issue.

My discussions with him suggest that the new gauge is a replacement for the old interface cable and it should behave the same only with a multifunction display.

Regards

Flip

[Moonlighter]

Thanks Flip.

Hope the new one sorts things out for you. Keep us up to date please? And do let me know if a scanned copy of the manual falls off the back of a truck anywhere in your vicinity!

I must say I am surprised that they bother to produce a non-networkable version of this gauge! Without a network, no GPS input can occur, therefore no real time fuel economy...... That, plus 90% of people will want to network to other devices, if not initially, then sometime down the track, for all sorts of reasons.

Sounds like a silly plan to me to do a version that isnt networkable....

Anyway, we all live and learn, possibly including Suzuki outside the USA!

[Flippa]

Hi Grant,

Sorry, but I think I was a little lazy in my last message, the gauge is networkable but not fully. According to the local dealer it hasn't the "power" (don't know what that means???) to send all data to your network.

Regards

Flip

[Flippa]

G'day all,

My local Suzuki dealer replaced the gauge today (thanks heaps Browny at Curtis Coast Marine) and it now appears to be operating correctly. The network device list now lists "Suzuki MFG" and it lists all of the data it sends to the network. Unfortunately, Fuel used is not one of the data points sent. Hopefully this will be remedied by a software update in the near future.

Flip

[Flippa]

G'day all,

I have finally got the full story on the multi function display. After a number of emails backwards and forwards with Suzuki Australia it appears that the total fuel used is not a data point sent from the "gauge" to the network, only instantaneous fuel rate.

My local Suzuki dealer was confused when I said that I couldn't get total fuel used to display on my HDS as he could get it on his Garmin MFD. The reason for this difference is the way the Garmin units are configured. They do the fuel integration on-board so only need the instantaneous fuel rate data from the network. Whereas the Lowrance units will not do this and require an external Fuel Data Manager (FDM).

So it looks like I need to install a FDM on my network to get the fuel gauge on my HDS to work.

Seems a shame that the Suzuki gauge can't pass the total fuel used data to the network like the FDM, given it has done the calculations and stored the results. After I get the FDM installed, I wonder if when I fill the tank and reset the fuel used on the HDS if this will also reset the Suzuki gauge, or if I'll have to reset both?

Sorry for not getting the PDF of the manual to you. I'll try to get onto this over the next couple of weeks.

Regards

Flip

[Moonlighter]

Can i check I understand this right, Flip....

Is what you are saying that:

The new Suzuki gauge can itself calculate and show fuel used, fuel remaining, for a trip or seasonal? On its own display?

But

It does not share those values over the network, with the result that they cannot be shown on other displays?

Can you confirm or clarify that?

It would be quite unusual for data like that not to be shared.

Have you tried going into the Lowrance network menu, select data sources, then select fuel used and set data source as the Suzuki MFD? That would normally be the way to get the Lowrance to show data sourced from another device on the network.

Re the Garmins, you are correct - they have internal calculation capability and also memory that calculates and stores fuel used/remaining info based on fuel flow data from the engine. Which they can then of course display on their screens.

Lowrance currently does not have the capability to store this info - they can calculate it, but every time the engine or display is turned off, they lose it and start over again. Hence the need for the memory module to be added when the engine interface doesnt include that capability. Prior to this new gauge being introduced that replaced the interface cable, the Suzuki interface cable had a memory module in it that retained the fuel used/remaining data.

But try the data source selection before you go out and buy the data storage device. I think it could solve the issue. I just checked with my local Zuke guy and he swears that the gauge outputs everything to the network.

If you cant quite figure out how to select individual data sources, try doing an auto-configure. To do this:

- with the engine key turned on, turn the Lowrance unit on.

- Go into the Lowrance's network menu, select the device list so you can see the list of devices that are active on the network. The Suzuki MFD should be lsited as well as the Lowrance display.

- You should see an option to do an auto-configure or auto-select of data sources.

- Select that option and do it. Say yes if it asks you if you really want to do it.

Then check and see what data is showing on fuel used on the Lowrance.

That procedure often sorts out issues relating to setting data sources.

Let me know the results.

Worst case if this doesnt work: call my mate Jon Eadie at Bayside Suzuki Marine, Cleveland, Qld. He knows just about everything there is to know about these new gauges. He loves them and says they are the easiest things to set up in the world!

[Flippa]

Hi Moonlighter,

I can confirm that the Suzuki gauge displays the total fuel used since it was last reset. It has the capability to show a tank level gauge but to configure you need a level sender in the tank (which I don't have). I'm not sure about trip and seasonal figures.

I'm not sure if there's an N2k PGN for total fuel used so that may be why the gauge doesn't send it???

The Lowrance method of using the FDM may use a proprietary PGN for the total fuel used?

As for the data source I'll give it go when I get home from work today.

Regards

Flip

[Moonlighter]

Thanks Flip. I thought so.

I edited my reply above while you were typing your reply with some more info on setting data sources, so check that again as it should help.

Grant.