NMEA on twin df 300 -07 - possible?

[Gnuffolini]

Hi all,
Recently acquired a boat with twin zuki df300 with "semi digital gauges". Cant really find any info on the gauges, except they are original suzuki parts - and impossible to get in the 2nd. hand market. Nor if they are standard "SMIS" gauges, working with newer gear out-of-the-box.

The problem is the speedometer not functioning well due to moist, so considering upgrading to a MFD to get rid of all the gauges and make the helm more "clean" - instead of buying a brand new gauge to the price of a little palace. However; this is DF300 -07, and as far as i understand from researching the web this is somewhat a challenge to get right?! What does it take to get this setup NMEA-ready?
-worth mentioning is that i also have a "hub" at the helm with connectors to all instruments (except the motor lifts i assume). Not exactly sure how the setup looks like, but assuming the motor-data goes directly from the motor to the hub, and maybe the fuel level wiring goes directly from each tank into the hub?

Anyone can shed som light on how to get this EMEA-ready and hook up to a MFD would be highly appreciated.


gauges suzuki df 300.jpg

[Murray]

https://www.suzukioutboardforum.com/...a2000-networks

[Gnuffolini]

thanks for that. Read through it yesterday, but its not clear to me if this applies out-of-the-box to my setup. But if you can confirm what is correct that would be great; have to have a interface cable for twin motors aft in the boat (and since its 2007 i need a) to change connector from round to square or b) have the reverse k8 adapter, between the motor and the interface?), or if i can connect interface on the cables from the motors at the helm to avoid running new cables through the boat? Or since its a twin; have to have 2 interface cables - one to each motor -either aft or at the helm, and then connect each to the NMEA-backbone and everything will then magically just fix itself (just attach through user interface on the MFD)?

[Murray]

Wasn’t sure if you had found the sticky, that’s the end of my help. Moonlighter is the guru!

[Moonlighter]

I know very little about those gauges or how they are connected, although I think they may take J1939 data from the engines direct. No interface cables are used for them, as are required to get NMEA2000 data to a more modern display.

Anyway to replace them and use a single MFD screen for both engine data will be very difficult due to the age of your engines. You see, the currently available engine interface cables (and yes, you need one per engine) work only with engines back to 2008. Earlier than that, you need to find used cables that still work and run the correct software version.

And the early harnesses couldnt take NMEA2000 data up to the helm, so you need to use the reverse K8 adapter cable (again, one per engine) and run an extension up to behind the dash where you wojld then install the NMEA2000 network starter kit and connect everything up.

You could flush mount a display in the dash - a Simrad GO series display would be an excellent choice because not only does it look great and work well, it can also upload and configure the Suzuki network which is an important feature.

Bit its all kind of academic until you can source 2 x Suzuki engine interface cables that run the older .luf software that will work with your engines.

[Moonlighter]

I think that Faria made those gauges so you may be able to research that and see if you can replace the faulty one. Will be a lot cheaper and easier than the NMEA2000 route.

[Gnuffolini]

ahhh... tanks for clarifying. Even though the price will be higher attaching an MFD (and yes; simrad go is the one im currently looking at), i guess its just a matter of time before the rest of the guages start having similar problems. As far as i understand it requires a 2.5 SW interface cables, and thats possible to find on ebay i think. But any idea on what the network hub (in the picture attached) does on this setup? just a way to split the signal so i can use a handfull guages? Imidiatly i thought they were some kind of interface to translate data... but didnt really make any sense since the gauges is original zukis aswell

[Moonlighter]

I would recommend Suzuki interfaces running version 2.30 software for those engines. Any cables running .luf software can be changed to V2.30. I think they will be harder to find than you seem to believe. And without any Suzuki gauges, as you will have read in the sticky thread, you wont get fault and service codes on the MFD.

That hub is specific to those faria /Suzuki gauges and is not going to be any help with a NMEA2000 network.

[Gnuffolini]

ok. thanks. Maybe reconsider then, and go for the newer zuki SMIES gauges. That should be pure plug and play i guess.... Not that fancy though. :/

[Moonlighter]

ok. thanks. Maybe reconsider then, and go for the newer zuki SMIES gauges. That should be pure plug and play i guess.... Not that fancy though. :/

Sorry 2 more pieces of bad news -

1. the Suzuki SMIS digital gauges only work on NMEA2000 networks and that of course means they need the interface cables.

2,. the new Suzuki SMG4 gauges will only work with engines 2015 and newer.