Interfacing Mercruiser, Volvo, and Crusader EFI equipped engines Raymarine MFDs

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Interfacing Mercruiser, Volvo, and Crusader EFI equipped engines Raymarine MFDs

Raymarine's Axiom/Axiom Pro/Axiom XL MFDs, a/c/e/eS/gS-Series MFDs and i70 MFIDs, as well as Raymarine's retired A/C/E-Series Classic MFDs, C/E-Series Widescreen MFDs, and G-Series GPM400, operating with the latest software updates support displaying engine data when interfaced to an engine system via a NMEA 2000 engine gateway. The engine data items which may be displayed by these Raymarine MFDs will vary based upon the model of MFD to which the engine gateway interfaced. The engine data items which may be displayed by these Raymarine MFDs will additionally vary based on the engine make/model and the make/model of NMEA 2000 engine gateway installed.

This FAQ specifically addresses interfacing Engine Control Module (ECM/ECU) equipped Mercruiser, Volvo, and Crusader EFI engines to these MFDs. The NMEA 2000 engine gateway discussed within this FAQ is Fox Marine's MEFI NMEA 2000 Engine Gateway.



To determine whether your Mercruiser, Volvo, and Crusader EFI engine is compatible with a Fox Marine MEFI NMEA 2000 Engine Gateway, it is recommended that you view the Fox Marine MEFI NMEA 2000 Engine Gateway FAQs. It may be necessary to examine the decal affixed to the backside of the engine's ECM to determine which Fox Marine MEFI NMEA 2000 Engine Gateway is applicable for your engine system.

The primary function of a NMEA 2000 engine gateway is to pass engine data to the marine electronics network via a SeaTalkng/NMEA 2000 backbone while controlling the flow of data between the engine system and the SeaTalkng/NMEA 2000 backbone. A second function of a NMEA 2000 engine gateway is to isolate engine system power from SeaTalkng/NMEA 2000 backbone power. To interface the Data Master MFD or MFID to a Fox Marine MEFI NMEA 2000 Engine Gateway, a powered and properly terminated NMEA 2000 backbone must be constructed, having sufficient spur sockets to accommodate power insertion and each SeaTalkng/NMEA 2000 device will be interfaced to the NMEA 2000 backbone. The NMEA 2000 backbone may be constructed from Raymarine SeaTalkng and/or third party NMEA 2000 networking components as shown below.



When using Raymarine SeaTalkng components to construct powered and properly terminated NMEA 200 backbone, a sufficient number of SeaTalkng T-Pieces (SeaTalkng 5-way connectors may be substituted where SeaTalkng/NMEA 2000 devices are closely located to one another) must be installed to create a sufficient number of spur sockets for a power insertion and for each NMEA 2000 device (i.e. engines, sensors, data master MFD, etc.) which will be interfaced to the SeaTalkng backbone. A diagram of a large SeaTalkng/NMEA 2000 network may be found here. A simple SeaTalkng backbone may be constructed from the following components to interface a single engine gateway to a MFD or MFID:

- A06064 SeaTalkng 5-Way Connector
- A06031 SeaTalkng Termination Plugs x 2 ... to be installed within the two blue backbone sockets of the SeaTalkng 5-Way Connector
- A06049 SeaTalkng Power Cable ... to be connected to switched 12VDC power circuit and to a spur socket of the SeaTalkng 5-way Connector (SeaTalkng backbone)
- A06045 0.4m or A05075 1m SeaTalkng to DeviceNet (F) Spur Cable to interface the Fox Marine MEFI NMEA 2000 Engine Gateway to a spur socket of the SeaTalkng 5-way Connector (SeaTalkng backbone)
- for a Data Master a/c/e/eS/gS-Series MFD, i70 MFID, Data Master C/E-Series Widescreen MFD, Data Master GPM400, or A-Series Classic MFD: a SeaTalkng Spur Cable of appropriate length to interface the SeaTalkng spur port of the MFD, i70 MFID, or GPM400 to a spur socket of the SeaTalkng 5-way Connector (SeaTalkng backbone)
- for a Data Master E-Series Classic MFD: an A06061 E-Series Classic to SeaTalkng Spur Cable to interface the MFD's SeaTalk2/NMEA 2000 port to a spur socket of the SeaTalkng 5-way Connector (SeaTalkng backbone)
- for a C-Series Classic MFD: an A06048 SeaTalk2 to SeaTalkng Spur Cable to interface the MFD's SeaTalk2 port to a spur socket of the SeaTalkng 5-way Connector (SeaTalkng backbone)

Additional SeaTalkng/NMEA 2000 devices may be added to the backbone described above by simply daisy-chaining additional SeaTalkng 5-Way Connectors or SeaTalkng T-Pieces to the SeaTalkng 5-Way Connector using appropriate lengths of SeaTalkng Backbone Cable. As SeaTalkng/NMEA 2000 spurs are limited to 5m maximum length, should the cable routing distance between the MFD and NMEA 2000 engine system's backbone exceed 10m, then the 5-Way Connector listed above may be replaced with A06028 SeaTalkng T-Pieces which have been joined to one another using appropriate lengths of SeaTalkng Backbone Cable. More information concerning SeaTalkng/NMEA 2000 networking may be found here.

One Fox Marine MEFI NMEA 2000 Engine Gateway will be required for each engine which will be interfaced to the NMEA 2000 backbone. Up to two Fox Marine MEFI NMEA 2000 Engine Gateways may be installed within a single NMEA 2000 backbone. The Fox Marine MEFI NMEA 2000 Engine Gateway(s) will be interfaced to the engine's diagnostic socket per the instructions found here. Finally, the dip switches of the Fox Marine MEFI NMEA 2000 Engine Gateway will be configured per the information found here.

The following summarizes the installation of a Fox Marine MEFI-3 to a 2001 Mercruiser 5.7L EFI engine:

The Fox Marine MEFI-3 NMEA 2000 Engine Gateway was mounted in a location protecting it from excessive heat and moisture. The gateway's mounting location was also located in close proximity to a SeaTalkng 5-Way Connector having an unoccupied spur socket. The Fox Marine MEFI-3 NMEA 2000 Engine Gateway was then interfaced to the SeaTalkng 5-Way Connector using an A06045 0.4m SeaTalkng Spur to DeviceNet (F) Cable. In my case, the dip switches were delivered from the manufacturer for a single engine (instance 0), Master application, with alarms configured ON and simulator configured OFF. As such, no changes to the positions of the dip switches were required for my boat's application.



Wire loom was installed on the MEFI-3’s engine interface cable for added protection. The cable was then routed to and plugged into the to the engine’s diagnostic plug. The engine’s diagnostic plug cover was disconnected from the ECM’s mounting bracket. The bracket mounting clip was then removed from the diagnostic plug's cover, and the clip was then installed on the MEFI-3’s plug, permitting the plug to then be clipped to the ECM’s mounting bracket. Zip ties were then applied to MEFI-3’s cable to provide strain relief to the cable.



Configuration of the a/c/e/eS/gS-Series MFDs is quite simple:
1) Configure the MFD’s Num. of Engines configuration setting (HOME->CUSTOMIZE->BOAT DETAILS->NUM. OF ENGINES) … in this case the setting was configured to 1
2) Configure the MFD’s Total Fuel Capacity configuration setting (HOME->CUSTOMIZE->BOAT DETAILS->TOTAL FUEL CAPACITY) … in this case the setting was configured to 60Gal
3) Configure the MFD’s Fuel Manager feature to use Fuel Flow Rate for fuel calculations (HOME->SET-UP->FUEL MANAGER->SET-UP->FUEL CALCULATION->FUEL FLOW RATE)
4) Configure the MFD’s Fuel Manager to ON (HOME->SET-UP->FUEL MANAGER->FUEL MANAGER->TURN ON)
5) Configure the MFD’s Fuel Manager with a full tank (HOME->SET-UP->FUEL MANAGER->ALL TANKS FULL) ... in this case the vessel's tank was topped off prior to winter layup.



6) Display the MFD’s Data application's Engine data panels and Fuel Data panel (HOME->DATA)

Installation of the Fox Marine MEFI-3 NMEA 2000 Engine Gateway could hardly have been easier on my vessel, as the NMEA 2000 backbone (SeaTalkng) had been previously installed. The Fox Marine MEFI-3 NMEA 2000 Engine Gateway supported the engine data items which had been specified within the gateway's documentation. Most importantly, it supplied fuel consumption rate data to the NMEA 2000 network, permitting the Fuel Manager features of the a/c/e/eS/gS-Series MFDs to be utilized. The following are some screen images taken from the system's Engine and Custom data panels while testing the gateway (Note: these screen snapshots were taken while the vessel was on the hard operating its engine. These photos will be replaced after with updated screen snapshots after the vessel has been launched for the season):





Note: When interfaced a third party engine gateway(s), it will be necessary to ensure that the vessel's engine(s) have been assigned a NMEA 2000 Device Instance Number(s) which is consistent with the NMEA 2000 convention of instancing when one or multiple engines, tanks, etc. have been installed onboard the vessel. Please click here to view a FAQ providing additional information on this subject. Failure of the engine system to comply with the instancing convention specified within the referenced FAQ will either prohibit data from all or some of the vessel's engines from being displayed by the MFD.

Should a compatible engine(s) be interfaced to the Raymarine system via a Raymarine ECI-100 Engine Gateway, then the MFD's Identify Engines feature must be used following installation to permit the MFDs to correctly display data from the ECI-100 compatible engines. The MFD's MFD's Identify Engines feature is only applicable to engines which have been interfaced to the system via an ECI-100 Engine Gateway. For all other engines systems, proper instancing must be adhered to as indicated above.

Note: Raymarine MFDs and instruments simply repeat data received from compatible NMEA 2000 devices which have been interfaced to the backbone. Raymarine MFDs and instruments do not support calibration and alignment of third party NMEA 2000 sensors. As such, calibration and/or alignment of interfaced NMEA 2000 sensors must be performed per the third party sensor manufacturer's instructions. Such third party sensor calibration, alignment, or configuration of third party NMEA 2000 sensors may require interfacing a PC or third party manufacturer's display to the SeaTalkng backbone.


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