[CA] [CA11] Integration of Mercury NMEA2000 Gateway

[hynespa]

This weekend I installed a Mercury NMEA2000 gateway. I have attached a network diagram showing how it was integrated into my eS127 MFD and SeaTalkng network.

I noted the following issues:

1) After installing the Mercury NMEA2000 gateway, I followed the Lighthouse II instructions around running the "Engine Identification Wizard". However I would get an error that it could not detect any engine data. My only option was to skip to the next engine, where I followed the instructions again to only have it report it couldn't see any engine data. I attached a picture showing the MFD detecting the gateway as "Gateway CAN-P MULTI". I was about to give up - when I went to the Data Page in the MFD - and it was correctly showing the RPMs for both port and starboard engines as well as other engine data. So in the end - it seems to be working- but still odd that the Engine Wizard reported that it couldn't see any data when the MFD was clearly receiving data. Is there a bug with the Engine Wizard in the MFD or Lighthouse software?

2) I was able to add my Port fuel tank onto the MFD data page just fine, but the Starboard fuel tank showed no data. I went back into the setup, and pretended that I had 3 fuel tanks instead of 2. Then the MFD was then able to see data from my Starboard fuel tank as tank 3. Is this an issue with Mercury or the gateway incorrectly reporting the tank as tank 3 instead of tank 2, or is this a MFD or Lighthouse issue?

Thank you!

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome to the Raymarine Forum hynespa,

Q1) After installing the Mercury NMEA2000 gateway, I followed the Lighthouse II instructions around running the "Engine Identification Wizard". However I would get an error that it could not detect any engine data. My only option was to skip to the next engine, where I followed the instructions again to only have it report it couldn't see any engine data. I attached a picture showing the MFD detecting the gateway as "Gateway CAN-P MULTI". I was about to give up - when I went to the Data Page in the MFD - and it was correctly showing the RPMs for both port and starboard engines as well as other engine data. So in the end - it seems to be working- but still odd that the Engine Wizard reported that it couldn't see any data when the MFD was clearly receiving data. Is there a bug with the Engine Wizard in the MFD or Lighthouse software?
A1) Please click here to view a FAQ addressing this subject. The is no fault within the LightHouse II software. As indicated within the LightHouse II Operations Guide and the referenced FAQ, the Identify Engines feature is not supported for use with third party engine gateways.

Q2) I was able to add my Port fuel tank onto the MFD data page just fine, but the Starboard fuel tank showed no data. I went back into the setup, and pretended that I had 3 fuel tanks instead of 2. Then the MFD was then able to see data from my Starboard fuel tank as tank 3. Is this an issue with Mercury or the gateway incorrectly reporting the tank as tank 3 instead of tank 2, or is this a MFD or Lighthouse issue?
A2. Please click here to view a FAQ addressing this subject. As indicated within the referenced FAQ, this symptom reported is neither an issue with the MFD nor with the LightHouse II software. The third party engine gateway or NMEA 2000 fluid level sensor for the second tank is transmitting PGNs featuring Instance ID 2 instead of Instance ID 1.

[hynespa]

Thanks for your response Chuck. The Mercury NMEA2000 interface instructions do not seem to indicate any way to change the instance number. I will just have to create custom data pages in the MFD and point to the starboard tank as instance 2 instead of instance 1.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

You're welcome.