connecting a78 to NMEA network

[allent]

I have a a78 and it's connected to a Seatalk ng converter. I'd like to get the engine date from my Evinrude E-Tec displayed on the MFD. Will the following work: a Raymarine SeaTalk NG Backbone Cable to the converter(blue) to a Raymarine SeaTalk NG T-Piece Connector with a terminator and then Raymarine SeaTalk NG To NMEA 2K Male Adapter Cable to the NMEA network from the engine.
Thanks
Allen

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome to the Raymarine Forum Allen,

While your description of how to extend the backbone to create another spur socket is correct, Raymarine does not support interfacing marine engine systems directly to marine electronics NMEA 2000 backbone. Raymarine recommends that a NMEA 2000 engine gateway (should one be available) be used whenever interfacing a marine electronics backbone to an engine system. Please click here to view a FAQ addressing this subject.

[allent]

I haven't been able to find an engine specific gateway for my E-Tec will it work without one? or should I use the Raymarine’s ECI-100 even though my engine isn't listed.
Thanks
Allen

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Allen,

Unfortunately, not. Per the prior response, Raymarine only supports installations which feature an engine gateway which has been installed between the engine system backbone and the SeaTalkng/NMEA 2000 backbone. Unfortunately, the ECI-100 should only be used with the engines listed (Evinrude engines not supported at the time of this response) on the ECI-100's web pages. While some customers have linked "NMEA 2000 certified" engines to a marine electronics backbone via an unpowered (lacking power leads) spur cable which has either been offered by the engine manufacturer or has been custom fabricated, such applications would typically be limited to single engine applications because Raymarine's a/c/e/eS/gS-Series MFDs are not designed to configure engine instancing.