Engine data display on ES78

[Shesby]

I have twin Honda BF60s that will not display properly. I can only get partial data from the port engine. They are currently connected to the backbone via the Honda to nmea2000 adaptor cable. Do I need to use a ECI-100 in order for the MFD to interpret the data correctly? All the Honda articles seem to indicate it should be a straight shot connection. Honda tech support is non-existant and none of the dealers in my area are familiar with networking.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome to the Raymarine Forum Shesby,

You do indeed need to install an ECI-100 Engine Gateway. Please click here and then click on the Honda Engine Connection tab to view how to connect Honda engines to your system.

[Shesby]

I obtained 2 ECI-100s (1 for each engine) and attempted to get the engine data to the MFD again. No luck. Actually get less data coming through with them than without.
I have had a Raymarine certified installer trying to figure the problem out with no luck. He basically has said he can't figure it out but that it should work. He now says the problem must be the engines because he can't find anything wrong with the Ray stuff. He is going to get ahold of the Ray rep in the area and swap out the display to see if that does anything.
I can't get a Honda tech to look at it for at least a week and a half.

Thanks.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Shesby,

Should more than one Honda engine be interfaced to the same engine system backbone, then only one ECI-100 would be installed and interfaced to the engine system backbone. However, should the engines not be interfaced to the same engine system backbone, one ECI-100 would be installed for each engine. Care should be taken to ensure that on the engine system backbone(s) are powered when the engine keys are switched the ON position. The LED on engine side of the ECI-100s will be illuminated green when the ECI-100 has be interfaced to a powered an properly terminated engine backbone.

I strongly suspect that the fault does not lie within your MFD and a simple test may be executed by the end user to determine the operational state of the Data Master MFD's SeaTalkng/NMEA 2000 communications interface. The MFD may quite easily be ruled out as a possible source of the reported problem by verifying whether its SeaTalkng/NMEA 2000 interface is operational. First, should the system feature more than one MFD, then the MFD which has been configured as the system's Data Master MFD must be interfaced to the SeaTalkng backbone. It is also this MFD which should be used to execute the Engines Set-up feature (HOME->SET-UP->SYSTEM SETTINGS->EXTERNAL DEVICES->ENGINES SET-UP) ... this feature must be exectured to identify the engines within the system after they have been properly interfaced to the system. When interfaced to a powered and properly terminated SeaTalkng backbone to which the ECI-100s have also been interfaced, then the Select Device List (HOME->SET-UP->MAINTENANCE->DIAGNOSTICS->SELECT DEVICE) of a properly functioning Data Master MFD will list the ECI-100s. If not and it has been verified that the ECI-100s have been properly installed, then it would appear that the MFD may have faulty SeaTalkng/NMEA 2000 communications circuitry and should be replaced by the dealer (if purchased within the last 30 days) or sent to Raymarine’s Product Repair Center to be bench checked / serviced. Should the Select Devices list of the Data Master MFD list the ECI-100(s) then the MFD would be deemed to have an operational SeaTalkng/NMEA 2000 communications interface and attention should then be re-focused on the engine system backbone(s). Additionally, the LED on the SeaTalkng backbone side of the ECI-100(s)s should be illuminated green when correctly interfaced to the SeaTalkng backbone.

From a troubleshooting perspective, the technician should be able to first interface a NMEA 2000 buss analyzer (ex. Actisense NGT-1-USB w/PC running Actisense NMEA Reader software, etc.) to the engine backbone(s) to verify that they are powered and transmitting engine data. After verifying that engine data was available on the powered engine system backbone(s), then technician should be able to interface the NMEA 2000 buss analyzer to the SeaTalkng backbone to verify whether engine data is being bridged to the SeaTalkng backbone. Should your technician not perform such diagnostics, then it is recommended that a Certified Raymarine Installer be contacted and the install be queried to indicate whether they are equipped with a NMEA 2000 buss analyzer.