[CA] [CA11] NMEA 2000 and Axiom 9

[will40]

I hope you can help me. I upgraded the C80 MFD on my boat this year and installed an Axiom 9. I also installed a Smartcraft system with Vesselview Mobile to monitor my engines' data and all works fine on the app.

I would like to get this engine data to my Axiom. I followed the installation and instructions from what I have read online.

The Axiom listens for both the Port and Starboard engine data but fails to find it. I have also supplied power to the NMEA backbone and still no difference. The Seatalk ST60 and legacy GPS receiver work ok. I have even disconnected the Seatalkng converter and ran the NMEA multi-engine gateway to the NMEA backbone with the Axiom only and same results, can't see the engine data.

I have drafted up a sketch of my existing system and attached.

Please take a look and let me know your thoughts and if I have miswired or missed something?

Thanks

Bill

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Bill,

As with the Identify Engines feature within LightHouse II software, the Identify Engines feature of LightHouse 3 software is exclusively designed to be used with engine systems which have been interfaced to the marine electronics backbone using Raymarine's ECI-100 Engine Gateway. When a third party engine gateway(s) has been used, the MFD will simply function as a repeater device and will expect that the third party engine gateway(s) are transmitting engine data PGNs featuring Device Instance Number(s) which are consistent with the NMEA 2000 convention specified within FAQ found here.

On a separate note, it appears that your SeaTalkng/NMEA 2000 backbone has not been correctly created. A single powered powered and properly terminated SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 backbone. The SeaTalkng Networking Reference manual may be found here. Your diagram appears to use a spur to connect the Ancor backbone to the backbone for the Raymarine electronics. Please click here to view a FAQ addressing how to interface a backbone which has been constructed from SeaTalkng components to a backbone which has been constructed from third party NMEA 2000 networking components.

Additionally, should the third party backbone have its own power insertion point, then a power insertion point would not be installed within the backbone which has been constructed from SeaTalkng components. The spur socket used for single power insertion should be located at the approximate midpoint of the backbone's LEN load.

[will40]

Chuck - thanks for the links, done some pretty deep reading trying to wrap my head around this and I better educated myself on the networking and terminology, I think.

Regarding your separate note on the backbone, I apologize for the confusion, I made an error in my sketch. I did not use a spur cable to connect the Ancor NMEA2K backbone, it is a devicenet adaptor male cable A06046. Since my Axiom can receive data from the Raystar 125 GPS receiver and my ST60 is listening and reporting depth, can I assume what I have is correct?

Regarding the 3rd part engine gateway, I do know the instances have been set for port engine as 0 and starboard engine as 1. I needed this performed for the existing Vesselview module to report both engines successfully on the app. I can only assume the engine PGN's are NMEA 2K consistent as per the gateway specifications. If nothing else looks out of place to you I will reach out to Mercury hopefully for some support on this.

Question 2, as I read further and now understand a bit more of this network wiring, I assume I do not even need this Ancor NMEA2K backbone at this time? If not, I am removing it and connecting the Axiom to the STNG backbone with my Devicenet female cable A06045.

More to come as I am planning to replace the ST60 this weekend with an i70s now that I know how to expand the STNG backbone correctly.

Thanks again

Bill

[will40]

Chuck

I have revised my sketch and removed the Ancor NMEA backbone and the ST60 Graphic and I have added an i70s. Please take a look at the attached and let me know if I am on the right track? The SeaTalkng backbone is all located at the helm

Thanks for all your help

Bill

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Bill,

The new diagram appears to be correct. Should problems persist in displaying engine data on the MFD configuring the system to appear as in the diagram, then it would be recommended that a NMEA 2000 analyzer be interfaced to the to determine the exact content of the data being transmitted by the engine gateway to the marine electronics gateway. As indicated within the previously referenced FAQ, the Actisense NGT-1 and NMEA Reader computer software from Actisense are an excellent tool for inspecting communications traffic on a SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 backbone. This tool is relatively inexpensive, very easy to use, and should be a part of any marine technicians tools when installing and/or troubleshooting SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 communications.

[will40]

Chuck,

Again, thanks for the great support and the tip on analyzing the engine data. I'll be sure to look into it and report back

Bill

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

You're welcome.

[will40]

Chuck update. I reconfigured the backbone and installed the i70s this afternoon.

The data from both engines came right up on the i70s as Engine 1 (port) and Engine 2 (starboard). The pressures, temps and RPM matched.

I tried to identify the engines with the Axiom 9 and no luck. The same errors as before. I attached an image.

I now assume that the gateway is sending the correct data if the i70s is reporting it. I hope this helps you get closer to the issue with the Axiom not listening.

Let me know the next step?

Bill

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Bill,

Per my initial post, the Identify Engines feature of LightHouse 3 software is exclusively designed to be used with engine systems which have been interfaced to the marine electronics backbone using Raymarine's ECI-100 Engine Gateway. When a third party engine gateway(s) has been used, the MFD will simply function as a repeater device and will expect that the third party engine gateway(s) are transmitting engine data PGNs featuring Device Instance Number(s) which are consistent with the NMEA 2000 convention specified within the previously referenced FAQ. All that is necessary to do within the MFD's settings is to specify the number of engines which they system has and then display the Engines data panel within the Dashboard application.

[will40]

Chuck

I just wanted to follow up with how I left off on this issue. I did discover that the correct engine data was already on the network the entire time and immediately populated the Axiom's Dashboard page when I selected it. I did not need to identify the engines after all.

I do notice that I lose water temperature and depth data from the Axiom's RV-100 when the engines are running. I used your recommendation and purchased the Actisense NGT-1. I was able to determine that the Smartcraft data is also publishing NMEA sentences that are overwriting the Axiom so it seems I have a conflict of PGN.

While searching the subject online I see that some of the Raymarine MFD users have experienced the same conflict reaching out for help 2-3 years ago. Has there been any changes since then? I noticed that multiple data input selections for MFD's would be the easiest solution. Was this feature ever implemented or considered with Raymarine products before I need to go down the engine OEM road?

Bill