Multi-function display advice

[Sharphooks]

Brando is on the money. With late-model single or twin Suzukis and the newer Suzuki SMG4 gauges, it’s all pretty much plug and play due to the NMEA2K backbones. Outboard data will show up on most any of the MFD’s that have NMEA2K capability, including the Garmins.

MY main disappointment with the SMG4 is the goofy temperature read-out you get (Just a rudimentary bar with a rising “column” like a thermometer, but no numbers to actually see how hot or cold your outboard(s) are running). The work-around: set up your Garmin (or any MFD that has that option) to use the “engine” icon so as to have it read specific outboard temperatures. Lots of flex due to the NMEA2K canbus network that allows all the sperate units to talk to each other. I also have Furuno in my wheelhouse: the Suzuki outboard data pipes to my Furuno as well as the Garmin due specifically to the NMEA2K backbone

Speaking of the newer SMG4 guages: the most disappointing thing about them is the fuel-fill option. IT’s all or nothing. You can’t just add half a tank then key in the actual number of liters you pumped (as you could with the older Lowrance LMF400’s that Suzuki’s used prior to the SMG4’s) You have to fill the tank, as in....all the way to the top, then reset fuel burn to “zero” to keep getting accurate fuel-burn info from your Suzuki outboards. What were the techs thinking on that move????

If anyone can figure out a work-around for the fuel-fill option, I’m all ears

 

[searun]

Brando is on the money. With late-model single or twin Suzukis and the newer Suzuki SMG4 gauges, it’s all pretty much plug and play due to the NM2K2 backbones. Outboard data will show up on most any of the MFD’s that have NM2K2 capability, including the Garmins.

MY main disappointment with the SMG4 is the goofy temperature read-out you get (Just a rudimentary bar with a rising “column” like a thermometer, but no numbers to actually see how hot or cold your outboard(s) are running). The work-around: set up your Garmin (or any MFD that has that option) to use the “engine” icon so as to have it read specific outboard temperatures. Lots of flex due to the NM2K2 canbus network that allows all the sperate units to talk to each other. I also have Furuno in my wheelhouse: the Suzuki outboard data pipes to my Furuno as well as the Garmin due specifically to the NM2K2 backbone

Speaking of the newer SMG4 guages: the most disappointing thing about them is the fuel-fill option. IT’s all or nothing. You can’t just add half a tank then key in the actual number of liters you pumped (as you could with the older Lowrance LMF400’s that Suzuki’s used prior to the SMG4’s) You have to fill the tank, as in....all the way to the top, then reset fuel burn to “zero” to keep getting accurate fuel-burn info from your Suzuki outboards. What were the techs thinking on that move????

If anyone can figure out a work-around for the fuel-fill option, I’m all ears

Thanks, that is a big heads up...and situation I want to avoid at all cost. So frustrating that the tech's who construct these systems aren't taking into account how people actually use their equipment or what is most important to them.

 

[Sharphooks]

I purchased my boat pre-owned—-it came with the SMG4’s so I had no gauge choices. My last boat had a Suzuki DF300 (single) and the older Lowrance LMF400 gauge—those gauges are fine They for the most part provide the same digital info that the SMG4’s do, but in fact DO allow you to do partial fuel fills —- it provides a easy way to key in the liters you pumped so you continue to get accurate fuel-burn readings piped in from the Suzuki CPU’s

If it wasn’t such a PITA, I’d swap the SMG4’s for the older LMF400’s—-the problem is they have totally different footprints (LMF-400’s are round) and I’d have to do a lot of glass work on my console to do the swap. The Garmin fuel icon part of the MFD does allow partial fills...that’s sort of a work-around, but a partial fill ends up giving you false read-outs on the SMG4’s fuel gauges....if you don’t “zero” out the fuel burned, the SMG4’s will still give you the total liters you burned, but they would no longer provide indication of how much fuel is in the tank

 

[VanIsle10]

I purchased my boat pre-owned—-it came with the SMG4’s so I had no gauge choices. My last boat had a Suzuki DF300 (single) and the older Lowrance LMF400 gauge—those gauges are fine They for the most part provide the same digital info that the SMG4’s do, but in fact DO allow you to do partial fuel fills —- it provides a easy way to key in the liters you pumped so you continue to get accurate fuel-burn readings piped in from the Suzuki CPU’s

If it wasn’t such a PITA, I’d swap the SMG4’s for the older LMF400’s—-the problem is they have totally different footprints (LMF-400’s are round) and I’d have to do a lot of glass work on my console to do the swap. The Garmin fuel icon part of the MFD does allow partial fills...that’s sort of a work-around, but a partial fill ends up giving you false read-outs on the SMG4’s fuel gauges....if you don’t “zero” out the fuel burned, the SMG4’s will still give you the total liters you burned, but they would no longer provide indication of how much fuel is in the tank

My Suzuki smg 4 gauges are connected to the fuel sender from the tank so it displays the fuel level based on what the fuel level is at any given time determined from the sender. The fuel on the garmin is set on an amount that I typed in( ie. I set the amount of gallons/ litres on board and it subtracts fuel burn from the motors). I find it to be more accurate as the tank level fluctuates depending on sea conditions, etc. On the garmin you can select different settings for the fuel, it can be set based on fuel burn,or tank level from the sender.

When I fill up i turn on my garmin and add the corresponding amount of litres to the fuel page. I don’t touch the smg 4 gauges as the float in the tank determines that reading.

 

[Sharphooks]

That’s helpful intel, VanIsle...I noticed you can calibrate the SMG4’s to the output the tank sender is using. I set that up properly but based on the visuals I was getting from the tank icon, it appeared the SMG4’s were getting their data from the Suzuki CPU’s. Did you do the set up yourself or did a shop? Wondering how straightforward it is to to that. I will dive into the Garmin and see if I can find what fuel-burn option it’s using.....thanks!

 

[Brando]

My smg4 is also connected to the tank sender and that’s the info you see on the hds, the tank volume was a manual input during gauge setup and I can calculate fuel used based on burn rate separately same as above.

 

[VanIsle10]

That’s helpful intel, VanIsle...I noticed you can calibrate the SMG4’s to the output the tank sender is using. I set that up properly but based on the visuals I was getting from the tank icon, it appeared the SMG4’s were getting their data from the Suzuki CPU’s. Did you do the set up yourself or did a shop? Wondering how straightforward it is to to that. I will dive into the Garmin and see if I can find what fuel-burn option it’s using.....thanks!

The shop did the initial set up however I was getting incorrect fuel data, after some investigation I found they plugged the fuel tank sender into the “tank 2” input on the gauge. With the twin set up you can have up to 4 fuel tanks set up, my boat only has 1 tank so after swapping over the fuel tank sender to the correct tank 1 input and resetting up the fuel info on the gauge I was getting the correct level to display.

Setting up the fuel/tank info on the SMG4 gauge is pretty straight forward, there are only a few different settings to play with.

 

[the fog ducker]

twin 300's , damm Pat ,
gonna be a rocket , i was lucky enough to take out a friends 2005 265 Express with new twin Yami 250's with FBW recently , that thing flew , 53-55 mph , thats movin fora 8000 lb boat , Look forward to following your project , good luck with it all ,
sorry about the jack...
( may be on the GW team soon ) keep ya posted

felix

 

[searun]

 

[searun]

Pod is done, engines are hung. Kicker is next, then comes the electronics. Lots of storage under the enclosure, and plan is to construct a tackle station on top of the transom enclosure. Hard mounted a rail at back for the rod holders so we can run 3 directly out from stern. Makes it way easier to see the bites and you miss a log of weeds running behind the boat, rather than out each side. Decision time on which unit to install for displaying my engine data. Down to either Garmin or Simrad unit. Haven't been able to get engine hours to display on the Garmin, hoping to see if the Simrad can display engine hours. Will try to post some more pics as the project comes along further. Thanks everyone for your ideas and advice.

 

[searun]

twin 300's , damm Pat ,
gonna be a rocket , i was lucky enough to take out a friends 2005 265 Express with new twin Yami 250's with FBW recently , that thing flew , 53-55 mph , thats movin fora 8000 lb boat , Look forward to following your project , good luck with it all ,
sorry about the jack...
( may be on the GW team soon ) keep ya posted

felix

Fingers cross for ya on team Grady. No going back once you make the leap.

With twin 250's my boat's top end was just under 50 mph before I jammed out. A tad too fast for my chicken bones. Got the 300's mostly because they are a little better on fuel economy. Don't plan to go any faster than I normally do. It will be nice to make the switch to fly by wire too. Happy to dump the old cable controls. Will make parking the boat even easier, as I only use engine power to steer to the dock. Super stoked about how the pod will give me a better working space in the boat.

 

[trophywife]

the new to me boat has all garmin/suzuki and it is all interfaced.

 

[searun]

the new to me boat has all garmin/suzuki and it is all interfaced.

She's a beauty. Definite upgrade in your move from tin to glass.

 

[the fog ducker]

Fingers cross for ya on team Grady. No going back once you make the leap.

With twin 250's my boat's top end was just under 50 mph before I jammed out. A tad too fast for my chicken bones. Got the 300's mostly because they are a little better on fuel economy. Don't plan to go any faster than I normally do. It will be nice to make the switch to fly by wire too. Happy to dump the old cable controls. Will make parking the boat even easier, as I only use engine power to steer to the dock. Super stoked about how the pod will give me a better working space in the boat.

looks wicked Pat , anxiously await your sea trials , unreal what ya did back there , i almost went east to try and snag a 2005 265 2 weeks ago , sold on me in one day ,was mint, needed a trailer , motors only had 150 hours , shattered heart.......... love your boat , nice work....

 

[the fog ducker]

Fingers cross for ya on team Grady. No going back once you make the leap.

With twin 250's my boat's top end was just under 50 mph before I jammed out. A tad too fast for my chicken bones. Got the 300's mostly because they are a little better on fuel economy. Don't plan to go any faster than I normally do. It will be nice to make the switch to fly by wire too. Happy to dump the old cable controls. Will make parking the boat even easier, as I only use engine power to steer to the dock. Super stoked about how the pod will give me a better working space in the boat.

nice cruising at 27- 30 Pat , motors singin quietly ,sippin fuel ,little easier chattin with the boys on step for sure..
, my theory for years now... go big...
pod looks legit , fantastic work !! ... congrats.. ( you will love the fly by wire , push button starts , i re-powered the Striper with a 350SCI Verado , so much easier now ) see ya soon....