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Can anyone help with NMEA 2000 connections?

9K views 26 replies 6 participants last post by  ATX 4x4  
#1 ·
I have the Yamaha Command Link LCD display on my boat. It is capable of displaying water temp, speed, fuel mileage etc. but I don't have a GPS or transducer on the boat...but I'm installing a Garmin Echomap chartplotter/sonar so I will soon have a transducer, GPS, etc. According to Garmin I can utilize NMEA 2000 compatible devices. According to Yamaha the Command Link gauges are NMEA 2000. My question is, if I link the Garmin and Command Link display, will the Command Link display show water temp, speed, etc from the Garmin unit? Clear as mud? Thanks for any help!
 
#2 ·
Mine does. 07 F250 with square digital gauges displayed on Garmin 1040xs and 840xs. It displays on both same time. I can also pick and choose what I want to overlay on sonar and nav charts like speed, rpm, etc.

Dang iPhone turned this already bad photo sideways, sorry. I'm still trying to figure out what gauge has the B and circle on it. I'm thinking h2o but not 100%
 

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#4 ·
That's it. I can't seem to find a way to split screen anything but sonar and nav charts tho. I have my good times radio and gauges on N2K network and while they all work perfectly on Garmin, I can't get either of them to split screen. They require me to back out of what I'm looking at and go directly to each one on a dedicated screen. Maybe I'm overlooking something.
 
#11 · (Edited)
You'll need 3 t-connectors. The module goes to one, Garmin goes to second, and 3 amp fuse power to 3rd. Make sure to put a terminator cap on each of the 2 ends. So 3 t's and 2 end caps is the NMEA "backbone".

Then in the future if you add any other item to the NMEA network you'll just add 1 t connector for that unit in the same chain as the existing backbone...future expansion is endless.

 
#13 ·
OK, I think I understand now...I need to build a NMEH 2000 network/backbone, got it. (I thought the Command Link system was essentially the network/backbone, but I guess not). One more stupid question. After I build the backbone and supply power to it, I will plug the Garmin unit into the NMEH network/backbone network. Will I still need to supply power to the garmin unit with the power chord that comes with the Garmin unit? Or will the NMEH system now supply power to the unit? Thanks again!!
 
#15 ·
still run OE power to Garmin. The backbone just needs 3 amp power to avoid a loss in power when various items on the network turn on and off.

For example, when I first started my backbone, it did not have power, I didn't know any better. Only thing networked was Garmin and Yamaha Gauges. Gauges on my Garmin worked flawlessly. I could run to a spot, turn off big motor, and Garmin still running but when I went to turn on big motor, Garmin would power off completely and required that I turn Garmin back on with each ignition cycle. Once I added power to NMEA network, Garmin doesn't power off anymore.
 
#18 · (Edited)
The Command Link is Yamaha's proprietary version of NMEA 2K, difference is Yamaha uses different connectors. You can make a Command Plus hub with readily available kits from BOE marine and SIM Yamaha. Instead of building an entire new N2K backbone, see what you have , if you already have a hub it may just be a matter of a adapter cable from your chart plotter to the hub. I extended my current hub with a kit and plugged in my Lowrance with an adapter cable, super easy and works great. Here is a Lowrance pdf that may help you. http://www.lowrance.com/Global/Lowrance/Documents/NMEA/Yamaha_Engine_NMEA2000_Connection.pdf
Another helpful link
http://www.thehulltruth.com/marine-electronics-forum/520347-yamaha-nmea-interface-cable-install.html
 
#21 ·
Great info, thanks! I'm really beginning to wonder what the $250 Yamaha Gateway actually does? I've read some info online saying it might be nothing more than a cable with a Yamaha plug on one end and a NMEA plug on the other, with a "little black box" in the middle that might not do anything. There are companies that offer the cable without a "box" for $20.
 
#24 ·
^^^^^^ What Brian said also if you don't use the Yamaha gateway the Garmin can backfeed power to the motor and ecm even with the key off, we have had boats come in with n2k hacked to Yamaha buss with pigtails and the garmin will power up the dec throttle body on the fly by wire motors. If you are buying a new unit ask if the installer is an authorized installer if they are you get one year extra warranty on your unit
 
#27 ·
Fat Tire was spot on with backfeeding. I had an aftermarket plug do that very thing. It powered up my command link gauges and elec throttle valve with key off.

I just bought the gateway and pigtail (since for whatever reason Yamaha made the gateway and the bus with the same connector) and the problem was solved.

So in summary, gateway and pigtail from open port on Yamaha bus ties into N2K t-connector on properly set up backbone and you're good to go. I was able to confirm that there's only one gateway from Yamaha and it works on both CL and CL+