C-zone meter interface?

[wkearney99]

Anyone have/used a C-Zone meter interface? I'm interested in using one to monitor the state of several electrical sources and provide that data onto the N2K bus. The C-zone unit looks to be a relatively compact way to get several sources monitored. As opposed to multiple separate Maretron or other units.

But, like anything else marine-related, there's gotta be some gotchas, right?

Anyone got/had one and have tales to tell?

 

[twistedtree]

Anyone have/used a C-Zone meter interface? I'm interested in using one to monitor the state of several electrical sources and provide that data onto the N2K bus. The C-zone unit looks to be a relatively compact way to get several sources monitored. As opposed to multiple separate Maretron or other units.



But, like anything else marine-related, there's gotta be some gotchas, right?



Anyone got/had one and have tales to tell?

I have one kicking around that I tried several years ago. As I recall it was incompatible with Maretron, or more accurately Maretron was incompatible with it. But that was probably 5 years ago and I havent tried it since so the problems may have been fixed. I also recall that tech support was non-existent. I had to sign up to be a dealer to even get software updates. They had no interest in anyone other than boat builders.

 

[wkearney99]

I have one kicking around that I tried several years ago. As I recall it was incompatible with Maretron, or more accurately Maretron was incompatible with it. But that was probably 5 years ago and I havent tried it since so the problems may have been fixed. I also recall that tech support was non-existent. I had to sign up to be a dealer to even get software updates. They had no interest in anyone other than boat builders.

Typical points, common across way too many vendors, sad to say.

Maretron has been a welcome exception to the whole 'dealer-only' support nonsense.

I mean, I get why companies with complex products have dealers and don't want to get into customer-direct support roles. The 'potential' cost to hand-hold the average consumer is much higher than having 'trained' dealer personnel. But I seriously question whether the numbers really shake out that way, especially with online support forums. Furuno's forums are great for getting a lot of "dumb questions" answered. At a certain point you lose potential sales and leave openings for other vendors to permanently snatch market-share.

I'd wonder if the problem has been lack of clarity on NMEA-2000 PGNs and whether that's been resolved since your experience?

I'd be displaying this data on a Maretron DSM410 and collecting it via an N2K-USB interface into a PC. I've had a decent integrator doing the overhaul on my electrical, and made it clear what I want to see, and where. Hopefully they'll know to translate that into questions to post to the C-zone folks.

 

[twistedtree]

Typical points, common across way too many vendors, sad to say.

Maretron has been a welcome exception to the whole 'dealer-only' support nonsense.

I mean, I get why companies with complex products have dealers and don't want to get into customer-direct support roles. The 'potential' cost to hand-hold the average consumer is much higher than having 'trained' dealer personnel. But I seriously question whether the numbers really shake out that way, especially with online support forums. Furuno's forums are great for getting a lot of "dumb questions" answered. At a certain point you lose potential sales and leave openings for other vendors to permanently snatch market-share.

I'd wonder if the problem has been lack of clarity on NMEA-2000 PGNs and whether that's been resolved since your experience?

I'd be displaying this data on a Maretron DSM410 and collecting it via an N2K-USB interface into a PC. I've had a decent integrator doing the overhaul on my electrical, and made it clear what I want to see, and where. Hopefully they'll know to translate that into questions to post to the C-zone folks.

Unfortunately I think things have gotten worse, at least for more complex systems. As soon as you have than one or tow of any type of device, you will almost certainly run into compatibility issues. Maretron has one way of looking at the world, and most other vendors have another. The N2K standard is apparently silent on the matter since these are all certified devices. On my boat now, Maretron is fundamentally incompatible with about 1/2 of the N2K devices that I have because of these differences. It's frustrating, to say the least.

 

[wkearney99]

I have a Yacht Devices router so I could try something clever like have it 'translate' the sentences from one side with the meter to the other side with the displays.