NEMA 2000 Project

Decided to put new navigation equipment to replace the old inoperable analog stuff and decided to use the newest standard of NEMA 2000 to connect it all. I looked at most all of the manufacture's stuff which met my requirements. Not really into fishing but I wanted something that could be upgraded to handle things like sonar. Also had budget considerations.

I decided on Garmin and first installed a new NEMA 2k through-the-hull transducer capable of sending depth and water temp. Had to cut a larger hole as the old equipment had a smaller diameter. Used the old wire to help snake the NEMA 2k to the flybridge. @$200

Next I purchased a Garmin 740s considering features and my budget. Mounted a bail installation so if I decided to set up an installation below I would be able to use the head unit at both stations. I created the NEMA backbone inside the flybridge to reduce the number of wires that had to be snaked as it was already stuffed with wires from older equipment that had been removed before I purchased the boat. I removed as many wires as I could to make it easier to snake more NEMA cables in the future. @$1000 after I learned I need a $100 NEMA 2k starter kit.

After I got everything working following the simple set up instructions I decided to try to interface my analog engine instruments as the 740s can display engine instruments. Thinking this is a long shot I decided on a rather inexpensive Engine Data Converter from NOLAND. It is the RS11. Decided to get one RS11 and hook up both engines to make sure it worked before I purchase another to have one for both engines and my Onan 7.5 generator. I have twin Perkins turbo. One RS11 is @$290 and you can reduce the price of the second if you get a twin pack.

I received the RS11 in about 4 days and started to hook it up yesterday. You need a windows laptop for the installation. I decided to mount the RS11 under my lower station instruments as there is better access to the instrument connection and power source. Plus it is better protected from the elements. I hooked up the two tachs first along with power from the starboard ignition switch. Want to make sure the system is de-energized when the engine off. Connected the upper station to the bridge supply breaker circuit to be able to de-energize the entire system when not in use.

I started the engines and to my amazement the windows utility was receiving NEMA 2000 sentences. I ran out of time to complete the 740s set up but I did see at least the port tack displayed and functioning before I had to quit for the day. I am inspired!

So far I have about 10 pipe-smoking & beer-drinking hours into the project.

You didn't note any info on the year and make of boat. Very interesting project.

81 Californian 34 LRC

Awesome 3dog!!!!
I just bought a Garmin 741xs with the 18" radome. Ohana is a 1984 34 LRC with twin 3208 and she has been with me less than a year. While on the store ( btw, got it bc the old 10" garmin that the boat had finally died), i was shown all the neat stuff you can do with a modern GPS, but having a completly analog boat, i kept on thinking the I would either not find any adapters or converters, and if I did, they would cost a fortune. Please keep posting, hope I can follow with my own nmea network soon !!

Very interesting, 3dog. Keep it coming, with pics. Sounds like a great project.

Fascinating project. I have Standard Horizon 300 plotter that I would love to be able to display on a bigger screen. I have a spare screen I wanted to use as the 7" screen is probably fine for a dinghy, not for ancient eyes as a prime navigator, and it's also quite slow to refresh; that model also won't clone. You have to pay something like 2 boat dollars to SH for one that will.

Remember that as snazzy as the digital read outs of engine parameters are, they are still sourced by analogue sensors so the digital read outs will be no more accurate than the steam-powered gauges but they sure will look groovy!

I've got a 1999 Yanmar in my '87 boat and thought that an NMEA setup would be a waste of time and money. The system has proven to be reliable....maybe I should revisit this possibility. Thanks for sharing the project.

Having previously installed a NMEA2000 network on my Mainship the hardest part was getting my Mercury gas engines proprietary communications protocol to interface with the Garmin 6212, 4212 and a 740s. It all worked great with the exception of the Garmin radar that had to be done over the Garmin network. I'm working on a basic NMEA2000 network on the new to me Gulfstar starting with the heading sensor, weather receiver, GPS, AIS Class B, the (2) VHF200 radios. I'm using the Garmin 741xs as the primary and a 740s I had laying around as the secondary. The radar will have to be plugged into which ever unit I want it displayed on. That's not difficult because it uses a RJ-45 style plug. I haven't even thought about the A to D converters for the old Perkins 4-154'S or the Westerbeeke generator. I think I'm going to stay with the standard analog gauges when it comes to the engines. The small Garmin displays are busy enough without having engine data on them...
Bill

I don't plan on getting rid of the analog instruments just backing them up and having the capability of seeing the instruments that were not duplicated on the flybridge with the chart plotter display. Didn't want to spend a lot of money and then find out it didn't work. Also plan on seeing if I can mirror everything on an iPad or laptop as Garmin has an inexpensive wifi solution that will be my next step. It may make sense to just put another chart plotter that has wifi capabilities in the lower station. I will look at both options. Also need to see if the Garmin autopilot can use the still functioning hydraulic pump from my old Simrad ap 100. I removed the head unit that was toast and will be removing the fluxgate and course computer as they can't be interfaced with.

I will connect and calibrate more gages with the RS11 tomorrow and take some pics if it works.

Connected both tachs, fuel gages, eng temp and oil pressure gages to the RS11. Only dropped one tool and used the opportunity to tighten all the terminals to the gages that had vibrated loose over the years. Only had a problem with getting at the two fuel gages which were not mounted on the panel that flips up. Had to remove both gages and tighten things with one hand and out of sight. This is when the tool dropped down into the engine room. Got some gages to read on the Garmin but I really need to spend tomorrow figuring out the calibration. Once I do it once I will be an expert as I am having to know way more than I want to. An engineer would love this crap and you can find reviews explaining the stuff to the nth detail at Panbo: The Marine Electronics Hub: NoLand RS11, analog to NMEA 2000 engine monitoring)

I am using a Windows 7 laptop for calibration and I think I am going to turn the AC on tomorrow as sweat was dripping on the keyboard today. I am glad I am not paying me by the hour as it would be way too expensive.

I am finding the Garmin and Noland documentation lacking in that it is too general and not explaining exactly what I need to do for my particular installation. I can understand as they are trying to address a large audience but I got a feeling I am going to reach out an touch someone very soon. The good news I know this thing is going to work someday.

One tip with the RS11: I haven't found any way to reliably recover the previously-entered configuration values. Take a screen shot, or write down each entry, before you save and exit the application. Then if you want to "tweak" one value, or re-enter all values later, you'll know what you started with.

CaptTom said:

One tip with the RS11: I haven't found any way to reliably recover the previously-entered configuration values. Take a screen shot, or write down each entry, before you save and exit the application. Then if you want to "tweak" one value, or re-enter all values later, you'll know what you started with.

Click to expand...

How about using the print screen option then save it by naming the screen shot?
Bill

I guess Noland updated their software as I was able to save my settings and reload them.

Photo of the RS11 tucked away under the lower helm gauges. Red wires with white ties go to the gauges and wired to S ignition switch and ground.
http://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/members/3289-albums262-picture1376.html

All the instruments that I have will display on the Garmin but I didn't have room for volts on the RS11. If I purchased two I would have more than enough but I am happy with current set up and I save the extra price for two. It would have been a lot easier if I had the laptop next to the Garmin but I got a lot of exercise climbing up and down to the flybridge. Fuel on board is not displaying but I think it has something to do with filling the tanks, which I will do tomorrow and the calibrate the fuel gages again. I am very pleased with the RS11 and the Garmin for the price. I also found one analog tach that was off by 500 rpm so I fixed that.

As I have Garmin apps on my iPhone, iPad and Mac Air I am going to see what the value is to set up a wifi interface. This will involve adding another component for about $250 but I don't think I will be able to see everything and control everything form the iPad or iPhone. I think to do that I will have to use my windows laptop or Mac Air.

Looked into interfacing with PC and iPhone/Ipad with wifi and I don't see that the value added is worth the cost. I will just transfer data using the SD card solution in the Garmin. Next step will be to add autopilot with remote control.