NMEA 2000 compatabiltiy

[marinewright1]

Anyone having issues with N2K compatibility? I’m having trouble with a Garmin system that has a NMEA 2000 rudder reference that drops out when the Cummins engines start. Engines are 2 years old, same for Garmin mfd’s. There are more details but I’m looking to see if anyone has experienced and solved this. So far neither Garmin nor Cummins (via the Tiara dealer) have been able to provide a solution. I am an electronics tech, not the owner.

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Topic

[Rob Schepis]

For troubleshooting, bring to the boat a small independent 12V battery and power the N2K backbone with it. That will “prove” your network construction in and amongst itself. Is the RRU on a backbone extension?

[Tony Athens]

DC Power Distribution / Vessel wiring

This is a boat wiring issue, not a GARMIN issue……………..You need to set your DC Power distribution up so the engine(s) DO NOT talk to the house bank where I assume you have the electronics tried into………….IE, you need a separate house bank/batteries & separate starting batteries.. The only thing that is common is the GROUND. …

Single or twin engine boat? Vessel type & size?

Number of batteries & size of each you have on board?

Generator?

Are you hands-on enough to where to are capable to rewire the DC power distribution on the boat? Or, if a smaller boat and you do not want to add a dedicated starting bank, there is a 2nd option by installing a small motorcycle sized battery on a drop out relay circuit to keep full voltage to you Garmin during cranking.. We do this with our SMX Digital displays used on the mechanical engines we set up — (8 x AA batteries in the harness–you don’t even know it’s there–has some “trick” but simple circuity I designed)

Tony

[Rob Schepis]

So it drops out when the engine is cranking and then comes back after it starts? or does it drop out and stay out?

[Author]

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