Setting up an NMEA network

[A1an]

I'm going to put a NMEA network together.

Are the T connectors all the same?

Ive heard that the garmin and Lowrance connectors dont lie together properly when you mix and match them?

Is it worth paying the extra for branded ones?

[breezeblock]

I thought the connectors were industry standard mines were all the same although they come from different brands

[willk]

Originally Posted by A1an

Ive heard that the garmin and Lowrance connectors dont lie together properly when you mix and match them?

You may well be correct regarding the Tee connectors. The drops can come off at different angles, making it impossible to secure them on one plane. I'd suggest sticking with one manufacturer unless you can try them. I had this issue with Lowrance and Actisense tees.

[Metz Antenna Man]

Wilk and A1an, I see Wilk mentioned Actisense.
I purchased an Actisense NGW1 AIS to link old an Lowrance chart plotter with a new Lowrance Link radio with AIS, to display the AIS data on a newer Garmin chart plotter which had G2 Vison mapping installed. I was reliably told that they would sync together. I spoke to both Garmin and Lowrance Support who said the same thing.
I was in a rush trying to get this done last September before a two-week holiday on the Rib in the Scotland and I was trying to do it two days before we left. I never managed to configure it and gave up. It was above my skillset to be honest.
I am about the restart the project but like Wilk said, I found that the Garmin Tee piece supplied with the drop cable sat on a different plane to the Lowrance ones. They fit together and continue the spine but with one Tee piece at a different angle to the others. It makes it awkward if the spine runs along a flat surface inside the console.
Good luck with setting up the NMES 2K network. I was having a conversation with a young dynamic chap called Jake who works on boats out from Conway. He is in the process of wiring his boat from scratch and had been seeking some advice about certain matters. We both came to the same conclusion. Not many normal Boaters seem to know in a great depth, about setting up a NMEA 2K system and there is money to be made if you can learn it.

[Pikey Dave]

Personally I'd go either Maretron or Actisense for my N2k bits, with Actisense as my first choice. I've a drawer full of Lowrance "T" s if you need some.

[A1an]

Originally Posted by Phil and Jane

Wilk and A1an, I see Wilk mentioned Actisense.
I purchased an Actisense NGW1 AIS to link old an Lowrance chart plotter with a new Lowrance Link radio with AIS, to display the AIS data on a newer Garmin chart plotter which had G2 Vison mapping installed. I was reliably told that they would sync together. I spoke to both Garmin and Lowrance Support who said the same thing.
I was in a rush trying to get this done last September before a two-week holiday on the Rib in the Scotland and I was trying to do it two days before we left. I never managed to configure it and gave up. It was above my skillset to be honest.
I am about the restart the project but like Wilk said, I found that the Garmin Tee piece supplied with the drop cable sat on a different plane to the Lowrance ones. They fit together and continue the spine but with one Tee piece at a different angle to the others. It makes it awkward if the spine runs along a flat surface inside the console.
Good luck with setting up the NMES 2K network. I was having a conversation with a young dynamic chap called Jake who works on boats out from Conway. He is in the process of wiring his boat from scratch and had been seeking some advice about certain matters. We both came to the same conclusion. Not many normal Boaters seem to know in a great depth, about setting up a NMEA 2K system and there is money to be made if you can learn it.

Many thanks for your reply.

The only reason I’m setting up a network is that I’ve decided not to put any engine gauges on the console, just the plotter.

It’s actually cheaper to set up a network and use the plotter for engine data than it is to use gauges.

[A1an]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

Personally I'd go either Maretron or Actisense for my N2k bits, with Actisense as my first choice. I've a drawer full of Lowrance "T" s if you need some.

Thanks for the offer Dave but I’ve purchased a Garmin starter kit as I already had a Garmin ‘T’ with plotter.

[Xk59D]

When I setup my nmea to my zuke I used all garmin stuff ( they sell a network starter kit at reasonable money) and it all worked fine. 2 plotters and engine talk no worries. I did need to muck about with the Suzuki firmware but not the nmea problem.

Whilst nmea is meant to be universal I struggled to find anyone who knew sod all about it when I first connected it 3 years ago and had problems with the engine side. Moonlighter on the Suzuki forum is great for help if you are stuck with a zuke setup. Suzuki seem to have a habit of releasing firmware that fixes some models nmea issues and knackers others..next release does give versa!

Anyone thinking of changing plotters with a Suzuki nmea setup would do well to look at Simrad or lowrance as they just work better together for firmware updates and advanced settings available such as fuel usage can be dialled in exactly with them. If I ever swap out both my garmin plotters I'll probably goto one of them.