Suzuki Lowrance Interface

[Simon B]

Has anyone used a Lowrance Suzuki engine interface with a 175hp motor? Ours will only work with the ignition but engine not running!

[Tim M]

I'm running this with a 250. Sounds like somethings gone wrong!

[Erin]

Not with a 175, but with a 200. However, mine did fail early on and I had to buy a new one. Possibly not the most reliable bit of equipment. I opened up the old one to find a small circuit board with lots of smc compnents sealed in potting resin - no chance of repair sadly.

[Simon B]

Erin,

What were the symptoms of the failure? Complete lack of data or intermittent working? The last thing I did before I shut the Lowrance unit unit off was configure the interface to the correct engine and model year. It seemed to be forgetting this information. I will need to check that it has retained it next time I power up unit.

[Erin]

I had a spurious engine fault message pop up on the screen and then after that the engine data just flashed dashes at me. I checked the engine ecu and there were no faults logged so I was confident it was a failure of the lowrance unit. I don't remember any intermittent stages.... it just died. I spoke to Navico (I think) the UK agents who were not very helpful. I had hoped they would have the same customer service levels that Garmin do, but sadly not.

[Shark]

I use the ep20 on suzuki df175. It works ok.
I had only some problem after the installation with the calibration of fuel flow because suzuki had changed some parameter between df175 2007 and 2008 engines. After a calibration the fuel flow reading is accurate. If you don't want to calibrate the fuel flow there is a firmware update for the ep20 and is possible to install with lowrance chartplotter.
What is your specific problem?
The alimentation on the nmea2000 network is sufficient?
The ep20 interface tp startup need that the voltage of battery is > 12v and when you turn on the engine the ecu of the engine use a lot of energy and if the ep20 is attached under the key the ep20 could not have sufficient energy to startup. So is better to not install the alimentation of the nmea network under engine key.

[Wolfi]

Hi all,

my name is Wolfgang and I´m new here at RIBnet. I´m from Germany, Bavaria, so excuse my bad english at first. I found this thread by google.

I installed the EP-20 and I want to use it with a Lowrance LCX 37. My Suzuki is from 2006 (K6).

Now I have same problems as told above. If I choose my motor model in the setup, and if I restart the engine I have to choose it again, it doesn´t get saved. I only can read the hours, rpm, temp., Volts, but I don´t get any information from the fuel sensor. There are so much possibilities to make settings, so I tried a little bit and found one unknown thing.

There is a input box named ´Example´, it´s below the button ´more options´ in the engine setup. There is standing 255, if I change that, there are no more informations available from the engine. If I name it back to 255 and save, there suddenly comes one fuel information (4l/h for example), but there comes no more new information.

A friend told me to put a EP-85 sensor for NMEA 2000 for saving informations, but there is no further information from the fuel sensor.

Any ideas for me ?

NMEA 2000 is not very common here at Germany, so it is complicated to get any informations. Also Suzuki has no interest in help.

Thanks in advance !

Kind regards

Wolfgang

[Erin]

Hi Wolfgang and welcome to Ribnet. You write very good English, so do not worry about that.

If you are getting rpm, hours temp etc then your EP20 must be working ok. You should not need an EP85 for fuel flow as the engine ECU should supply this. I remember being told that some of the older Suzuki engines gave out less data than the newer ones. If I can find my notes, I will have a look to see if the 2006 model gives fuel data. What size is your engine?

Make sure the LCX-37 has the latest software (download from lowrance.com) and make sure it is set to calculate fuel usage from the engine data and not set to some other sensor.

Have a look at this http://store.brownspoint.com/detail....id=990C0-88034 it says earlier models may have limited data output.

Edit: I see you have a DF175

[Wolfi]

Hi Erin,

thanks for your response.

I will check the software of my LCX, perhaps the problem is there ?!

Perhaps Simon B reports more of his problems, seems same.



Regards

Wolfgang

[Simon B]

Wolfi,

I have exactly the same problem, no fuel data, just rpm, engine hours, alternator volts and I think temp. I'd not noticed the more options being able to be set to be something else. I'll try Suzuki Marine UK and see if I get anything from them.

I also need to verify that the instalation is in accordance with the Lowrance manual. Our unit has a Micro-CT connector on the back to connect it to the NMEA2000 bus.

[Wolfi]

Hi Simon,

I´m a little bit tranquilised (hope it´s the right word), because I´m not allone with the same problem.

I sent a report of the problems to a friendly Suzuki Dealer and to the dealer of my Lowrance Plotter.

What can it be ? Software problems at the Suzuki ? Software problems with the Lowrance ? Both ? False installation of the NMEA2000 ? Damaged EP20 ?

I´m confused about it, sounded so easy to install, but now no one has an idea.

I will post news asap an hope to here again from you, if you have new informations.


Wolfgang

[Simon B]

Wolgang,

What we havent done with ours is install the latest software update for HDS, again on my list to do. I looked at the LCX37 software updates but the last one looked like end of july 2009.

For us the accurate measuring and thus ability to forecast fuel usage for our club diving trips is vital, fuel cost is high thanks to governments greed. It would good if Lowrance and Suzuki realised that they have a very useful system here! - if it can be got to work!

[Wolfi]

Hi again,

I googled ´through the world´ and found this in a thread:

The fuel calculation from 2008 is different, so if you have a new ep20 on older engine or a new engine and old ep20 you need to recalibrate the sensor or update the firmware(of the sensor).

So I only have to find a procedure to do this ?!


Wolfgang

[Erin]

This is what Shark was referring to in an earlier post. He was sent the software update for the EP20 and had to load it onto his EP20 via the LCX unit. I would send him a private message as I'm sure he will still have the software. If not, I think I have a copy which he sent me in case I needed it.

Here is the link http://www.rib.net/forum/showthread.php?t=22418

[Wolfi]

Hi Erin,

thank you, I found threads from Shark on other websites, and I realized later that Shark posted here before.

I will send him a message.

Thanks a lot !

Wolfgang

[Shark]

This evening i search the file on my home pc and i'll send to you.
The firmware update is only for change the calibration of fuel. If you see too high valueof fuel (2x) you need the update. You can recalibrate the interface and this is the same thing.
If you don't see the fuel usage on your plotter i think you have to change some configuration in the plotter. Search for setting on your plotter to use the engine interface for the fuel and not the fuel sensor.

[Shark]

Suzuki 2008 Engine Software Problem


This affects models from the DF150 to the DF250.



In the 2007 and prior Suzuki engines, the fuel flow equation is half of what it is in the 2008 Suzuki engines (for the models indicated above). This means that if a person has a Suzuki engine interface with software for the 2007 engines connected to a 2008 Suzuki engine of one of the models listed above, their fuel flow and related parameters will be half of what it should be. If a Suzuki engine interface with software for the 2008 engines is connected to a 2007 Suzuki engine of one of the models listed above, their fuel flow and related parameters will be twice of what it should be.



Suzuki Engine interface software:

* 2007 and prior fuel flow equation: v1.8.0
* 2008 fuel flow equation: v2.0.0



The next version of gauge and head unit software will allow the user to select the year of the engine when one of the engine models listed above is selected. But, for right now, the best solution is to calibrate the fuel flow at least 3 times to get the equation corrected.

To update NMEA 2000 devices (i.e. Suzuki Engine Interface)



NOTE: Reprogram NMEA 2000 devices with the engine running to ensure adequate bus voltage

· Put the needed update files on an MMC or SD card (EP_20_SuzukiEngine_v200.luf)

· Put the card in the card slot of the head unit and press MENU twice on the head unit to access the Main Menu

· Scroll to the “Browse MMC Files…” menu option and press ENTER

o This will bring up a list of all the files on the memory card

· Scroll down to highlight file used to update the desired devices

o NOTE: Depending on the head unit used, you might have to press ENTER while the FILES bar at the top of the page is highlighted to access the file list

· Press ENTER with the file highlighted

o A pop-up window will appear named “File Information” showing the name of the file, the type, the size, and the date created in addition to the action buttons “Delete” and “Update”

· Highlight the “Update” button and press ENTER

o The unit will show an update screen with a fill bar for every device to be updated

· Enter YES to confirm the update

o Depending on age of the code currently in the device, you might have to confirm twice

· Once you have confirmed the update, the right side of the status bar should read “Ready”, then “Waiting”, then “Receiving” and the status bar should fill up and then the head unit should come back and say “Update Successful”

· The NMEA 2000 device is now updated

· Ensure that the devices have been updated by following the directions below

o On the head unit press Menu and select NMEA 2000

o Then select Bus Setup

o In the Bus Device list, select the device you just updated

o Verify that the Software version listed in the Device Information matches the version you just used to update the device



Once both the head unit and the Suzuki Engine Interface are updated you can utilize the engine on the network.



To do this the user first needs to set the Engine and Tank configuration on the head unit.

· Press MENU twice and select NMEA 2000, then Bus Setup

· At the bottom of the Bus Setup window is the Engine and Tank Configuration

· Select the appropriate number of engines and tanks from the drop down list, i.e. 1 Engine/1 Tank, 2 Engines/2 Tanks, etc.

· Enter the Tank Size for every tank indicated in the Engine and Tank Configuration list

· Select “Set Configuration” and confirm



Now that the Engine and Tank Configuration is entered, you can configure the Suzuki Engine Interface

· From the NMEA 2000 Bus Setup Window, select the Suzuki Engine Interface from the list of Network Devices

· In the Device Configuration window, select the location of the engine interface, i.e. Port, Center, Starboard

· Then select the Suzuki Engine Model, i.e. DF175, DF225, DF300, etc.

· The Suzuki Engine Interface is now configured and will output all the available data, including fuel management data like Fuel Flow, Fuel Used, Seasonal Fuel Used, and Trip Fuel Used. Also the Head Unit will be able to display Fuel Economy and Fuel Range

· Other data available from the Suzuki Engine Interface include:

o Trim

o RPM Alternator Voltage

o Hours Used

o Diagnostics

o And others depending on engine model



Engine diagnostics will pop-up on the head unit when first detected. After this, active warning can be seen by selecting NMEA 2000 Alarms from the NMEA 2000 menu option in the Main Menu and selecting the Alarm Status tab.

http://primus.lowrance.com/ search for ep20

[Wolfi]

Hi Shark,

many thanks for this really interesting answer.

I can´t remind a menu point to choose ´fuel sensor´ or ´engine interface´ for the fuel flow.

I know from a friend that it can be choosen at a Lowrance LFM.... instrument.

But at my LCX37c i couldn´t find it until now. But I keep searching for it.

If anyone is having more ideas, please write it here.

Any idea why engine type doesn´t get saved ?


Regards

Wolfgang

[Shark]

Originally Posted by Wolfi

Any idea why engine type doesn´t get saved ?

I have read of some problem when the ep20 has no enough voltage. Seem that can able to start or to save the configurations. Try to do the configurations when the engine is running so the voltage is high for sure.

If don't work try with software update of the plotter and the interface.

Can you read the other informations like rpm?

[Simon B]

Wolfgang, Shark,

Just had replay from a US dealer;

"From: George Jansen [mailto:GeorgeJansen@brownspoint.com]
Sent: 30 March 2010 13:56
To: Brookes, Simon {PI}
Subject: RE: From Service @ store.brownspoint.com

Simon,
I have not run into this situation yet but it does sound like a voltage problem. The module on the interface cable is supplied from the engine side of the cable and it is possible that when the engine cranks over the voltage drops causing the loss of memory.
• Have you installed the latest software update for the Lowerance unit from the Lowerance site?"

Also been ploughing through some US forums, seems the unit needs a minimum of 20 seconds with entered settings at stable voltage before it will save the settings and remember them.

My problem is though, that when the engine is running we cannot even see the device so I'm wondering if the engine side of it is not getting full voltage.