NMEA to ipad, android, plotter or what?

Paul_S · 23 September 2016, 18:57

OK, for those following the forum, I have been bugging the members for advice regarding displaying fuel flow & engine data from my 2012 Mercury Fourstroke.

Have narrowed it down to the following, I need a Mercury Gateway which will plug into the outboard to gauges cable/socket behind my helm.

I purchased said Gateway and looked behind my helm, with a view to connecting it to the plotter (HDS Gen 2). Obviously life is never that simple and I need a NMEA starter kit to power the network (currently winging it's way to me from Pikey Dave) and a junction box kit to connect to the gauges plug. That is being delivered from Mercury next week.

I keep my boat 350 miles from where I live, so that obviously causes tons of delays, but nevertheless, I HOPE to have the plotter displaying the info a week on Saturday.

All that long winded drivel leads to the follow...what do you guys display your engine data on?

Obviously I can use the HDS plotter, but was thinking of a secondary display. Another plotter is a possibility, but I have an assortment of tablets (Ipads and Androids) that are collecting dust and wondered if anyone had utilised those. I understand I can connect a wifi adaptor to the NMEA network, has anyone tried this.

Any other suggestions?

Xk59D · 23 September 2016, 19:14

You can buy nmea to wif adapters to get data onto an ipad, no experience of it myself but it is possible. Would need to look into it some more but the convertors are circa 175 quid plus whatever the app costs.

This would do you if your hds is compatible http://hudsonmarine.co.uk/index.php?...CwwaAmR98P8HAQ

I display nmea on both my plotters which are a Garmin 5 and 7" respectively.

gpsguru · 24 September 2016, 12:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul_S

OK, for those following the forum, I have been bugging the members for advice regarding displaying fuel flow & engine data from my 2012 Mercury Fourstroke.

Have narrowed it down to the following, I need a Mercury Gateway which will plug into the outboard to gauges cable/socket behind my helm.

I purchased said Gateway and looked behind my helm, with a view to connecting it to the plotter (HDS Gen 2). Obviously life is never that simple and I need a NMEA starter kit to power the network (currently winging it's way to me from Pikey Dave) and a junction box kit to connect to the gauges plug. That is being delivered from Mercury next week.

I keep my boat 350 miles from where I live, so that obviously causes tons of delays, but nevertheless, I HOPE to have the plotter displaying the info a week on Saturday.

All that long winded drivel leads to the follow...what do you guys display your engine data on?

Obviously I can use the HDS plotter, but was thinking of a secondary display. Another plotter is a possibility, but I have an assortment of tablets (Ipads and Androids) that are collecting dust and wondered if anyone had utilised those. I understand I can connect a wifi adaptor to the NMEA network, has anyone tried this.

Any other suggestions?

I went through the same process of deciding whether to bring the data up on my Garmin 95SV or whether to go down the mercury smartcraft route. In the end I decided to go with the Mercury option and used an SC1000 tacho ............ this gives me all the functionality I need with Fuel flow, fuel used, oil pressure, engine temp, engine alarms etc.

matata · 24 September 2016, 19:29

Hi GPSguru, we've just got a garmin 95sv. not fitted it yet. We have a yam f115 four stroke 2010. By adding a bit of bit of kit can we display fuel data on our garmin. you've obviously done your research and decided on a separate fuel clock. Why? Nik

Paul_S · 25 September 2016, 07:14

I really like the idea of the wifi set up and the GoFree app. The only thing is does anyone know if the display on yr device just mirrors the display on the plotter. I know the HDS Touch allows you to control the plotter where my non touch plotter only allows for the display.

willk · 25 September 2016, 09:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul_S

I really like the idea of the wifi set up and the GoFree app. The only thing is does anyone know if the display on yr device just mirrors the display on the plotter. I know the HDS Touch allows you to control the plotter where my non touch plotter only allows for the display.

I have wifi running with both a HDS Gen2 and a Gen2 Touch. The GoFree screen is a repeated version of either display and cannot be used for alternative display. I haven't tried to use it with the HDS button only - makes sense it wouldn't operate!

Paul_S · 25 September 2016, 09:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

I have wifi running with both a HDS Gen2 and a Gen2 Touch. The GoFree screen is a repeated version of either display and cannot be used for alternative display. I haven't tried to use it with the HDS button only - makes sense it wouldn't operate!

I believe if you do a software update on the button only plotter it will work as display...but never allow you to control it.

gpsguru · 25 September 2016, 12:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by matata

Hi GPSguru, we've just got a garmin 95sv. not fitted it yet. We have a yam f115 four stroke 2010. By adding a bit of bit of kit can we display fuel data on our garmin. you've obviously done your research and decided on a separate fuel clock. Why? Nik

Hi Nik,

Price wise there wasn't much in it ............. the deciding factor was to have all the info on the rev counter rather than a separate screen on the 95SV. You need a rev counter anyway, so it seemed a good plan to make more use of it for a little extra expense.

We do a lot of fishing, so the 95SV is normally a split screen (Combo 3) between the chart and the sonar .............. on the Smartcraft SC1000 I usually keep the display set to L/hour / Fuel used.

Garmin are pretty good at what they do and I can tell you that the 95SV displays the data OK as a friend as an Offshore 21 with pod mounted twin Zuk's and he displays all his engine data on multiple 95 SV's (3)

9D280 · 25 September 2016, 13:16

Would you be cheaper and possibly easier to get an NMEA2k data display?
Alternatively I have been toying with an old plotter just set up to show data thus leaving the plotter screen free.

Also means if both have charts loaded set one to decimal lat / long and the other to dd-mm-ss for the mayday shout that will inevitably be in the opposite format to your plotter setup. ....

mikew4 · 28 September 2016, 19:16

I have an XS 6.5 RIB on order, due for delivery mid Oct. Being glassed this week I believe.

I have been through the "which plotter" problem and finalised my order with the Garmin Echomap 95SV. I felt that the small incremental cost of the Mercury Gateway and the NMEA network starter cost was too cheap to ignore, and went for that too. It would p*ss me off knowing that I coul have engine data displayed on the plotter, but I had been a cheap skate and not got the cheap gateway :-)

XS Ribs are fitting it all for me and will report back here when I have collected the boat and had a play !

I am a bit of a sucker for tech (I work in tech) so will likely go for the WiFi option at later date too...

Paul_S · 29 September 2016, 08:51

I think after looking around that the second plotter option is probably the best. It's a shame about the wifi option, that would have been great if the tablet could have displayed different information than the plotter.

willk · 29 September 2016, 09:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikew4

I am a bit of a sucker for tech (I work in tech) so will likely go for the WiFi option at later date too...

FYI - a buddy built my Wifi module for me from components, worked a treat. I'll ask him what went into it...

Paul_S · 29 September 2016, 12:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

FYI - a buddy built my Wifi module for me from components, worked a treat. I'll ask him what went into it...

I would be interested in that too

sailrib · 30 September 2016, 01:21

These are far from cheap but it does exactly what your asking for.
NMEA 2000 networking to wifi. You'll get all your navigation data or anything connected to NMEA 2000 sent out to wifi to your smart phone, iPad or laptop.

Digital Yacht - NAVLINK WIRELESS NMEA2000 SERVER

I know there is another ones that does the same thing but much cheaper.

Here are some more to check out:

http://www.shipmodul.com/en/index.html

http://brookhouseonline.com/nmea_multiplexer.htm

I believe the Lowrance on first page only mirrors the screen your on but not sure, you should clarify that first. If it does more than that like the ones I listed, it's a great price.

The ones above is straight data sent out & received via wi-fi to the app your using.

Paul_S · 02 October 2016, 07:59

OK, hooked up the network...success. First at idle, second at cruise:

willk · 02 October 2016, 11:48

A random question P., have you updated the software on the plotter since new?

mikew4 · 02 October 2016, 11:48

That looks good ! Will post pix of my guages (via merc gateway) on Garmin Echomap 95sv when i get the boat later this month.

Paul_S · 02 October 2016, 20:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

A random question P., have you updated the software on the plotter since new?

Nope, is it fairly easy to do?

willk · 02 October 2016, 20:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul_S

Nope, is it fairly easy to do?

It really is. Download this: HDS Gen2 Version 4.0 - LOWRANCE | Marine Electronics
Stick it on a SD card and feed it to the Plotter, which will do the rest.

You'll get Autorouting as a totally free gift from Lowrance