Looking to install Command Link fuel monitoring

[captn tj]

you may even have another "hurdle" - what make/model chartplotter would you connect to?

I have a F225TXRD - manuf'd 11/04 - with a "-30" ECU

I was pleasantly surprised to find the harness has the Command Link connector

so I connected to a Garmin GPSMAP 740s via "the Lowrance cable"/N2K backbone

worked great! enjoyed the use of it for over a year

then I upgraded to a newer Garmin 7608 - now there's some kind of compatibility issue -

the Garmin "sees" the yamaha - but only momentarily before losing it - and so on, and so on, and so on

Fairdeal, I'm trying to connect it to a new Garmin 547xs. What I think you're saying is that I need to get a Yamaha connector/harness which would terminate to a Lowrance cable/n2k backbone and then connect directly to the Garmin. Is that correct?

[boscoe99]

Fairdeal, I'm trying to connect it to a new Garmin 547xs. What I think you're saying is that I need to get a Yamaha connector/harness which would terminate to a Lowrance cable/n2k backbone and then connect directly to the Garmin. Is that correct?

Not directly to the Garmin. The data has to go through an NMEA 2000 powered network.

Engine connector > Lowrance cable > NMEA 2000 network > Garmin.

Just follow the diagram on the first page of the diagram that I linked you to.

[fairdeal]

Fairdeal, I'm trying to connect it to a new Garmin 547xs.

Then I fear that I may have needlessly "muddied the waters" in this thread.

I also have a 547xs, and it has the same "good news, bad news" issue:
it will display the engine data - looks very nice!
but after "about a minute" connectivity is lost
within less than a minute, it automatically "reconnects"
but the "gap" is annoying and makes it USELESS for total fuel consumption

very disappointing - because the older Garmin 740s worked perfectly!

here's what the 547 looks like - while its working

[fairdeal]

some of the early D model yamaha's were supposed to support command link and NEMA 2000 stuff.
some simply would not even though the plug was there.

by the late production 05 (D) models it was mostly resolved.

Am I correct in thinking that was due to a different "dash number" ECU?

[boscoe99]

An F225TXRD came with a -30 ECU.

An F225TXR came with a -31 ECU.

Supposedly the -31 has Command Link compatibility whereas the -30 should not have it. But, it might.

Yamaha is weak on configuration control.

[captn tj]

An F225TXRD came with a -30 ECU.

An F225TXR came with a -31 ECU.

Supposedly the -31 has Command Link compatibility whereas the -30 should not have it. But, it might.

Yamaha is weak on configuration control.

Sorry for the protracted posts - where can I find the number? And does it matter if I'm trying to connect it to the Garmin 547xs?

[fairdeal]

the number is "engraved" into the part itself - which is mounted to the upper front of the engine
(visible after removing the air intake stuff)

it MAY make the "all" the difference to your interest

As I said above, my F225TXRD has a "-30" ECU,

and although the NMEA2000 data worked flawlessly with my Garmin 740s

but since I've upgraded to a 547xs (and 7608) it no longer works properly

apparently the "-30" ECU had a "not ready for prime time" NMEA2000 capability

which doesn't play well with the latest Garmin equipment

[boscoe99]

Sorry for the protracted posts - where can I find the number? And does it matter if I'm trying to connect it to the Garmin 547xs?

What matters is if it works, or not. According to rawdeal the -30 works on his motor. Other folks have found the same. According to Yamaha it is not supposed to. I side with rawdeal. Only way that you will know for sure is to make the connection and see what happens. You will only be out the cost of a Lowrance cable, which you might be able to return if the ECU does not work.

Good luck.

[fairdeal]

Just bought a used 2005 center console with a 2005 F225TXRD. The boat doesn't have fuel monitoring so looking to add a commandlink square gauge. Is this a relatively simple process or am I better off installating a Garmin GFS10 with a nmea 2000 feed to my chartplotter?

Circling back to the original post -
you will need a NMEA 2000 "starter kit" for either the "Lowrance cable" discussed or a GFS10

I am having excellent results with a GFS10 and F225TXRD (and Garmin plotter)

The fuel consumption reported is very accurate - and if I wanted to bother,
I could quantify / calibrate to fine tune it further

One idiosyncrasy - below 1200 rpms, when the fuel flow to the engine is intermittent
this makes for ludicrous values - if you are watching the display
but I believe contributes to the overall accuracy
since the flowmeter is not challenged with a very low flow rate

[captn tj]

Thanks everyone for the replies - while I will check the type of ECU I think I'll end up with the GFS 10/NMEA hook-up vs attempting the commandlink. I am concerned about intermittent info on the 547xs

[99yam40]

Just because he had that problem does not mean you will,
Seems to me if it communicates then it should work.

Maybe a bad connection, like loosing cable TV signals from time to time where I just had to take apart connectors and put them back together, but I really do not know much about this stuff

[fairdeal]

F225TXRD with "later model" ECU

this thread made me stop procrastinating and install the used -31 ECU I picked up cheaply a while back

as expected, night/day difference in communication with the Garmin plotters

the Garmin stays connected to the NMEA2000 data with no "dropping"

its receiving from the ECU its part#, software version - and operating hours

NONE of that was seen with the -30 ECU,
even though the actual engine parameters were making it to the Garmin 740s.

So next I "go for the gusto" and see how the engine runs with the "wrong" (?) ECU.....