Smartcraft gauges

[bigeasy1]

Ok,i need some help,does anyone know who i can talk to regarding the Merc.smartcraft gauge and controll systems?I have called a lot of the so called repower specialists on the web,with less than good results.
They have big fancy websites raving about their prices and products,but when you call for tech help on smartcraft,you get responses like, i don't know, or i'm not sure,or i think so.
Even the local merc dealers seem to be lacking product knowledge on this.

I know that i'll be going with the 350MAG and Bravo I drive,and thought the smartcraft gauges,and the digital throttle and shift controll look very interesting.

I especially like the troll controll,which allows you to drop the rpms by ten right at the gauge.I also am interested in the DTS digital throttle and shift controll,which i guess is a fly by wire setup.

My boat will be fresh water only,so i'm not overly concerned about electronic corrosion of these systems.
If any of you can help with any info, or know of any engine sources or dealers or have any personal experience with this system,it would be a big help to me,and i'd appreciate hearing from you.
Thanks all

[1bayouboy]

I put a 350MAG MPI Horizon in a 24WAC Sailfish. I started with just the Monitor but upgraded to the Smartcraft Speedo, Tach, Voltmeter, Oil pressure and Temp gauges. There's a Smartcraft connector on the engine. Both the Tach and Speedo have a cable and each of those plus the cable from the engine connects into a hub like device, along with a terminating resistor. You also need cover caps for unused ports on the hub....if you use the four port hub then you're fine. The link gauges connect in series of the Smartcraft gauge. The connector on the cable from the engine is pretty large so make sure you have or leave enough clearance to run it....I ended up drilling a new hole just for it. You can order the length cable you need from the engine.

I didn't get the DTS part since I was replacing an older merc and the shift/throttle cables were in place. The Troll Control only works up to 800rpms....it might be different with DTS. That's too slow on my boat for anything but live bait trolling....off shore I troll around 1200rpms
using about 1.3gph of fuel.

The gauge info is great. Fuel use info is actually stored in the gauge and they both have fuel info which includes very accurate total and current rate. You can individually reset the total value on each gauge so I ended up only resetting the speedo when I fill up, and resetting the tach each trip. That way I have a total fuel used per trip and total since last fill up. In one off shore trip it said I used 81 gallons and that's exactly what it took to refill....that's pretty accurate in my book.

I still use the analog fuel gauge....I didn't change out the sending unit. It has to be one or the other, not both...so I just kept the analog guage.

The Horizon package is fresh water cooled, has an air drain system, remote oil filter and a garboard drain plug linked to hose that you can pull out the garboard plug to drain the engine oil. The air drain systems sticks down into the engine well about at the pulley level....I had to move my bilge pump as it was rule and was a little tall. The Horizon needs a secondary cooling water inlet so that was another hole in the bottom of the boat....starboard side making it easy to plumb to the strainer and then to Y-connector right behind the water pump and the bottom starboard side of the engine.

The installation CD is very good. All the connections are quick disconnects. Be sure to get an engine alignment tool and spend the time to get that as perfect as you can. I got the 1.5:1 gearing on Bravo 1....my boat was very heavy and I should have gone with the 1.62:1. I ended up using a 15 pitch Rev4 prop and with the higher gearing I could have went with a 17 pitch. Not too bad though....5500lb boat does 41 top end at around 5100rpm and cruise at 30 around 3500rpm.

All in all I like the package a lot. I ordered it from BAM Marine at www.go-fast.com They also have a parts site where you can do parts look up by picture and see exploded views of everything....good luck.

[SCSeacraft]

I have the Smartcraft 5000 on the 23.
What info are you looking for in paticular?
Donnie

[bigeasy1]

Thanks for the detailed information 1Bayouboy,it is much appreciated.I'll give Bam a call.thanks again.

Donnie,
My frustration, is that other than guys that actually have this stuff like you,and the previous post,retailers don't seem to know much about the system.

I've owned several boats and restored a few,and have a decent mechanical aptitude,but know nothing about the smartcraft.

I'd like to be able to have a dealer,or engine supplier tell me what would be best for my needs,and to be able to explain its use.

This boat will be used for one purpose,trolling for salmon on the great lakes.We fish anywhere from one to twenty miles from port,and frequently power out 15-20 miles and troll for eight to ten hours a day,with trolling speeds of around 2.5-3.5 mph.
I would like the fuel management,troll controll,tach,and all the standard stuff,but do i go with individual gauges,or the one that has everything on it.these are the questions i'd like answered from the dealer.

I was in the hardware business most of my life,and owned my own store for several years.When customers asked me what product would be best for their use,i was able to tell them and explain why.
I guess thats what i expect from marine dealers,product knowledge,not some "gee,the guy that knows this stuff is out today"

[1bayouboy]

The one with everything on it is the Smartcraft 5000. Video screen and a lot of detail. I was replacing existing analog gauges and the Smartcraft Gauges simply plugged right into the existing cutouts.....much better mounting system though. I think it's a little more expensive too.

The Speedo/Tach are called the SC1000 System Tach and Speedo. The video screen is the SC5000 System View....

List price on the SC5000 System View is $1212.

The SC1000 Tach with all the guages list is $579 and list on the SC1000 Speedo is $419. I had someone give me all the gauges so I only needed the Tach which is $341 list by itself.

The System View has a ton of info but you need the sensors to connect to it....and I like being able to glance at gauges. The Tach and Speedo can be set to display info on the digital screen....I usually have one set to fuel rate and one to something else........

Also.....note that if you want the speedo to work there is a "kit" that you need to add to the engine. The pitot tube normally runs from the inner transom assembly to the speedo at the helm.....using the Smartcraft speedo you need the kit which has a pressure sensor that goes on the rear port side of the engine (next to the PCM555 on mine)....it connects to the engine harness and the pitot tube from the transom assembly.

[SCSeacraft]

I had just raised my console to flush mount all of my gauges and electronics and had a blank,clean place to start.
If I had existing gauge holes to fill I think the individual smartcraft gauges would have been the way I would have gone.
I agree with 1bayouboy that the troll control is to slow for anything but live bait. The fuel management system is very accurate but the initial setup was a PITA,and I am still not sure if it has my full tank capacity correct.
I still have not hooked up a data cable to my gps so I am not sure about the navigation functions,the one I look foreward to is fuel burn to a specific waypoint.
I think the only option you have is to fly down here to South Carolina, we put our boats in and you can compare the 2 systems side by side and decide for yourself!
Donnie

[bigeasy1]

Bayouboy ,Damm,thank you very much for that excellent information on the smart craft.It's everything i needed. One last question,you mentioned that it's a pitot tube,not a paddle wheel speed sensor right?
Thanks again for the big help on the Smartcraft.

[1bayouboy]

You can get a paddle wheel sensor, but the Bravo 1 has a pitot tube pickup as well....there's an "insert and twist" connector from the gimbal housing to the drive unit...last thing to connect when you put the drive on, first thing to disconnect when you remove it....

There's a barb connector on the inside of the transom assembly. If you use the paddle wheel then you can cap off the pitot tube. The paddle wheel is more accurate, but I use the GPS anyway so one more thing NOT to mount on the transom.

Be sure to have a good place to mount the trim and tilt motor assembly. And make sure to check that the transom inner and outer faces are parallel....i.e. consistent thickness.

I went through the whole process and migrated from analog gauges to the smartcraft....I'm glad my experiences can be helpful....

So just FYI...
four port CAN bus junction box (hub).....
merc part "878492K 4"

Smartcraft J box terminating resistor part "859318B 1"

Pitot/speed sensor kit part "881879A 2"

Odd that I don't see a paddle wheel sensor in my catalog for the mercruiser...just the opti...but it is a 2005 issue.

I forgot to mention that my Bravo 1 came with analog trim/tilt senders...you may be able to order it with digital tilt-trim senders. After getting the smartcraft I wished I had it. On the other hand the analog gauge works okay. Since I started with analog gauges I already had the analog wiring harness. I had to leave it in place to connect the trim/tilt sensors to....and it's anice backup to have anyway.

I'm not sure what a package ordered with DTS would come with, but be sure to check it all out.

[1bayouboy]

And I agree with Donnie....come on down and we'll take them both out...

[bigeasy1]

Boy Donnie,that offer to fly down,and see for myself,is extremely hard to resist.I may take you up on that one of these days.
The travel channel has a program titled 1,000 things to do before you die,i think that may be one of them.

Thanks for your help