New install of SmartCraft analog gauges

[The T-Man]

Hi everyone,

I just purchased a 2008 Legend V151 Angler with a Mercury 50 HP outboard motor with about 20 hours on it. The boat and motor is in mint condition. The helm has no gauges whatsoever, so I'd like to add a basic gauge package.

Engine serial number is 1B710375.

Contacting dealers in the area has just been awful; many don't even know what SmartCraft is. I had one dealer tell me that SmartCraft didn't come with my year of motor....LOL.

I'm posting a new thread here as the other threads in the forum on the subject - while very informative - aren't specific to my outboard motor and it's a "new" install of gauges from scratch.

Pics attached shows what's dangling below the throttle controller and the wires going into it. I'm assuming this is the harness I need to connect to for gauges?

Any help with respect to what I need and sourcing out parts for the job would be greatly appreciated. I'd also love to get some input as to what that engine supports with respect to gauges; I'd like to add tach, speedo, oil level, voltage and trim if possible.

Fuel tanks are portable so no gauge required for fuel level, unless there's an option other than a passive floater gauge?

As a final note, I had a look at the engine and couldn't locate the yellow terminal resistor mentioned in other forums.

Thanks in advance for your guidance and input.

Cheers!

 

[Scott Danforth]

Just because the harness has a smartcraft pigtail does not mean your motor is smartcraft capable.

 

[The T-Man]

Thanks Scott...

I assumed that because the pigtail was there, it was supported.

I imagine many others make the same mistake.

Is there a way to determine by way of the serial#? Or is the lack of the yellow resistor terminal the obvious clue?

If it's not SmartCraft enabled, can it be installed and/or is there still a way to hook up analog gauges?

Cheers,

 

[Scott Danforth]

Thanks Scott...

I assumed that because the pigtail was there, it was supported.

I imagine many others make the same mistake.

Is there a way to determine by way of the serial#? Or is the lack of the yellow resistor terminal the obvious clue?

If it's not SmartCraft enabled, can it be installed and/or is there still a way to hook up analog gauges?

Cheers,

I am sure their is, however I would have to do some digging. However its your boat, I encourage you to do that digging

If it is supported, then you can buy a really expensive set of smartcraft gauges

if its not supported, then you can buy a really expensive set of smartcraft gauges and a NMEA 2000 CAN gateway for the motor..... OR..... an inexpensive set of gauges you want along with their senders.

on a 2-stroke motor, the 3 gauges I would want, Tach, Hour meter and water pressure. on a 4-stroke motor, the 4 gauges I would want are a Tach, Hour meter, Water Pressure and oil Pressure

the water pressure gauge is not smartcraft, however a pitot tube gauge.

 

[The T-Man]

I am sure their is, however I would have to do some digging. However its your boat, I encourage you to do that digging

If it is supported, then you can buy a really expensive set of smartcraft gauges

if its not supported, then you can buy a really expensive set of smartcraft gauges and a NMEA 2000 CAN gateway for the motor..... OR..... an inexpensive set of gauges you want along with their senders.

on a 2-stroke motor, the 3 gauges I would want, Tach, Hour meter and water pressure. on a 4-stroke motor, the 4 gauges I would want are a Tach, Hour meter, Water Pressure and oil Pressure

the water pressure gauge is not smartcraft, however a pitot tube gauge.

Hey Scott....

Digging indeed. I have no problem doing that; prefer to learn as I go....but help along the way is always nice ;-).

Thanks for your input here.....just want to clarify:

"OR..... an inexpensive set of gauges you want along with their senders...."

Do you mean the senders from the NMEA 2000 CAN gateway, or
do the Mercury engines of the 2008 vintage come with basic wiring for basic gauges?

In other words, I'd run my own wiring. I did see a couple of blanks hanging (brown and black).

Basic is the route to go. The boat has limited space on the helm dash to accomodate gauges in the first place and in the second it's a basic outboard motor and boat.

I hear you on the tach, water pressure and hour meter. I always glanced at trim to make sure I'm down before launching and then oil level so I'm never below half. The engine has a window on it but those are a recipe for eye strain.

Will investigate further today on SmartCraft status and post findings.

Thanks again for your help, Scott.

 

[The T-Man]

Hey Scott....

Digging indeed. I have no problem doing that; prefer to learn as I go....but help along the way is always nice ;-).

Thanks for your input here.....just want to clarify:

"OR..... an inexpensive set of gauges you want along with their senders...."

Do the Mercury engines of the 2008 vintage come with basic wiring for basic gauges?

In other words, I'd run my own wiring. I did see a couple of blanks hanging (brown and black).

The NMEA gateway Basic is the route to go. The boat has limited space on the helm dash to accomodate gauges in the first place and in the second it's a basic outboard motor and boat.

I hear you on the tach, water pressure and hour meter. I always glanced at trim to make sure I'm down before launching and then oil level so I'm never below half. The engine has a window on it but those are a recipe for eye strain.

Will investigate further today on SmartCraft status and post findings.

Thanks again for your help, Scott.

Hey Scott....

Digging indeed. I have no problem doing that; prefer to learn as I go....but help along the way is always nice ;-).

Thanks for your input here.....just want to clarify:

"OR..... an inexpensive set of gauges you want along with their senders...."

Do you mean the senders from the NMEA 2000 CAN gateway, or
do the Mercury engines of the 2008 vintage come with basic wiring for basic gauges?

In other words, I'd run my own wiring. I did see a couple of blanks hanging (brown and black).

Basic is the route to go. The boat has limited space on the helm dash to accomodate gauges in the first place and in the second it's a basic outboard motor and boat.

I hear you on the tach, water pressure and hour meter. I always glanced at trim to make sure I'm down before launching and then oil level so I'm never below half. The engine has a window on it but those are a recipe for eye strain.

Will investigate further today on SmartCraft status and post findings.

Thanks again for your help, Scott.

 

[The T-Man]

OK....went at this Old School.

Found some Merc wiring color codes and went from there.

Using the test light, the wiring block has two (switched) power feeds, ground, sends for tach, oil level and voltage. I'm guessing this wiring block (pigtail under the helm throttle control) was purpose built for helm gauges on a 2008 Legend V151 Angler Boat.

I'll need to run trim and temp sends through the wiring boot from the motor (brown/white and tan respectively).

Only thing I can't figure out is:

Two leads (yellow) I'm guessing is from the starter solenoid and a green lead and white lead I can't identify purpose.

So, I'm wondering what gauges that might require two sends? Oil level and warning/alarm, perhaps?

Also, any thoughts on whether one of the leads is an hour meter send (green)?

I ordered a 10 pin male wiring block so I can break out the wiring while leaving the pigtail on the boat intact. There'll be some soldering and shrink wrap to match wire color, but that's easy; I'll make up a little harness with wire loom.

Getting there, for sure. At least I know what I can order for gauges.