Victron NMEA 2000 & MFD integration guide

Wireless temp monitoring only compatible with Ruuvi Tags. I use Sensor Push to monitor the cabin and engine room. Ruuvi tags are cheap, but still a few $$. The 3 Ruuvi tags are monitoring the 3 fridge freezers I have onboard. I think there is a 4 tag limit. If it was more than 4 I would switch completely.

What temp sensor data on N2K are you referring to? I'll have to go look to see, but all the temps I'm concerned with here I think I can see on the my Raymarine. I think its limited by the MFD and the PGN's they allow (Raymarine is limited in that regard).. If that is in this thread, let me know, I was blasting through it, may need to reread to get caught up.

Next time up, Ill see if I cant get a screen shot.
 
I HATE firmware updates!! The Multiplus last firmware allowed shore power to power all the small AC and DC loads for the Victron system. The most constant load was the Cerbo that draws about 5W... NO constant drain on the battery and constant charge/discharge cycles. Unfortunately that is back...Grrrrr.

1700844129108.png
 
Here is the graph for the last 90 days...

The small peaks are the weekly top up charge that I recently changed to every 30 days. Voltage was quite steady.

The big drop off at the end if the firmware change where there s now a small but constant drain on the battery.

1700844382356.png
 
dtfeld said:
Wireless temp monitoring only compatible with Ruuvi Tags. I use Sensor Push to monitor the cabin and engine room. Ruuvi tags are cheap, but still a few $$. The 3 Ruuvi tags are monitoring the 3 fridge freezers I have onboard. I think there is a 4 tag limit. If it was more than 4 I would switch completely.

What temp sensor data on N2K are you referring to? I'll have to go look to see, but all the temps I'm concerned with here I think I can see on the my Raymarine. I think its limited by the MFD and the PGN's they allow (Raymarine is limited in that regard).. If that is in this thread, let me know, I was blasting through it, may need to reread to get caught up.

Next time up, Ill see if I cant get a screen shot.
Click to expand...
I have three hardwired Temperature sensors (Port/Starboard Engine Room and Solon) plugged into the Cerbo. I can see them remotely anywhere via internet or wifi/bluetooth on the boat but I cannot see the Temperature sensors on my Garmin 8616 MFD. I have read on the Victron forum page that Victron has NOT made this available.

Another question, how are you receiving the AC Voltage information on your Dashboard? Do you have a AC Voltage sensor that provides that info?
 
rlynch03 said:
I have three hardwired Temperature sensors (Port/Starboard Engine Room and Solon) plugged into the Cerbo. I can see them remotely anywhere via internet or wifi/bluetooth on the boat but I cannot see the Temperature sensors on my Garmin 8616 MFD. I have read on the Victron forum page that Victron has NOT made this available.

Another question, how are you receiving the AC Voltage information on your Dashboard? Do you have a AC Voltage sensor that provides that info?
Click to expand...
Victron Multiplus provides the AC data.
 
rlynch03 said:
I have three hardwired Temperature sensors (Port/Starboard Engine Room and Solon) plugged into the Cerbo. I can see them remotely anywhere via internet or wifi/bluetooth on the boat but I cannot see the Temperature sensors on my Garmin 8616 MFD. I have read on the Victron forum page that Victron has NOT made this available.

Another question, how are you receiving the AC Voltage information on your Dashboard? Do you have a AC Voltage sensor that provides that info?
Click to expand...
I'll have to look at what data shows up on my MFD, but a lot of my N2K engine data is via Maretron and other devices.

Victron Inverter/Charger provides that data. Not sure if you can add a stand alone AC monitor...
 
dtfeld said:
I HATE firmware updates!! The Multiplus last firmware allowed shore power to power all the small AC and DC loads for the Victron system. The most constant load was the Cerbo that draws about 5W... NO constant drain on the battery and constant charge/discharge cycles. Unfortunately that is back...Grrrrr.

View attachment 154668
Click to expand...
Looks like a new firmware update corrected the issue where power was being constantly drained from the inverter bank.


1702835777120.png
 
I'm a fan of GuiMods! GuiMods made it very apparent that a firmware update was available and made it very easy to update.
 
A bit late to this one but curious if anyone has made up their own Victron to nmea cable? Curious on the pin out?
 
Irie308 said:
Came across this. Seems simple enough. Any idea what the power cable is for on the one that Victron sells?

The one they sell:
Click to expand...
I bought that exact cable. Works fine. I'd have to look and see if I have the manual/cut sheet that came with it, but off the top of my head, I didn't connect power to it. As Orlando stated, I think it's a fused bridged link

As far as making it? It's a little expensive (as are most cables), but I decided long ago, that trying to build these little one off specialty cables (especially if a specialty crimper or tool is required) usually is less cost effective. Finding and sourcing the connectors is a ROYAL PITA!
 
Irie308 said:
Came across this. Seems simple enough. Any idea what the power cable is for on the one that Victron sells?

The one they sell:
Click to expand...
Pin 7 on the Victron VE-Bus RJ45 connector is CAN Hi and Pin 8 is CAN Lo
Pin 4 on the NMEA 2000 Device net connector is NET Hi and Pin 5 is NET Lo

If your NMEA 2000 system is powered do not connect power from or to the Victron equipment.
If the Victron is the beginning of your network then you'll have to install a 120 ohm resistor across CAN Hi and CAN Lo.
CAN Hi and NET Hi as well as CAN Lo and NET Lo are synonyms.
 
Thanks for all the info. I was able to make up the cable from spare components I already had. $70 for essentially a few $$ worth of components was just bugging me.

Next question is how easy is it to get tank level info to the cerbo gx?
 
Irie308 said:
Thanks for all the info. I was able to make up the cable from spare components I already had. $70 for essentially a few $$ worth of components was just bugging me.

Next question is how easy is it to get tank level info to the cerbo gx?
Click to expand...
$70 is REALLY bugging me now! I paid $100 for it last year. So much for inflation.

As to tank levels...

I have 4 tanks monitored, 3 using Maretron TLM-100's (2 x fuel tanks and 1 on the fresh water tank). I used a GX Tank 140 with a pressure transducer sensor to add monitoring to the waste tank. The Maretron solution is much easier especially if the tank is square/rectangular (all you have to do is program the tank volume and you have pretty accurate readings). If the tank is odd shaped either solution with require you to calibrate the system by filling and converting the sensor read out to the known level. Not hard, but can be a pain. Since the waste tank is rectangular, I was able to calibrate at home just using a section of pipe to calibrate the 10 points needed for the Victron table (its linear).

I used the GX Tank 140 with the pressure transducer more as a science project to see if I could make it work. I used this Panbo article to make it work. --> https://panbo.com/tank-monitoring-with-victron-gx-tank-140-accuracy-matters/



Instead of the plastic deck plate, I installed aluminum fuel level adapter so that if I didn't like the pressure sender solution, I could go back and quickly swap in a Maretron TLM.

1709904302541.png
 
One other Note.

Once you have the tanks on the network, they can be displayed on any N2K device including the VRM Portal, the local Victron display my Raymarine Axioms and the Maretron 410's.

The readings when stationary are very accurate (I'd estimate with in a couple gallons).

The only downside to these systems is they are not accurate, or may not read at all underway (especially fuel) as it nearly impossible to get focus tubes into the tanks were Sea Ray put them.

1709904851203.png
 
Great info. Thanks! so it looks as if I can't tap into my existing resistive sensors? I have to drill new holes?
 
Irie308 said:
Great info. Thanks! so it looks as if I can't tap into my existing resistive sensors? I have to drill new holes?
Click to expand...
For the waste and water, I chose to add a port to allow the existing tank level monitors to remain in place and everything on the main panel works as it did from the factory.

That 5 hole adapter allowed me to add a number of different senders, but also add a sealed plate if I ever just wanted to cap it off and seal it up. You could modify the existing sender parts, but they are kinda expensive

If you still have analog fuel gauges, use the Maretron TLA-100. You'll connect it to the back of the existing gauges.

1709909952307.png
 
If your looking for any remote Temperature monitoring, the Ruuvi Tags are easily integrated as well. You just need to link them via the Cerbo's BT connection. Very Convenient. My only complaint is you are limited to 4 temp tags (last I checked).

Ideally, I need 5. I have three I use to monitor the fridge/freezer temps as I tend to keep food onboard. I would also like to monitor the engine room and cabin temps. I've been using Sensor Push gateway and tags for that. If I figure out a way to do more than 4, I'll ditch the Sensor Push.
 
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