Looking to install Command Link fuel monitoring

[captn tj]

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?

[fairdeal]

I'm looking forward to learning from Boscoe on this one -
but in the meantime -
have you looked at your engine wiring harness to see if you do in fact have the "Command Link" connector"?

[captn tj]

fairdeal - haven't gotten that far yet. I'm assuming the harness is there although I'm not sure where to look for it. The boat has Faria analog instruments including speedo, tach, trim and fuel level. On the latter I assume it's just a feed from a float type sensor in the fuel tank.

[boscoe99]

What is the complete engine serial number? Begins with a 6 as in 69J

[captn tj]

69jx1018505

[boscoe99]

69jx1018505

According to Yamaha's records this engine serial number is not supposed to have Command Link capability. But, sometimes their records are wrong about this.

Look inside the engine pan up near the front. You are looking for a bright refrigerator white four pin connector. It should have a cap on it. The connector will have only two wires going to it, one blue and one white.

Can you find the connector?

Here is what it will look like. Dig deep.

https://www.google.com/search?q=yama...HAKYpfo-TwM%3A

[captn tj]

thanks - picture worth a thousand words - will check it out this weekend. I assume if it isn't there then my best bet is a garmin fuel sensor or equivalent mated to a compatible chartplotter?

[Reel Kahuna]

That's what I had on my F150, Garmin fuel sensor that registered close to .3 gal difference between actual fill-up and gauge.

[boscoe99]

thanks - picture worth a thousand words - will check it out this weekend. I assume if it isn't there then my best bet is a garmin fuel sensor or equivalent mated to a compatible chartplotter?

Yes. Yes. I say yes twice because yes once is too short for this message to go through.

[captn tj]

Boscoe99,

I believe I found the plug you mentioned. Not a great picture but it does have two wires going into it and is capped off.

[fairdeal]

Boscoe99,

I believe I found the plug you mentioned. Not a great picture but it does have two wires going into it and is capped off.

(not Boscoe, but) looks right - I can see a white wire - if the other is blue, that's it.

btw, you mention you have a N2K capable chartplotter

you _may_ be able to simply go direct to that (via an adapter cable to an N2K backbone)

for under $100.

I think any "Command Link" instrument is somewhat more than tha...

[captn tj]

(not Boscoe, but) looks right - I can see a white wire - if the other is blue, that's it.

btw, you mention you have a N2K capable chartplotter

you _may_ be able to simply go direct to that (via an adapter cable to an N2K backbone)

for under $100.

I think any "Command Link" instrument is somewhat more than tha...

On the adapter cable to n2k buss: Does anyone know the infomation I'll get on the chartplotter?

[boscoe99]

You have one more hurdle to overcome. That is, do you have the correct ECU that outputs the data. Hopefully so, but you won't know until you connect the CL plug in the engine to an NMEA 2000 network via a Lowrance type cable. 0120-37.

You should get engine RPM, engine trim, fuel flow, oil pressure, engine block temperature, voltage, engine hours and some other stuff that I forget at the moment.

http://www.lowrance.com/Global/Lowra...Connection.pdf

[fairdeal]

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

[rodbolt17]

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.

first D model F150 I tried to rig with command link never did work correctly. we finally rerigged it with a 6y5 package.