2022 Yamaha 300hp 4-stroke Command Link NMEA

[TBarCYa]

Hello all.... I just bought a new boat with a Yamaha 300hp outboard (my first outboard in a long time) and I'm trying to get it connected to my NMEA 2000 backbone so I can see engine data on the chartplotter. I searched this forum and the Internet and the information is not clear to me.

As I understand it command link uses NMEA2k and if I remove the NMEA cable from the Yamaha gauge (touchscreen, color, single display, 6yc I believe) and connect it to the backbone the Garmin identifies the engine but since it wasn't in the water I didn't start it to see if there was any data. I did not see the battery voltage or any temperatures from the engine so I'm guessing it was only partially successful. If I then added another cable from the backbone to the 6yc it didn't light up, presumably because it needs to get power from the bus which is not provided by the NMEA backbone or because it wasn't able to talk to the engine on the Yamaha bus.

From what I have seen there are three ways to make this happen but I don't know which is the right one. First, and my preferred, would be to use a cable that has the Yamaha connector on one end and NMEA2k on the other and connects the bus to the backbone. Simple and cheap. Second would be to find the connector on the engine and use that BUT I'm fairly certain that there's only one and it's used to connect to the bus which I assume is how the throttle, key and trim are all connected so I don't know if this is an option. Last, and my least favorite, would be to use a "Gateway" box to extend the Yamaha bus to the NMEA backbone.

Since I already have the Yamaha to NMEA cable I want to try it but the question is where do I plug it into the Yamaha bus? There are device ports and bus ports and from what I have found the bus ports are for extending the bus and are where I would connect the gateway (according to page 3 of this doc https://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/Yamaha/Yamaha_Engine_NMEA_2000_Connection.pdf) but it requires removing the already installed terminator. I also believe the bus ports are 6 pin instead of 4 pin like the device ports but I'm not sure. Since the NMEA backbone is terminated I would guess that this is not a problem but I really don't know. Can I simply plug it into a device port to receive the data? That's how the CL display is connected.

 

[dingbat]

If you have Command Link Plus, CLP and Nema2k are not compatible. You need a 6‐pin Command‐Link Plus Gateway cable MAR‐GTWAY‐KT‐00.

 

[TBarCYa]

If you have Command Link Plus, CLP and Nema2k are not compatible. You need a 6‐pin Command‐Link Plus Gateway cable MAR‐GTWAY‐KT‐00.

How do I know which I have? I know the bus has 4-pin device plugs that are available and it looks like the only 6-pin are the ones that link the two hubs together.

 

[TBarCYa]

More research has revealed that there should be a CL (4-pin) connector coming off the binnacle that I should be able to use to get engine data (even if the bus is CL+) but not fuel. I assume that the "not fuel" means not the fuel level since that is wired directly into the 6YC so I'm hoping that there will be fuel flow data in the CL connector because that will accomplish my goal. Not only do I want the gauges on the Garmin but with fuel flow data I can have the Garmin do all of the fun fuel calculations like distance to empty, approximate fuel remaining, etc.... Which I assume the 6YC can also do but I'm used to the Garmin interface for it.

 

[dingbat]

How do I know which I have? I know the bus has 4-pin device plugs that are available and it looks like the only 6-pin are the ones that link the two hubs together.

Read the attachment you posted above.

AS FYI....
From Garmin...

Can a J1939 Engine be Connected to the NMEA 2000 Network​

Some marine engine manufacturers utilize the J1939 protocol to communicate via the CAN system. J1939 and NMEA 2000 use the same message formats, but the method of sending that data differs. J1939 manufacturers "hard code" the node address for each product connected on a network, where NMEA 2000 is considered a "plug-and-play" system that assigns node addresses automatically when connected to the NMEA 2000 network. NMEA 2000 is an easier method of installation between various marine devices. J1939 engines often have gateways that allow them to connect to the NMEA 2000 network, but if the engine is a J1939, some proprietary sentences are not read via the NMEA 2000 network.

There are a couple of engine manufacturers found in pleasure crafts that use the J1939 interface, like Yamaha and the Volvo Penta . Garmin makes a line of GPSMAP units with the J1939 port that allows for engine data to be shared with the Garmin Chartplotter.

• J1939 engines will require a specialized cable from the engine manufacturer.
• J1939 engines can connect to the NMEA 2000 network but require a gateway that is sold by the engine manufacturer. Some engine proprietary sentences will not transmit via NMEA 2000.

 

[boscoe99]

How do I know which I have? I know the bus has 4-pin device plugs that are available and it looks like the only 6-pin are the ones that link the two hubs together.

You have both.

The four pin connector is Command Link. NMEA 2000.

The six pin connector is Command Link Plus. J1939.

 

[TBarCYa]

You have both.

The four pin connector is Command Link. NMEA 2000.

The six pin connector is Command Link Plus. J1939.

That sounds like good news. I'm not sure what information the CL(NEMA2k) will provide but I'll find out soon enough. Is it safe to assume that the 4-pin connectors on the Yamaha bus are also NMEA2k? It may be easier to use one of those to connect to the backbone than going to the binnacle but I don't know for sure.

 

[boscoe99]

No.

 

[TBarCYa]

I've been doing more research and I figured out that it's the CL5 display not the 6YC. In addition, the CL5 manual states that it can connect to a NMEA2k network to share data from devices but it doesn't say anything about providing engine data on the NMEA2k network. And since there is only one NMEA connector (labeled engine) there's no way to have it connected to the Yamaha bus and the NMEA2k at the same time.

I thought my path forward would be the 4-pin connector coming off the binnacle but the only 4-pin I found didn't have the blue-white wires so I aborted the mission. Since everything is neatly tied together I basically looked around until I found something. What I did find is a 6-pin with blue and white so I'm wondering if they used the 4-pin to connect to the bus and left the 6-pin open but there is a 6-pin on the BUS connector of the hub. It's confusing and I guess I won't figure it all out until I'm willing to cut a thousand cable ties and trace everything. The one thing I do know is that when I connect from the hub to the backbone, using the cable I have, it identifies the display and one other device but the other device has no information so I can't tell what it is. It could be the engine or it could be the binnacle I guess. Maybe I have to actually start the engine to get it to identify to the NMEA2k but the CL5 shows battery voltage at the engine but the Garmin does not so I know the data is there. I'll learn more when I start it I guess.

 

[dingbat]

I've been doing more research and I figured out that it's the CL5 display not the 6YC. In addition, the CL5 manual states that it can connect to a NMEA2k network to share data from devices but it doesn't say anything about providing engine data on the NMEA2k network. And since there is only one NMEA connector (labeled engine) there's no way to have it connected to the Yamaha bus and the NMEA2k at the same time.

I thought my path forward would be the 4-pin connector coming off the binnacle but the only 4-pin I found didn't have the blue-white wires so I aborted the mission. Since everything is neatly tied together I basically looked around until I found something. What I did find is a 6-pin with blue and white so I'm wondering if they used the 4-pin to connect to the bus and left the 6-pin open but there is a 6-pin on the BUS connector of the hub. It's confusing and I guess I won't figure it all out until I'm willing to cut a thousand cable ties and trace everything. The one thing I do know is that when I connect from the hub to the backbone, using the cable I have, it identifies the display and one other device but the other device has no information so I can't tell what it is. It could be the engine or it could be the binnacle I guess. Maybe I have to actually start the engine to get it to identify to the NMEA2k but the CL5 shows battery voltage at the engine but the Garmin does not so I know the data is there. I'll learn more when I start it I guess.

See if this helps

Yamaha Round Command Link to NMEA2000

We get lots of inquiries about this, but we have yet to post the solution for easy reference. Well, here it is.If you have the Command Link Round Gauge setup that is becoming so popular, and is pictured below then we can get you connected to NMEA2000. Here is what yo

www.boemarine.com

 

[TBarCYa]

Does it matter that I don't have round gauges? That's a much better solution than the gateway it seems I may need.

 

[dingbat]

Does it matter that I don't have round gauges? That's a much better solution than the gateway it seems I may need.

What Garmin do you have?
I would use the J1939 connection if available.

If nothing else give them a call. They're local to me. Very knowledgeable on everything Yamaha

 

[boscoe99]

I've been doing more research and I figured out that it's the CL5 display not the 6YC. In addition, the CL5 manual states that it can connect to a NMEA2k network to share data from devices but it doesn't say anything about providing engine data on the NMEA2k network. And since there is only one NMEA connector (labeled engine) there's no way to have it connected to the Yamaha bus and the NMEA2k at the same time.

I thought my path forward would be the 4-pin connector coming off the binnacle but the only 4-pin I found didn't have the blue-white wires so I aborted the mission. Since everything is neatly tied together I basically looked around until I found something. What I did find is a 6-pin with blue and white so I'm wondering if they used the 4-pin to connect to the bus and left the 6-pin open but there is a 6-pin on the BUS connector of the hub. It's confusing and I guess I won't figure it all out until I'm willing to cut a thousand cable ties and trace everything. The one thing I do know is that when I connect from the hub to the backbone, using the cable I have, it identifies the display and one other device but the other device has no information so I can't tell what it is. It could be the engine or it could be the binnacle I guess. Maybe I have to actually start the engine to get it to identify to the NMEA2k but the CL5 shows battery voltage at the engine but the Garmin does not so I know the data is there. I'll learn more when I start it I guess.

Who said anything about those wires being blue and white?

I will say it only once. Do not go connecting the Command Link network to the Command Link Plus network. It will get expensive.

 

[TBarCYa]

Who said anything about those wires being blue and white?

I will say it only once. Do not go connecting the Command Link network to the Command Link Plus network. It will get expensive.

The blue and white wires are supposed to be CAN H and CAN L aka NMEA2k from what I have been finding.

I'm not trying to connect CL to CL+ as that won't give me the fuel flow and other engine data on the Garmin (94SV since @dingbat asked). I don't know that there's any CL on the boat, it may be 100% CL+.

It would appear now that the gateway or possibly the harness from BOE Marine would be the only way to get where I want to be. The 6X9 digital control box only has one 4-pin connector which is meant to go to a second station, which I don't have. This is very likely the 4-pin that I found that doesn't have the blue and white (L/W) wires.

I'm perplexed that connecting the Yamaha bus to the NMEA network allows the Garmin to identify the CL5 and see another Yamaha device but won't share information. Maybe the CL5 will receive GPS data from the network but nothing will be shared out. I don't know but I'll keep looking. In the meantime I'll give BOE a call tomorrow and see if their harness will work in my application.

 

[dingbat]

I'm perplexed that connecting the Yamaha bus to the NMEA network allows the Garmin to identify the CL5 and see another Yamaha device but won't share information. Maybe the CL5 will receive GPS data from the network but nothing will be shared out. I don't know but I'll keep looking.

It’s my understanding that neither command link or command link plus protocols are not bi-directional.

Been in industrial Automation since communication links where banks of relays.
Worked with more Serial and Ethernet based links over the years than I care to remember. Have never run into anything so poorly documented and supported than the links being supplied by the motor manufacturers.

Probably need to go with a GFS-10 if you want fuel flow on the Garmin. Mine is networked to a 94SV and a 943XSV

 

[TBarCYa]

I'm sure it's well documented internally but they don't want someone like me connecting the two networks together without spending $350 on their gateway. Now I have to decide if it's worth it to get the data that I already have on the CL5 to show on the larger display. I'm sure if I mess around with the CL5 I can get a display that shows what I want but now I don't have a good reason to cut the second Garmin into the console. Haha

 

[dingbat]

I'm sure it's well documented internally but they don't want someone like me connecting the two networks together without spending $350 on their gateway.

You mean "Gateway" as in adapter cable....lol
Problem is......the motor is not NMEA2K compliant. Limited to the native CAN pgns, not a full compliment of NMEA2K pgns.

Now I have to decide if it's worth it to get the data that I already have on the CL5 to show on the larger display. I'm sure if I mess around with the CL5 I can get a display that shows what I want but now I don't have a good reason to cut the second Garmin into the console. Haha

Good excuse to upgrade and your chart plotter (J1939) and use it as your "Gateway" to your NMEA 2000 network

 

[boscoe99]

You mean "Gateway" as in adapter cable....lol
Problem is......the motor is not NMEA2K compliant. Limited to the native CAN pgns, not a full compliment of NMEA2K pgns.

Good excuse to upgrade and your chart plotter (J1939) and use it as your "Gateway" to your NMEA 2000 network

What is the basis for this comment? What is your source of information?

 

[boscoe99]

I'm sure it's well documented internally but they don't want someone like me connecting the two networks together without spending $350 on their gateway. Now I have to decide if it's worth it to get the data that I already have on the CL5 to show on the larger display. I'm sure if I mess around with the CL5 I can get a display that shows what I want but now I don't have a good reason to cut the second Garmin into the console. Haha

The two networks (CL and CLP) should never be connected together. Gateway or not.

And it is documented.

 

[boscoe99]

If you spend half as much time reading as you do typing you might be able to understand.