NMEA 2000 Network

[sng]

I have installed a new Lowrance HDS7 unit and all is working fine. Now I have bought and fuel flow sensor and I need to install a NMEA 2000 network. I have purchased the NMEA 2000 starter kit which has every thing I need. My question is the instructions call to wire the network to 12 V via a switch. My worry here is I will forget to turn the switch on and not get the data from my sensor, in turn not displaying accurate fuel used. Do I really need to wire the network to a switch or has some one wire the NMEA 2000 network always hot via a fuse to the battery with out any problems? I have an available fuse and I have an available fused switch.

[Baja Baby]

I have the same set up. I chose to wire the network to the main fuse block. When batteries are turned on flow scan is turned on... This has worked just fine for me for the last 3-4 years.

[sng]

Thanks Baja Baby. I thought as much but just want a 1st hand account.

[Divefreak]

Originally Posted by sng

I have installed a new Lowrance HDS7 unit and all is working fine. Now I have bought and fuel flow sensor and I need to install a NMEA 2000 network. I have purchased the NMEA 2000 starter kit which has every thing I need. My question is the instructions call to wire the network to 12 V via a switch. My worry here is I will forget to turn the switch on and not get the data from my sensor, in turn not displaying accurate fuel used. Do I really need to wire the network to a switch or has some one wire the NMEA 2000 network always hot via a fuse to the battery with out any problems? I have an available fuse and I have an available fused switch.

I put the NMEA2k Power on the same carling switch/fuse so before powering up my HDS-5 i have to turn on its fuse...

So the Bus gets Power First

[jbiersba]

I did similar to what divefreak did..... I placed the NMEA 2k network on the same switch that I have my chart plotter and FF connected to.... I always turn them on when i'm on the boat.... so the NMEA network is always turned on when I turn on the chart plotter / fish finder.

[TenMilePoint]

Initially I had mine wired to an ignition power source so that when the boat was on the fuel flow gauge was also on.

Later, I changed it and wired it to a lighted dash switch that I labeled "GPS" and it turns on all the NMEA2000 sensors.

[insman55]

Ben,
Now that we are going to be family (pregnet dog) I have been contemplating doing this but Lowrance has their own system is this one better?
Millers said that it is easy to install and my HDS8 has all of the info!
Where do I start .....

[Baja Baby]

Kevin,

Next time you come over for a drink you can take a look at mine

[insman55]

Your on...That is the last thing I need to do if I am going to go out farther than Cat!
when do you go back to work?

[rjm_cc]

I have my network running off one of the accessory switch's on the dash panel. Then I added a secondary fuse block that powers all my network accessories. One for the network power, another for the HDS10 unit, Sirius Weather, etc. I replaced the original fuse and wire for the switch to a higher amperage, so that the secondary fuse block would receive enough power.

The switch has to be on for anything on the network to work. So far I have five things running on the network and getting ready to add the Maretron J2K100/J1939 Gateway so I can monitor all engine functions.

Please excuse the wiring, its still a work in process, I'm slowly getting it cleaned up.