USING NMEA-2000 Instruments with the Evinrude MWS Wiring Harness

Information about Evinrude I-Command, ICON Pro, and ICON Touch Color Displays
jimh
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USING NMEA-2000 Instruments with the Evinrude MWS Wiring Harness

Postby jimh » Sat Oct 14, 2017 10:28 am

The Evinrude MWS wiring harness can be used with NMEA-2000 instruments like the Evinrude I-Command gauges.

Here is a comparison of the two wiring harnesses in use:

MWS Wiring Harness:
--intended for use with SystemCheck tachometers or annunciator gauges;
--has 6-pole connector for ignition key
--has 3-pole connector for trim-tilt switch
--has 8-pole connector to mate with SystemCheck instrument
--has individual WHITE-TAN stripe, VIOLET, BLACK conductors for wiring to TRIM gauge
--has individual GRAY, VIOLET, BLACK conductors for wiring to RPM gauge
--has 2-pole connector for aural alert signal device

I-Command Wiring Harness:
--intended for use with NMEA-2000 or I-Command gauges
--has 6-pole connector for ignition key
--has 3-pole connector for trim-tilt switch
--has individual conductors for switched 12-Volt from ignition key ACCY circuit (violet)
--has individual conductors 12-Volt common (black)
--incorporates 47-Ohm 5-Watt resistor in the WHITE/TAN-stripe TRIM SENDER conductor

You can easily use the MWS harness with I-Command or NMEA-2000 gauges, if you perform the following procedure:

--protect and insulate the 8-pole connector intended for the SystemCheck instrument if not being used with a SystemCheck RPM gauge or annunciator;

--protect and insulate 2-pole connector for aural alert signal device; this cannot be used unless there is a SystemCheck RPM gauge or annunciator;

--protect and insulate the TACHOMETER SIGNAL or GRAY conductor if not used; also insulate the BLACK conductor;

--add a 47-Ohm 5-Watt resistor (available at any electrical distributor and RadioShack); connect one end to the WHITE/TAN-stripe conductor; connect the other end to one of the VIOLET (switched 12-Volts) conductors; this is necessary ONLY if you do not use a conventional TRIM gauge. If you use a conventional TRIM gauge, you do not need to add this resistor; the gauge will accomplish that. Also, you do not need this on two-cylinder or three-cylinder E-TEC engines, as the EMM cannot read the trim voltage and a dedicated gauge must be used; if a conventional trim gauge is not used, insulate and protect the WHITE/TAN-strile conductor;

--use the other VIOLET conductor and one of the BLACK conductors for the switched +12-Volt and 12-Volt common circuits for ACCY power, if needed.

To use I-Command or NMEA-2000 gauges, install a NMEA-2000 network. For advice on installation of a NMEA-2000 network, see my introduction to NMEA-2000, an article that describes in detail how to install a NMEA-2000 network and assumes the reader knows nothing about them. It has explicit details regarding E-TEC engines. It is available at

NMEA-2000 and Modern Outboard Engines
http://continuouswave.com/whaler/refere ... A2000.html

The data available from an E-TEC engine varies with the particular model and year. In model year 2005 and newer, E-TEC engines of 115 to 300-HP have NMEA-2000. In model year 2008 and newer, E-TEC engines of 40 to 300-HP have NMEA-2000.

Engine trim is available via NMEA-2000 only on E-TEC V4 or V6 engines. Use a dedicated conventional TRIM gauge to see engine trim with a two-cylinder or three-cylinder E-TEC.

For advice on the TRIM circuit for use with NMEA-2000 and engines with EMM's that support TRIM, see

E-TEC Advanced Rigging Notes
http://continuouswave.com/whaler/refere ... .html#TRIM

For some general notes on rigging an E-TEC see

E-TEC Rigging Notes
http://continuouswave.com/whaler/refere ... gging.html
This article describes in detail some pitfalls when converting to I-Command instruments from conventional ones.