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Author Topic:   Mercury SMARTCRAFT Gauges

rb posted 01-15-2003 03:59 PM ET (US)
The manual for my new Mercury 4-stroke 50-HP EFI outboard says the engine is Smartcract compliant. Is Smartcraft technology an actual stand alone gauge or just an interface to run other gauges? Merc's site says it will monitor fuel, rpms, battery voltage, temp, and low water depth. This thing is only 1.5"x1.25" and if it does all the above functions, I want one. rb
lhg posted 01-15-2003 05:49 PM ET (US)
Go to Mercury's website for detailed info. In a nutshell, there are two Mercury specific large gauges that are needed, and tell you everything you need to know about the engine. About $500 I believe! I still prefer the old analog gauges.
diveorfish posted 01-15-2003 07:51 PM ET (US)
The smart craft gauges are fine but I didn’t know they cost 500 bucks. The one thing I really want to know, the Smartcraft gauges won’t tell you. They don’t tell you how much fuel you used over a given time period. That really bugs me. They do tell you every other thing possible though.
ivansfo posted 01-15-2003 09:15 PM ET (US)
Diveorfish,
All you might need is a SW upgrade on the Smartcraft gauges. My Smartcraft gauges didn't show total fuel burn so I started looking into buying some kind of Floscan device. After doing some checking around and talking to Mercury technical support I found out that my Smartcraft Speedo can show that info. According to Merc all you need is v2.8 on the Speedo and a late model Optimax. Get the serial numbers of your motors along with Smartcraft version and give Merc a call. They will be able to tell you if it can be turned on or not.
My boat is at the Outboard Motor Shop right now for some service and one of the things they are supposed to turn on is the Total Fuel Burn feature. I'll pick the boat up tomorrow and can confirm if it's there are not.
-Ivan
jimh posted 01-15-2003 09:59 PM ET (US)
The SMARTCRAFT gauge technology appears to offer electronic (perhaps digital) monitoring of many of the engine functions that historically have been monitored with individual gauges connected to analog transducers.
With the engine operation now under precise control of the 555-ECM controller, the engine already contains most of the sensors needed to monitor the parameters shown on most traditional gauges. Mercury makes a variety of gauges that can be used with the SMARTCRAFT engine, and other OEM gauge companies also are or will offer gauges.
The idea that all displays must be integrated into a single gauge is probably not mandatory. I am sure there must be some options for more than one display. The larger display device looks like a Fish Finder screen and can show dozens of parameters.
See Mercury website for more information. In typical Mercury fashion, the website lags behind the actual product development, and it does not do a great job of showcasing this new technology.
jimh posted 01-15-2003 10:03 PM ET (US)
[Edited thread--jimh]
jimh posted 01-16-2003 12:12 AM ET (US)
It appears that as many as 23 individual gauges are available for SMARTCRAFT. See http://www.mercurymarine.com/smartcraft_sc100_links_2
diveorfish posted 01-16-2003 04:04 PM ET (US)
ivansfo: Thanks for the info, I did not know that. I have to take mine in as well so I will check it out. By the way what year is your boat?
ivansfo posted 01-16-2003 11:03 PM ET (US)
Diveorfish,
Indeed I now have "Total Fuel Burn" on my Smartcraft gauges! Life is good. Now I just need some time to figure out how accurate they are.
My motors are 2001 so you should be able to get this too.
Good luck,
Ivan
diveorfish posted 01-17-2003 11:38 AM ET (US)
ivnansfo: Congratulations, I will do the same. It’s funny, when I was reading the Smartcraft manual it made a reference to total fuel burn and it looked like a separate gauge and I misinterpreted the passage because I took it to mean that the feature was no longer available, not the other way around. It’s not a separate gauge is it?
It’s probably pretty accurate because it’s a flow measurement like GPH or RPM. On the other gauges like oil tank and fuel tank the calibration is real important and the Outboard Motor Shop usually does a good job.
rb: I take it back. Smartcraft gauges are great. As lhg pointed out the website tells what they read/measure.
OutrageMan posted 01-17-2003 12:05 PM ET (US)
I think the real neat device with smart craft technology is the system view 5000. It is an LCD pannel that replaces all instruments. I looked at it when thinking about repowering my Bertram. It is really the cats meow.
Brian
jimh posted 01-17-2003 10:02 PM ET (US)
The individual gauges by Mercury/VDO are the nicest looking gauges I have seen! Aesthetically they are wonderful.
The gauge designer should be congratulated for the terrific appearance of the individual gauges!
captbone posted 01-19-2003 05:19 AM ET (US)
what the best price on these gauges and where is the best to buy them from?
Fishcop posted 01-19-2003 12:01 PM ET (US)
Ivan & Dive,
I have the SmartCraft SC 1000 System Tach/Speedo with my 225 Optimax. It displays everything you can imagine including total fuel burn, adjustable idle RPM, over-speed, oil use, water/air temp, voltage, etc. This is all is contained in two little VDO guages that look great on the console. (Very clean!)
They are very accurate. I have taken several offshore trips this past fall and compared the fuel burned with the guages. Every time it is within 2 gallons when refueling 140gal tank. I think the mistake is at the pump!
If you have the choice, get the SC 1000 system with the seperate guages. Well worth the cost.
Andy.


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Author	Topic: Mercury SMARTCRAFT Gauges
rb	posted 01-15-2003 03:59 PM ET (US) The manual for my new Mercury 4-stroke 50-HP EFI outboard says the engine is Smartcract compliant. Is Smartcraft technology an actual stand alone gauge or just an interface to run other gauges? Merc's site says it will monitor fuel, rpms, battery voltage, temp, and low water depth. This thing is only 1.5"x1.25" and if it does all the above functions, I want one. rb
lhg	posted 01-15-2003 05:49 PM ET (US) Go to Mercury's website for detailed info. In a nutshell, there are two Mercury specific large gauges that are needed, and tell you everything you need to know about the engine. About $500 I believe! I still prefer the old analog gauges.
diveorfish	posted 01-15-2003 07:51 PM ET (US) The smart craft gauges are fine but I didn’t know they cost 500 bucks. The one thing I really want to know, the Smartcraft gauges won’t tell you. They don’t tell you how much fuel you used over a given time period. That really bugs me. They do tell you every other thing possible though.
ivansfo	posted 01-15-2003 09:15 PM ET (US) Diveorfish, All you might need is a SW upgrade on the Smartcraft gauges. My Smartcraft gauges didn't show total fuel burn so I started looking into buying some kind of Floscan device. After doing some checking around and talking to Mercury technical support I found out that my Smartcraft Speedo can show that info. According to Merc all you need is v2.8 on the Speedo and a late model Optimax. Get the serial numbers of your motors along with Smartcraft version and give Merc a call. They will be able to tell you if it can be turned on or not. My boat is at the Outboard Motor Shop right now for some service and one of the things they are supposed to turn on is the Total Fuel Burn feature. I'll pick the boat up tomorrow and can confirm if it's there are not. -Ivan
jimh	posted 01-15-2003 09:59 PM ET (US) The SMARTCRAFT gauge technology appears to offer electronic (perhaps digital) monitoring of many of the engine functions that historically have been monitored with individual gauges connected to analog transducers. With the engine operation now under precise control of the 555-ECM controller, the engine already contains most of the sensors needed to monitor the parameters shown on most traditional gauges. Mercury makes a variety of gauges that can be used with the SMARTCRAFT engine, and other OEM gauge companies also are or will offer gauges. The idea that all displays must be integrated into a single gauge is probably not mandatory. I am sure there must be some options for more than one display. The larger display device looks like a Fish Finder screen and can show dozens of parameters. See Mercury website for more information. In typical Mercury fashion, the website lags behind the actual product development, and it does not do a great job of showcasing this new technology.
jimh	posted 01-15-2003 10:03 PM ET (US) [Edited thread--jimh]
jimh	posted 01-16-2003 12:12 AM ET (US) It appears that as many as 23 individual gauges are available for SMARTCRAFT. See http://www.mercurymarine.com/smartcraft_sc100_links_2
diveorfish	posted 01-16-2003 04:04 PM ET (US) ivansfo: Thanks for the info, I did not know that. I have to take mine in as well so I will check it out. By the way what year is your boat?
ivansfo	posted 01-16-2003 11:03 PM ET (US) Diveorfish, Indeed I now have "Total Fuel Burn" on my Smartcraft gauges! Life is good. Now I just need some time to figure out how accurate they are. My motors are 2001 so you should be able to get this too. Good luck, Ivan
diveorfish	posted 01-17-2003 11:38 AM ET (US) ivnansfo: Congratulations, I will do the same. It’s funny, when I was reading the Smartcraft manual it made a reference to total fuel burn and it looked like a separate gauge and I misinterpreted the passage because I took it to mean that the feature was no longer available, not the other way around. It’s not a separate gauge is it? It’s probably pretty accurate because it’s a flow measurement like GPH or RPM. On the other gauges like oil tank and fuel tank the calibration is real important and the Outboard Motor Shop usually does a good job. rb: I take it back. Smartcraft gauges are great. As lhg pointed out the website tells what they read/measure.
OutrageMan	posted 01-17-2003 12:05 PM ET (US) I think the real neat device with smart craft technology is the system view 5000. It is an LCD pannel that replaces all instruments. I looked at it when thinking about repowering my Bertram. It is really the cats meow. Brian
jimh	posted 01-17-2003 10:02 PM ET (US) The individual gauges by Mercury/VDO are the nicest looking gauges I have seen! Aesthetically they are wonderful. The gauge designer should be congratulated for the terrific appearance of the individual gauges!
captbone	posted 01-19-2003 05:19 AM ET (US) what the best price on these gauges and where is the best to buy them from?
Fishcop	posted 01-19-2003 12:01 PM ET (US) Ivan & Dive, I have the SmartCraft SC 1000 System Tach/Speedo with my 225 Optimax. It displays everything you can imagine including total fuel burn, adjustable idle RPM, over-speed, oil use, water/air temp, voltage, etc. This is all is contained in two little VDO guages that look great on the console. (Very clean!) They are very accurate. I have taken several offshore trips this past fall and compared the fuel burned with the guages. Every time it is within 2 gallons when refueling 140gal tank. I think the mistake is at the pump! If you have the choice, get the SC 1000 system with the seperate guages. Well worth the cost. Andy.