Just when I thought I was done with projects for awhile, here comes a bunch of new NMEA 2000 products.

I probably won't be doing any more major projects on the boat until next year, because I want to enjoy operating the boat for the rest of the season - so I am hoping the weather cooperates.

I got a couple of maintenance projects that need done, but that is maintaining - not improving.

But, some pretty cool stuff, and I'll definately put at least one of them on board next year. The company is called Albatross Control System, and are located in Spain. If I were a betting man, it looks like they are OEM for the Lowrance sensors.

Anyway:

- Fuel Flow Monitor - NMEA2000 adapter to display fuel burn. The monitor also supports return-line-to-tank, which is what I need.

- Engine Monitor - connects to the analog gauges and/or sensors from the engine and outputs NMEA2000.

- General Purpose Monitor. Takes anything that can change a resistance, and outputs to NMEA2000.

- Volume Monitor. Monitors the contents of up to 3 tanks (water, fuel, etc), and outputs to NMEA2000.

- Propeller Rotation. Monitors propeller RPM and shaft temperature, and outputs to NMEA2000.

- Lighting Monitor. Monitors all of the nav lights and if one goes out, outputs a warning via NMEA2000.

- Switch Out. Connects up to 8 switches and when each switch is changed, it outputs the status of the switch to the NMEA2000 bus.

- Switch In. Connects to the NMEA2000 bus and senses when a switch is thrown from the Switch Out module, and flips a relay, depending on the switch position.

- Battery Monitor. Outputs battery voltage, drain, and temperature via NMEA2000.

- AC Monitor. Monitors Shorepower, Genset, or Inverter and outputs parameters via NMEA2000.

Some of these modules are available in the US and some are not yet available. As well, the modules (except for the switching modules) require a suitable display.

Some, such as the Fuel Flow module is certified to work with RayMarine, Lowrance, and Garmin NMEA2000 capable displays, while others, such as the Propellor rotation module must use a laptop with a software.

But this stuff is still largely in its infancy, even though the NMEA2000 standard was developed in 2000 (hence the name).

The module I am intersted in is the Fuel Flow module. FloScan has released an equivalent product, but there is no delivery information yet, and the cost I have heard is going to be near $2K to do my two engines. The Albatross modules will cost about half it looks.


Albatross NMEA 2000 products.

I'm sure this is just scratching the surface of the possibilities duplex digital communication.

Just need to get the technical/service field up to date on the stuff.

You hit on a real problem there D-Rod. Networking technoligies, that many of us in the IT field find second-nature is really going to be problematic for the typical marina technician. I am already hearing there are issues with this.

The real issue I see is having to pay the local marina the going rate of $85 or more per hour when they really don't have a clue of what they are doing.

I think there may be some real potential for part time work.

It's a shame Lowrance didn't think to program the LMF200/400 with the option to use a second fuel flow sender on return fuel line. It would be so easy to do...

I have been waiting for that to happen. Since diesel engines typically are configured this way, I would'a thought more would have been done for diesels.

There is a lack of wanting to share amoung several folks, even though they are said to meet the standard.

Yes, its the same old thing - certain vendors want to keep all of their pieces of the pie by keeping some of their systems proprietary.

But that is the surest way I know of to lose market share. The computer industry learned 20 years ago that an open standard is good for everyone.

What happens is everyone stays proprietary until one vendor cries uncle, goes open, then everyone else either has to follow suit or go out of business.

I think we have seen some of this already. Lowrance for instance went with a proprietary connector (the blue ones), but soon changed to the industry-standard red connectors.

For the Fuel Flow modules I am considering, Albatross has certified it will work with RayMarine, Garmin, and Lowrance at least. Same thing for FloScan's NMEA2000 unit (at least on paper as it doesn't seem to be quite shipping yet).

So I do see some growing pains yet, but there are a lot of software packages coming to market that run on a laptop and can circumvent all of the display hardware. My sailboating coworker just bought a $100 software that can use the free version of NOAA charts, and spent another $100 on a NMEA0183 GPS receiver.

For $200, he has replicated what costs $2,000 for a RayMarine unit (although he is not adding the expense of the PC).

I see this happening more and more. Shoot - one of the things I am thinking of doing in retirement is to dust off my programming skills and maybe make a PC software that can be used to diagnose NMEA2000. I have not started yet, but the little bug has been planted in my brain.

I am not saying I will even be successful, but I do enjoy a challenge. I think also that at some point, MNEA2000 will be in the realm of hobbyists. I can forsee a NMEA2000 cookbook, NMEA2000 projects, and so forth, all created by hobbyists.

HEy, have been dormant for a while and on the water.
The NOAA free maps interest me, what software is needed for them? The GPS module can of course be the same as used for Microsoft trips and maps......

I am still undecided on dish or direct and hence without TV on board, except for terrestial which is crap.

I'll find out what software he is using.

I agree with Al on this too. In the auto repair industry you cannot survive now without being able to connect to and analyize OBD-II outputs.

Are those Raster or Vector Charts?

He is using a product called Tiki Navigator - that he got for about $150.

http://www.tiki-navigator.com/

So its raster. How does he like using the raster charts with his GPS? The tiki site has nothing but accolades for it but they are trying to sell their product too.

I have not seen it yet, but my friend is a cheap-skate. He has been quite impressed with the software, and I am sure he would not be if it didn't work well.