NMEA 2000 Interface Cables & Connectors

NMEA 2000 Interface Cables and Connectors Resources and Information

When purchasing the right interface cables and connectors for your marine vessel, you shouldn’t leave anything to chance. Cables that meet the NMEA 2000 standard are approved for marine environments and meet all the necessary protocols to ensure safety and reliability when functioning out on the water. NMEA certification is controlled by the US-based National Marine Electronics Association.

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NMEA 2000 Interface Cables and Connectors FAQs

How do I install my Maretron J2K100 J1939 to NMEA 2000 gateway?

The J2K100 is mounted between the J1939 network and the NMEA 2000 network. Please

consider the following when choosing a mounting location.

1. The J2K100 is waterproof, so it can be mounted in a damp or dry location.
2. The orientation is not important, so the J2K100 can be mounted on a horizontal deck, vertical bulkhead, or even upside down if desired.
3. The J2K100 is temperature rated to 55°C (130°F), so it should be mounted away from engines or engine rooms where the operating temperature exceeds the specified limit.

Attach the J2K100 securely to the vessel using the included brass mounting screws or other fasteners as shown in Figure 1 below. Do not use threadlocking compounds containing methacrylate ester, such as Loctite Red (271), as they will cause stress cracking of the plastic enclosure.

The J2K100 requires two electrical connections as shown in Figure 2. Refer to Section 2.4.1 for making the NMEA 2000 connection and Section 2.4.2 for making the J1939 connection. Additional information can be found in Appendix B - Interfacing J1939 Engines and/or Gensets to an NMEA 2000 Network Using Maretron’s J1939 to NMEA 2000 Gateway (J2K100).

Vertical text on the J2K100 label identifies the NMEA 2000® connector. With the label right side up, the NMEA 2000® connector can be found on the right side of the enclosure. The NMEA 2000® connector is a five pin male connector (see Figure 3). You connect the J2K100 to an NMEA 2000® network using a Maretron NMEA 2000® cable (or compatible cable) by connecting the female end of the cable to the J2K100 (note the key on the male connector and keyway on the female connector). Be sure the cable is connected securely and that the collar on the cable connector is tightened firmly. Connect the other end of the cable (male) to the NMEA 2000® network in the same manner. The J2K100 is designed such that you can plug or unplug it from an NMEA 2000® network while the power to the network is connected or disconnected. Please follow recommended practices for installing NMEA 2000® network products. See Figure 3 for NMEA 2000® connector pin assignments.

Vertical text on the J2K100 label identifies the J1939 connector. With the label right side up, the J1939 connector can be found on the left side of the enclosure. In order to make the J1939 connection, you will need to locate the supplied female field attachable connector. This connector is fitted to one end of a 3-conductor cable (not supplied). Make the connections between the 3-conductor cable and the field attachable connector by following the instruction contained within the bag. Although the field attachable connector has 5 terminals, you only need to connect the CAN bus signals and ground signal (NET-H, white terminal; NET-L, blue terminal; and ground (or NET-C), black terminal). The other end of the 3-conductor cable needs to be tied into the J1939 network. You will need to identify the CAN bus signals on the J1939 network by reviewing the manufacturer’s documentation. Most likely, they will identify the CAN bus signals as CAN-H and CAN-L which correspond to the field attachable terminals NET-H and NET-L respectively. You will also need to connect the NET-C or ground signal found within the field Revision 1.4 Page 5 attachable connector to the J1939 ground connection. See Figure 4 for J1939 connector pin assignments.

What are the key features of the Lowrance Yamaha Engine Interface Cable?

Connects to Yamaha engines without Yamaha CommandLink Plus system.

• -2006 & newer: F50, T50, F60, T60, F75, F90, F115, LF115, F150, LF150, F200, LF200, F225, F225, F250, LF250.
• -2006 & newer: Z150, LZ150, VZ150, Z175, Z200, LZ200, VZ225, Z250, LZ250, VZ250, Z300, LZ300, VZ300.

Outputs:

• Yamaha| 4-stroke 50-250| 2-stroke HDPI 150-350
• RPM| Yes| Yes
• Alternator Voltage| Yes| Yes
• Engine Hours| Yes| Yes
• Engine Temperature| Yes| Yes
• Fuel Pressure| Yes| Yes
• Fuel Rate| Yes| Yes
• Oil Pressure| Yes| Yes
• Trim *| Yes| Yes
• Water Pressure| Yes| Yes
• *Digital trim must be connected by a Yamaha dealer.
• *Requires NMEA 2000 network. Kit includes T-connector to connect to a new or existing NMEA 2000 network. Add NMEA 2000 starter kit, part number 000-0124-69, if a network is not already installed.

What are some of the most popular Ancor cables and connectors?

Ancor NMEA 2000 approved cables and connectors simplify creating or expanding an NMEA 2000 network. Couplers are color coded to make identifying the power cable or connector easy once installed as part of an NMEA 2000 network. The color coded couplers connect to the corresponding Ancor cables and connectors creating an easy to identify network.

• NMEA 2000 Approved, 100% universal and compatible with other manufacturers’ products
• NMEA micro-size

NMEA 2000 Power Cable With Tee

Use the Ancor NMEA 2000 Power Cable With Tee for power connection to an NMEA 2000 network. The tee is color coded red to make identifying the power cable easy once installed as part of an NMEA 2000 network. The yellow couplers connect to the corresponding Ancor backbone cables and tees creating a simplified, color coded network installation.

• Includes a tee for direct connection to backbone cables
• Large 18 AWG power conductors to reduce voltage drop, provide better reliability and meet th requirements of ABYC and the USCG for minimum size power conductors

NMEA 2000 Backbone Cables

Use the Ancor NMEA 2000 Backbone Cable for connection to an NMEA 2000 tee connector. The yellow couplers connect to the corresponding Ancor tees creating a simplified, color coded network installation.

• Large 18 AWG power conductors reduce voltage drop and provide better reliability for critical backbone cables

NMEA 2000 Drop Cables

Use the Ancor NMEA 2000 Drop Cable for connection between an NMEA 2000 device and tee connector. The black couplers connect to the corresponding Ancor tees creating a simplified, color coded network installation. The drop cables are smaller in diameter and more flexible than backbone cables for easy connection to NMEA 2000 devices.

• Super flexible 22 AWG power conductors for ease of installation and wire routing

NMEA 2000 Ancor NMEA 2000 Single Tee Connector

For connection between NMEA 2000 drop cables and backbone cables. The yellow couplers connect to the corresponding Ancor tees and backbone cables, creating a simplified, color coded network installation. The connectors are offered in four configurations for maximum installation flexibility. The two way and four way tee connectors allow for multiple drop cables to be connected without additional backbone cable.

What is Raymarine SeaTalk?

The current marine industry standard. All current Raymarine MFDs are NMEA2000 certified. The standard utilizes the CAN (Control Area Network) design developed by Bosch for the automotive market but with messages/sentence appropriate for the marine industry.

A multi-talker, multi-listener approach using serial data at moderate date rates (250kbs).

Under the NMEA standard, manufacturers can use the cable/connector design of their choice so long as it conforms to certain requirements. The topology is a robust terminated backbone/spur design.

Raymarine’s proprietary cable system for use in NMEA 2000 networks. The design provides two advantages. First, the connector collars are retained on the product which allows for a smaller cable diameter making installations easier. More importantly, the cable can include a sixth wire which allows for backward compatibility with SeaTalk1 equipment. Products with SeaTalkng connectors can be used on NMEA 2000 networks that use Devicenet cabling through simple connector adaptors and conversely equipment with Devicenet connectors can be used on NMEA 2000 networks that use SeaTalkng cabling through simple connector adaptors.