Optimax Smartcraft Monitor

I am hoping for some help from any of you with experience using or rigging newer (2002 and up) Optimax engines. Mine is a 2006 Optimax 225 powerhead and I am now rigging my boat and running into some questions that even my dealer doesn't seem able to answer.

I am using analog gauges. I have a quicksilver side mount throttle (Merc. Part 881170A15). I believe that I need a 5 pin tach harness (Merc. Part 84-86396A 8 ) which my dealer believes will have the appropriate wires for my analog tach, analog trim gauge, water temp, and I'm not sure what else. He's not sure, however. Thus, my first question: Does anyone know what wires come off the tach harness, what they go to, and whether they are analog output?

Second, my research indicates (again, the dealer wasn't sure) that the older four-light warning gauge (oil level, overheat, etc.) for these engines is only good on 2001 and older Optimax engines. For newer engines, your only option for system monitoring appears to be the Smartcraft SC1000 monitor. Here's my question. For those of you driving ski team boats with newer Optimax engines - is there a warning light and/or SC1000 monitor installed? If I use the SC1000 monitor I know I end up with some duplication of things that are already displayed on my analog gauges (like temp, water pressure) so perhaps I don't need the system monitor. If I DO need to install the monitor (Merc. Part No. 79-879896-K10), does anyone know where it plugs in? I think it plugs directly into the engine. If so, does anyone know what wiring harness I would need to accomplish this?

Any help on these issues by anyone who has some rigging knowledge would be very, very much appreciated!

MarkBano

 

Black ground
Gray tach sender
Purple key on power
(2) brown or yellow neutral safety switch circuit

 

Thanks gents.

I've ordered the tach harness - I'm just not sure what color wires will come out of it. I've referred to a color chart which I found online. The chart confirms what you are saying - Black=ground/gray=tach/purple=switched 12v power off of the key "run" position.

There also should be a tan wire for temperature sender and a brown with a white stripe for the trim gauge.

That would be a total of 5 wires and I know the tach harness is a five-pin connector so maybe that is what I'll have. This stuff is all a bit confusing.

Of course, a question remains as to whether the temp, trim and tach wires are providing analog data versus digital data. I don't have a firm answer on that yet. I assume it is analog because I think there is a separate plug-in on the engine for digital outputs. Not sure.

Must-Ski - what is "nuetral safety" for?

Thanks again for the help!

 

Must, jog, memory, now.
It has been a while since I rigged a merc. You are correct about the trim sender and temp wire as part of the 5 pin harness.

At any rate, if you have a separate key switch and flush mounted control, the neutral safety wires are to prevent the motor from starting in gear. They run from the control to the key switch/kill circuit.

Here is a link to a Faria page which has a pdf on digital to analog conversion. I'm just not real familiar with Digital Optis. I think there is some kid of D/A converter available. What does Bob have on his 250XS? That boat had an analog Opti on it before.

http://www.faria-instruments.com/cgi-bi ... yes&size=2

 

Mark,

I have never done this, but it does not seem that complicated after reading the reference that Must ski pointed out:

http://faria-instruments.com/site_manuals/IS0126A.pdf

I realize that this is for an earlier model and you have a 5 wire instead of a 4 wire, but the color codes are all there to guide you in what to hook the wires to. You may not need some of the mods referred to in the first part of that pdf.

Then if the gauges do not read right it is just a matter of substituting a compatible sensor for the existing sensor.

I would hook up everything that the 5 wire has then see what is left and refer to the pdf for that and shaazam.

jim

 

I brought the color chart home and, unfortunately, much of my wires don't match up to the chart. Nor does the Mercury motor installation manual nor the throttle manual say anything about the wiring. Mercury won't help (it tells you to see the dealer) and the dealer doesn't seem to have even the level of understanding I have with regard to the wiring.

You might see an Evinrude Etec on this boat yet.

 

I think we were typing at the same time. I think the E-tec has dedicated instruments too LOL.

jim

 

Mark,

I believe on your Opti it will automatically recognize an analog tach. The earlier Opti's you had to switch a wire in the motor. If you want to use a manual water pressure gauge there is a small gray tube which should be zip tied along with the fuel and oil lines at the front of the motor. Your analog trim gauge will not work because the trim sender is digital. You can order an analog trim sender and change it yourself. The dealer is correct on the 4-light warning harness.

If you decide to go digital we'll start from scratch. Smile

Hope this helps
Edd

 

I appreciate everyone's help. I think I'm going to invest in the shop manual CD. If Daniel has wiring diagrams for the tach harness in his CD that might apply and can email them to me that would be great too.

The tach harness plug has wires coming out around it. At least two of them are "trim up" and "trim down" wires and I'm not sure what to do with those because the trim is already built into the throttle lever. Very confusing jumble of wires I've got. If I have time I'll take some pictures and post them tonight.

I've got some wire colors that aren't on any of the Merc. color chart. I'll get this figured out somehow and then I'll do a post explaining it for the benefit of anyone else who is crazy enough to take this sort of thing on...