Engine coolant temp monitoring on a Vulcan 7

Mar 24, 2012
63
Hunter 34 531 East Patchogue NY
I have been researching a way to hook up a second sending unit in the hot water line going to the hot water heater. I want to be able to read coolant temp on my Vulcan 7 through my NMEA 2000 network. So I need the sending unit hooked up and I need a device to wire the sending unit to that plugs into the network! I have found a similar device to feed fuel levels to the Vulcan but can’t find anything for coolant temp! Everything I have found on the forum is fairly dated. Any advice with this upgrade??
Thank you!
 
May 20, 2016
3,014
Catalina 36 MK1 94 Everett, WA
I use a Noland Engineering RS11 for doing that (and more). No need for new sensor, you can piggyback on the old one. I have water temp, oil pressure, and RPM on my helm displays (RM)

Actisence also makes a unit to do this.
 
Mar 24, 2012
63
Hunter 34 531 East Patchogue NY
Thank you! Looks like such a simple solution! Just what I’ve been looking for!
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,993
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
The Tech Guru for Catalina 36 strikes again.:dancing: I think Marvel is missing a Super Hero. :poke:
 
Mar 24, 2012
63
Hunter 34 531 East Patchogue NY
I use a Noland Engineering RS11 for doing that (and more). No need for new sensor, you can piggyback on the old one. I have water temp, oil pressure, and RPM on my helm displays (RM)

Actisence also makes a unit to do this.
Hello Leslie,

I finally got around to purchasing the RS11 and I’m unable to display data on my B&G Vulcan mfd. I see the data scrolling on my lap top but the data does not appear in the “Data” field when I access the RS11 device on my mfd. The mfd sees the RS11 but is not picking up the voltage signals from it. I spoke to Level 2 tech support Wednesday and he told me that there needs to be data displayed in the “data” field for the RS11 that I can see in the device list of the mfd in order to be able to display it. Any thoughts?
Thanks
 
May 20, 2016
3,014
Catalina 36 MK1 94 Everett, WA
Have you configured the sensors via the usb cable and pc program?? If so are you reading the value on the gauge page of the pc app??
 
Mar 24, 2012
63
Hunter 34 531 East Patchogue NY
Yes to all! It’s not even seeing the battery voltages which are a direct read. I connected to each sensor (oil pressure, coolant temp, and tach) via the wires coming from each sensor (as opposed to directly to the sensor), which I see as making no difference and clicked on the voltage source button on the app.
 
Mar 24, 2012
63
Hunter 34 531 East Patchogue NY
The pc program is showing proper voltages for the batteries and proper temp for the coolant and zero for the oil which is proper I assume since the engine is not running.
 
May 20, 2016
3,014
Catalina 36 MK1 94 Everett, WA
You shouldn’t need voltage source if your piggy backing on the gauges. But that shouldn’t keep your display from reading the data from the RS11.

My guess is you need to configure your Vulcan to pay attention to the RS11 pgns or you have a problem on the N2K buss. I’m not up on B&G mfd’s so no help there, but you shouldnt expect the same data representation scrolling on the PC to display on the mfd. N2K pgns are quit a bit different than the serial data format coming from the RS11. Can you post a line drawing of your N2K network showing devices, T’s, power and terminators??

thanks
 
Mar 24, 2012
63
Hunter 34 531 East Patchogue NY
Believe it or not, all I needed to do was power off the MFD and power it back on. Then all my data was displayed! Such a simple little fix that took me hours to realize!