Suzuki/Lowrance Issue- Help

[iguana]

I have twin 2007 DF300s rigged with Lowrance Suzuki gauges. I am having an issue where the gauges intermittently flash and stop transmitting current data. The lowrance manual claims this is a bad NMEA feed issue. I have gone over all the wiring and all connections appear intact. I could have a bad 'sender' in the motors, however it seems weird that both gauges flash at the same time. I.e. if it was a bad sender in one motor I would expect only one gauge to flash.

Has anyone else seen this problem and are there any suggestions on how to debug it? I spoke with my servicing Suzuki dealer and he has no ideas. I cannot figure out how to get someone at Suzuki corporate.

If anything, if anyone knows how to dial a real person at Suzuki that would help a lot.

[kchace]

It could very well be a power issue. The NMEA bus has its own power feed. If that is getting flaky (corrosion on switch contacts, wire connections, intermittent fuseholder, etc) the bus could be seeing low and fluctuating voltage and it could cause the type of thing you're seeing.

Check all the connections supplying power to the bus carefully. If there is an inline fuseholder I'd check there first.

Ken

[seabob4]

The key to operating Suzuki's SMIS (same as Evinrude's I-Command) is to have excellent voltage, not just "good". The fact that both gauges are "interrupted" at the same time points to the "Network power supply". This is the feed that tee's into your T-Network and supplys power to your network. Red and Black, fed by a gray wire (ignition power), and ground. '07 Suzuki's are especially susceptable to this. You probably have Blue tees and termination resistors. '08 brought the red parts, which thread together and make a much more secure connection.

Disassemble your Network, one at a time, check the pin ends for corrosion or rust, reassemble using dielectric grease, and keep your batteries on a charger all the time. Not that big of a deal. If you need some components, let me know. I've got a bunch of never used blue tees here at the house, and Suzuki's east coast field engineer is a good friend of mine. Lives about 15 minutes away.

We'll get you figured out. To me, given a choice over Verados, Yam 350s, Etec 300s, I'll take Suzuki anyday. Those Japs know what they're doing. Look out for a 400...