Imagine what it would be like to be able to purchase the depth finders, chartplotters and navigation instruments you wanted from a range of brands without having to worry about the installation.
After simply plugging them in they work straight away without requiring a degree in electronics to sort out the wiring and several phone calls to the manufacturer to help you navigate your way through the set-up menu. Well, you need not dream any longer as NMEA 2000 is here.
NMEA 2000 offers an interface standard which allows a serial data communications network to inter-connect marine electronic equipment. In English this translates into a networking system that allows you to connect different electronic devices together and have hassle-free 'brand flexibility'.
Introduced by the National Marine Electronics Association, NMEA 2000 has no central network controller. Instead the multi-mastered and self-configuring equipment is designed to share data, including commands and status, with other compatible equipment over a single channel using Controller Area Network (CAN).
CAN is a type of broadcast which uses a serial bus to send small amounts of data, not larger than 8 data bytes, to electronic control units, such as GPS receiver, through a single wire. As the amount of wiring is reduced so are the potential problems that you may encounter.
DeviceNet cables are required to run the NMEA 2000 system. DeviceNet boast good levels of shielding, flexibility and is weather resistant. It is available in two different sizes:
- Mini - the larger of the two which can carry 8 Amperes of power. This is used for the "trunk" of the network.
- Micro - this is smaller and can only carry 4 Amperes of power. It is used to connect individual components to the trunk.
Click on image to enlarge.
NMEA 0183 offered a 4.8k bits/second rate using ASCII serial communications protocol. Not only does NMEA 2000 offer a faster bit rate (250k bits/second), but it also transmits messages via compact binary.
This is why you can mix and match manufacturers as all NMEA 2000 certified product use this means of communication. Another difference between the two is that 2000 can send and receive data at the same time, whereas 0183 can only perform one task at a time.
With a possible 2000 network configurations, all the following companies manufacture NMEA 2000 certified products:
- Airmar
- Beede Instruments
- Blue Water Data
- CPAC Systems AB
- Digital Switching Systems
- Evinrude/BRP
- FW Murphy
- Faria Instruments
- Jeppesen Marine (formerly Nobeltec)
- Kvaser
- Lowrance
- Maretron
- Molex
- Offshore Systems (UK) Ltd.
- Raymarine
- Simrad
- Teleflex
- Yamaha Marine
- Westerbeke Corp.
- Xantrex Technology, Inc.
- ZF Marine Electronics
For more information on NMEA 2000, visit the National Marine Electronics Association website at www.nmea.org
