NN3DBB and TZtouch Ethernet vs N2k

[TonyTrak]

I have a NN3DBB system with radar, sounder, etc. I also have a TZT12 mounted in the captains qtrs connected via Ethernet. Do I want to connect N2k as well? Do I gain additional info to display?

I am in the process of installing. Maretron tank level monitor and temp monitor? Does this info change your answer?

Thanks

 

[Johnny Electron]

Since the NN3D is the boss on a mixed network with the TZT, you can NOT connect the NMEA 2000 on the TZT. If you do, you will create a data loop and create problems for yourself. It must follow the rules of the NN3D design. Only one MFD allowed on each NMEA 2000 backbone. In this case, because it is a mixed system and the NN3D is the boss; it must be one of your NN3D units that connects to the NMEA 2000 bus.

 

[TonyTrak]

Thank you. So.....All NMEA data is available to Tzt but it comes through the Ethernet connection from the NN3D N2k connection. Correct?

 

[Johnny Electron]

Correct

 

[wkearney99]

Does that also mean the MFD will only pass whatever sentences it knows about over to Ethernet? Which would mean anything using sentences the NN3D doesn't understand won't get passed along. I ran into this with a J1939 engine gateway. My MFD12 didn't pass data coming in on one NMEA2k network over to another NMEA2k network on another MFD12.

J1938--NMEA2k(a)--MFD12(a)--ethernet--MFD12(b)--NMEA2k(b)--B&G_Triton2

I had to re-engineer the NMEA2k network to have all of them on the same network and then just bridged into one MFD12.

J1938--other_sensors&displays--NMEA2k(a)--MDF12(a)--ethernet--MFD12(b,c,d)

Now all NMEA2k devices can communicate without data passing through any of the the four MFD12 units. Works now but was a bit of head-scratcher until I learned about the "one MFD per NMEA2k" rule for NN3D.

That and trying to figure out what the previous installers were thinking/smoking when they set up the previous mess!

 

[Johnny Electron]

It is amazing sometimes that they even allow us to mix system considering different operating systems. Each system has it's own rules. If you want to work by one set of rules, it is best to stay with one system type. The NN3D had very little engine support compared to the newer systems like the TZT and TZT2. When mixing it can be a head-scratcher, but it normally gets worked out.

 

[wkearney99]

Well, that's kinda the point of standardized protocols. NN3D was there at a time when that was still not quite 'fully baked'.