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Im on vacation at Lake of the Ozarks, and yesterday while fishing my helm trim indicator gauge started bouncing around. Motor is secure — just the gauge.The SmartCraft digital trim indicator is doing the same thing. Its just the gauges going whacky — the motor itself is trimming up and down just fine. Is a 2013 Puma FTD with 250 ProXs.I have to believe its just a matter of tightening up something. Ive searched all over YouTube and Google and cant seem to find anything about this issue, and how to fix — other than articles about replacement trim gauge and trim limit kits.I had this issue once on my other boat (with a Mercruiser outdrive), and the indicator “puck” is by the gimbal. Tightening/adjusting is simple. Since my Puma is currently in the water, I dont have a good view of the area where I have to believe the same type of puck is, so am asking my BCB brothers and sisters here for any insight. Is there a puck back there similar to the merc outdrive set-up — and is this a simple matter of jumping in the water, finding the puck, and doing the normal adjustment / tightening procedure?Thanks in advance for any help here.I2D
The “puck” on your Mercruiser is analog and a round part with a potentiometer (coil) inside that reads resistance and transmits the signal to your gauge. Analog Mercury gauges use the same system and signal. The SmartCraft system is totally different and uses a digital signal to transmit a digital optic signal to the ECM on the engine, through the canbus line and there it travels to the junction box at the console, on to the tachometer that drives the gauges. The system is dependent on the ECM and Tachometer talking, which yours is. The issue is usually a faulty trim sending unit and since they are optic they seldom fail. The only other common issues would be the CanBus line having a wire break or connection challenge,since its intermittent. The junction box and terminal resistors could be a problem thoughnot usually intermittent. Much of this is for others reading this to learn from as the system is very misunderstood in how it functions. If your engine has warranty remaining, then this is a warranty item. Another point of interest is most people only use the trim gauge to indicate where they are on take off (hotel shot) on trim angle. Other points of use are better understood through steering feel instead of gauge indication. This board is a source of information for many people related and unrelated to Bass Cat and while one person has recently referred to an owners manual as a nice item by a competitor, this is not going to be in an owners manual. We prefer an open format that flow information most would never learn, such as above. For example this info. is not in your Mercury manuals and this is a Mercury part. Competitive owners manuals generally have limited information relating to operation and safety, drain plugs and more. Little will cross the lines on hard topics in print on those few pages, such as topcs discussed on these unlimited pages. Where your circuit breakers are, when we have very few, how to turn on the aeration, when its simple buttons, and where the livewell drains are when its labeled. These are all tagged in the FAQ section and we have a plethora of information at your disposal. We try to offer more and we always hope everyone learns from this information. BCB
Are you running a smartcraft monitor with analog gauges? Or are you running the actual smartcraft gauges? Just curious. I run a monitor in the speedo hole. As well as analog rpm gauge. Though I have no trim gauge. If I have read correctly in the past. The smartcraft trim and the analog senders are 2 different senders. One is a three wire and one is a 2 wire. Im aware of the senders location. I was curious if your running a analog and a using the smart craft monitor as well with trim reading capablity.2013 PANTERA 2MERCURY 200 PRO XSMINNKOTA 80LB FORTREX25 fury
OK, so it seems Im a dummy and made an inaccurate statement in my original post. I thought the SmartCraft system and NexSysLink system were the same thing. I have the NexSysLink system, with Beede gauges in the dash (and the small digital display screen on the left that you can cycle-through screens). I dont have the SmartCraft system.So, when I say that the gauge is bouncing around, im referring to the Beede gauge with the pointer. My small digital screen which has a “tilt” screen mode also varies in its tilt reading (10%, 20%, etc.) corresponding to the bouncing “manual” Beede gauge with the pointer.So with this correction — do I have a puck that I can simply adjust — or is this still a bigger issue with the sending unit itself and will need dealer warranty repair (yes, my motor is still under warranty).Thanks again, and sorry for the original misinformation.I2D
Im confused as well. But you are still using smartcraft even though your using nexslink gauges.. But sounds like youve got a analog trim gauge as well. Ive read you could use analog trim gauge with the smartcraft as long as you have the digital sender.it will convert the signal to analog. Though not vice versus. In other words analog wont convert the signal to digital. This must take place in the junction box in the dash. I would contact the dealer and let them take care of this. But do keep us posted on this. I dnt have a trim gauge and no room on my dash for one on my p2. Though I do have a sc monitor and will have to purchace the digital sender to be able to read trim with the sc monitor!2013 PANTERA 2MERCURY 200 PRO XSMINNKOTA 80LB FORTREX25 fury
The Beede NexSysLink is the same as a SmartCraft system. It is licensed SmartCraft software in the tachometer. When those “pucks” (sender) fail they are digital and usually they are not adjustable. The puck on your Mercruiser really was a bad coil, and resetting the “puck” reset the coil position and extended its life. It really only has about 10 degrees of rotation and that was not what ended the bounce, the coil was reset and maybe was even loose, which gave you a better signal. Really what you accomplished was resetting the “puck” which gave the coil a new face for that arm and spring to ride on.
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