Fix for Connext Battery Voltage Issue - Confirmed

[Mainah]

There is a black box with two large wire packs under the starboard rear seat known as a gateway. This is the device that allows the Connext screen to control the bilge, lights, etc by communicating with Connext screen over the N2k network. The wire pack on the left contains the two voltage sensing wires. The are both red and one is labeled SYS BATT and the other is labeled AUX BATT. The issue is that they have continuity courtesy of the SPU. So if you clip the SYS BATT wire and run a direct wire from the start battery switch to the SYS BATT wire on the gateway (cover the end coming from the SPU) and do the same for the AUX BATT to the house battery this should kind of fix the issue ... read on for more before doing this.

In the stock set up you will almost always read nearly the same voltage because of the DVSR. The DVSR keeps the batteries connected in the stock configuration even after the motors are off for quite some time. If you have done the cut the DVSR red loop mod and are triggering the DVSR only when the engines are running with the engine on wire then the voltage fix will be a bit more worthwhile. Even then once the DVSR engages you will be getting nearly the same voltage for both. The next issue is latent surface charge voltage. Unless you have something to draw just a bit of power off the batteries after they have been charging they will continue to show the surface charge voltage. The stereo takes care of this for the house battery but there is nothing to take care of this for the start battery. Just reading the voltage through Connext draws so little amperage (milli amps) that the surface charge remains for some time.

All of that said this mod would help anyone to diagnose a low voltage condition it just won't be the most accurate after charging.

Update - @swatski has done this mod and posted proof on page 2 of this thread.

Update 2 - Added quick graphic how to due to questions that I have received.

 

[buckbuck]

@Mainah where have you been the last 10 years? We have been in need of your expertise a long time. And so does Yamaha.
Don't expect a thank you from them. But you can claim some victory next year when you see they have incorporated your mod into the 2018 boats.
We appreciate your contribution to the Yamaha Research and Development Team known more commonly as Jetboaters.net.

 

[OperationROL]

So I have been holding on to this one under my hat for a while in hopes that Yamaha would pay me for my solution. After no contact from them after multiple attempts and methods I guess they are going to get this one for free but so are all of you.

There is a black box with two large wire packs under the starboard rear seat known as a gateway. This is the device that allows the Connext screen to control the bilge, lights, etc by communicating with Connext screen over the N2k network. The wire pack on the left contains the two voltage sensing wires. The are both red and one is labeled SYS BATT and the other is labeled AUX BATT. The issue is that they have continuity courtesy of the SPU. So if you clip the SYS BATT wire and run a direct wire from the start battery switch to the SYS BATT wire on the gateway (cover the end coming from the SPU) this should kind of fix the issue ... read on for more before doing this.

In the stock set up you will almost always read nearly the same voltage because of the DVSR. The DVSR keeps the batteries connected in the stock configuration even after the motors are off for quite some time. If you have done the cut the DVSR red loop mod and are triggering the DVSR only when the engines are running with the engine on wire then the voltage fix will be a bit more worthwhile. Even then once the DVSR engages you will be getting nearly the same voltage for both. The next issue is latent surface charge voltage. Unless you have something to draw just a bit of power off the batteries after they have been charging they will continue to show the surface charge voltage. The stereo takes care of this for the house battery but there is nothing to take care of this for the start battery. Just reading the voltage through Connext draws so little amperage (milli amps) that the surface charge remains for some time.

All of that said this mod would help anyone to diagnose a low voltage condition it just won't be the most accurate after charging.

I have not tested this mod myself as there would be very little benefit for me with my current set up and having already added independent dedicated digital voltage displays on my amp board and courtesy of my dual usb and voltmeter add on. I am 99% sure this will work and if not you can just splice back together the cut wire. To verify simply turn on Connext after cutting the wire but before splicing and you should not see a voltage reading for the battery or be getting a warning. Someone please try this and report back.

Wow, if we leave you alone, you will solve every problem and we would have no need of pool noodles. lol. I too, installed the usb chargers with the voltmeters and that works great. I installed them in the back corners (starboard is start battery and port is aux battery). If I did not do that already, this sounds like a very easy way to address the issue.

 

[swatski]

So I have been holding on to this one under my hat for a while in hopes that Yamaha would pay me for my solution. After no contact from them after multiple attempts and methods I guess they are going to get this one for free but so are all of you.

There is a black box with two large wire packs under the starboard rear seat known as a gateway. This is the device that allows the Connext screen to control the bilge, lights, etc by communicating with Connext screen over the N2k network. The wire pack on the left contains the two voltage sensing wires. The are both red and one is labeled SYS BATT and the other is labeled AUX BATT. The issue is that they have continuity courtesy of the SPU. So if you clip the SYS BATT wire and run a direct wire from the start battery switch to the SYS BATT wire on the gateway (cover the end coming from the SPU) this should kind of fix the issue ... read on for more before doing this.

In the stock set up you will almost always read nearly the same voltage because of the DVSR. The DVSR keeps the batteries connected in the stock configuration even after the motors are off for quite some time. If you have done the cut the DVSR red loop mod and are triggering the DVSR only when the engines are running with the engine on wire then the voltage fix will be a bit more worthwhile. Even then once the DVSR engages you will be getting nearly the same voltage for both. The next issue is latent surface charge voltage. Unless you have something to draw just a bit of power off the batteries after they have been charging they will continue to show the surface charge voltage. The stereo takes care of this for the house battery but there is nothing to take care of this for the start battery. Just reading the voltage through Connext draws so little amperage (milli amps) that the surface charge remains for some time.

All of that said this mod would help anyone to diagnose a low voltage condition it just won't be the most accurate after charging.

I have not tested this mod myself as there would be very little benefit for me with my current set up and having already added independent dedicated digital voltage displays on my amp board and courtesy of my dual usb and voltmeter add on. I am 99% sure this will work and if not you can just splice back together the cut wire. To verify simply turn on Connext after cutting the wire but before splicing and you should not see a voltage reading for the battery or be getting a warning. Someone please try this and report back.

Fenomenal!
Thank you. Will try to get to it this weekend and let you know. Many thanks.

 

[Mainah]

Confirmed! As I was wrapping up winterization I could not stand not confirming this for 6-7 months. I pulled the connector figuring there was a way to remove the lead .. yep there is. Press in on the center grey piece (photo below) and then you can pull out individual leads. I pulled the sys batt lead and reconnected the harness. Then I powered up connext. As the saying goes a picture is worth a thousand words so see below.

To fix the issue I recommend running a wire from each of the repesective battery switches and cut/splice with the gateway or locate the proper female barrel terminals online and insert into the harness. Estebtailly replace the factory leads with you own from the battery switches and insulate the original factory leads.

 

[Bryan L]

@Mainah , I love you!

 

[Julian]

@Mainah So did you run a wire from the Starter Battery to the Sys wire you disconnected?

 

[swatski]

Confirmed! As I was wrapping up winterization I could not stand not confirming this for 6-7 months. I pulled the connector figuring there was a way to remove the lead .. yep there is. Press in on the center grey piece (photo below) and then you can pull out individual leads. I pulled the sys batt lead and reconnected the harness. Then I powered up connext. As the saying goes a picture is worth a thousand words so see below.

To fix the issue I recommend running a wire from each of the repesective battery switches and cut/splice with the gateway or locate the proper female barrel terminals online and insert into the harness. Estebtailly replace the factory leads with you own from the battery switches and insulate the original factory leads.

View attachment 46977 View attachment 46978

That is just effing brilliant. You are the best.

 

[Mainah]

I did not run any new wires. Too much else to do to prepare for winter. Figured I could just confirm that the wires I thought were used for the voltage readings quickly. I already know from my other mods that the batteries will output different voltages with connections direct to the switches. I will make a wiring diagram when I get a chance to show how to fix this for those who are still unsure what needs done. I will also edit the title once at my laptop to indicate confirmed.

I am already making a list of spring mods and this one is on it along with perfect pass and a ballast system. Took some measurements for everything so I can order parts when they are on sale.

 

[buckbuck]

It is our privilege having you aboard @Mainah .
Thanks so much for helping so many people (and a major boat corporation).

 

[Neutron]

Thank you Mainah. You are a smart cookie.. keep us updated

 

[ncnmra]

I too, installed the usb chargers with the voltmeters and that works great. I installed them in the back corners (starboard is start battery and port is aux battery). If I did not do that already, this sounds like a very easy way to address the issue.

Sorry; I may have missed this discussion. Is there a forum thread about this, and/or pic? I'd like to do the same for my 2008 boat.

 

[Bill D]

Here you go @ncnmra.

https://jetboaters.net/threads/dual...mbo-in-one-cigar-lighter-sized-housing.10894/

 

[mraz72]

and just to ask a dumb question since i am picking up a 2016 e series boat, the voltage readings have been incorrect on these and the above is the only known solution?

 

[Bill D]

Yep, you can follow the instructions above to fix it on the display or add another device like the usb charger to display the house battery voltage.

 

[Mainah]

Has anyone run new wires yet? I know it will work but would love to see the result.

@swatski you seem to be working on some mods now. Any chance you might get to this soon? Having my boat wrapped and no snow to ski on yet has left me living vicariously and trying not to spend too much money on parts for mods in the off season.

 

[swatski]

Has anyone run new wires yet? I know it will work but would love to see the result.

@swatski you seem to be working on some mods now. Any chance you might get to this soon? Having my boat wrapped and no snow to ski on yet has left me living vicariously and trying not to spend too much money on parts for mods in the off season.

Yes, I will try it this weekend!

 

[OperationROL]

Yes, I will try it this weekend!

Can't wait to hear the results!

 

[swatski]

@Mainah So, I unplugged the SPU and pulled the red SYS Batt wire out of the plug, put the plug back in.



Then I temporarily connected the red wire to the positive terminal of Starter Battery.




With the plug out:


And plug back in (with red SYS Batt connected to the Starter batt positive terminal, as above):


Would you expect to read SYS Batt voltage at this point (other than 0.0V)?
What am I doing wrong?

--

 

[BBottoms]

You've got it backwards. The SPU needs to have the voltage input at that terminal, not to the wire. The SYS wire already has voltage from the Auxillary battert. You'll have to cut the wire and splice into the SPU side or somehow put the temp wire from the system battery into the plug at the SPU.