SC1000 Smartcraft gauge can't read digital readout

[timschap]

First I apologize if this is not the right place to post this as I seem to have difficulty navigating this site. I just installed a 2008 Merc 300 on my boat (used) and it came with two smartcraft gauges. One Tach, one Speedometer. The Tach I can just barley read the digital readout and the Speedometer I cannot read at all. Shining a flash light on it I can almost make out what it says. I've got the both contrast set up as high as it can go as well as the light. Is this normal or are these gauges N/G? Also the engine hour reading has not moved after 3 hour of run time. And lastly I understand that the Speedometer has a fuel gauge in it (the boat yard remove the old gauge I had and did not reinstall it). I'm a bit confuse as to how it works since it does not connect to the fuel tank sensor (at least not what I can read). The boatyard (that installed the motor and gauge) said to fill the tank and set the gauge for how much fuel the tank held and then it would deduct the burned fuel from the total. It you do not fill your tank each time how do you keep track of how much fuels is in the tank?

Before I buy replacement gauges i want to know if it is worth the money if I still can not see the digital read out.

 

[alldodge]

Boat yard installed motor and gauges, so why doesn't the boat yard fix the issue, or have you asked?

If the tank is not connected to the CAN network then it doesn't know. If it is connected, then once programed, and gass is added, it will calculate how much is left based on the level

Is your connected like in the pic?

 

[timschap]

Thanks for your comment. Before I went back to the boat yard (about 25 miles away) I wanted to get some information so that my questions would make sense. With regards to not being able to see/read the digital readout I've found out that the there is quite a business in rebuilding these gauges so maybe this is a normal problem for 12 year old gauges. As for the gas issue I now know I need to ask them specifically whether they connected the gauge to the tank. I asked when I first picked up the boat and he said "fill the tank and set the gauge" but gave little else information as I was speaking to him over the phone and he was in the middle of something else. Not sure "why" he didn't do it all of that set up before he told me the boat was ready but ... that life!!!!

 

[QBhoy]

Hi
the lcd failure is quite a common thing. I was lucky enough to get one of mine replaced under warranty.
if you live over in the US, there is an excellent repair service from a company called gauge saver. Much cheaper than a new gauge. These things are hundreds of dollars each.

on the fuel thing...as said, it needs to be linked to the sender from the fuel tank to work like that. Through the smart craft network.

 

[timschap]

Again thanks, a little bit annoying that I could reason out that there should be a connection between the gas tank and the gauge but the boat yard thought it was magic!!!!

 

[timschap]

Hi All, so I got all squared away on seeing my gauges. Sent them away to a great place, seems the only problem was that the contrast was all goofed up, they reset to factory setting all is well EXCEPT gas gauge does not work. Back to the yard this year, seems they install the wrong harness. Replaced harness and I have a gas gauge EXCEPT it does not read correctly. At full tank (134 gal - which gauge is calibrated to). It shows' 96 gallons (71% full) It has come down some BUT still is not accurate (looking at fuel burned). I've looked at all the literature and can not find where you'd calibrate the fuel sensing unit to the gauge (measure in ohm's). Does anyone have an idea how to do this?