Specifications

Maretron NMEA 2000
®
Network Installation Guide
Installing an NMEA 2000
®
Network
Installing an NMEA 2000® network consists of
inter-connecting NMEA 2000® electronic devices using
plug-and-play cables and connectors. The following pages
provide a brief description of how to setup a NMEA 2000®
network using five basic steps:
Cable and Connector Network Basics1.
Installing Terminators2.
Supplying Power3.
Grounding the Network4.
Checking the Network5.
Please note that this installation guide contains a brief
description of the basic concepts of installing an NMEA
2000® network and Maretron suggests that you consult
a trained professional for any installation. You can learn
more about installing NMEA 2000® networks by contacting
the National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA) at
www.nmea.org and consulting the following documents:
NMEA 2000® Standard for Serial-Data Networking of •
Marine Electronic Devices
NMEA Installation Standards•
1. Cable and Connector Network Basics
1.1 Network Topology
The NMEA 2000
®
cable system uses a trunk (sometimes
referred to as the backbone) and drop line topology as
shown in Figure 1.
The NMEA 2000® cable system includes five wires within a
single waterproof cable: two signal wires, power and ground
wires, and a drain wire. The drain wire shields the signal, power,
and ground wires from external Radio Frequency Interference
(RFI) and helps reduce RFI emission from the cable.
You can connect devices using one of three cable options:
Mini - This is commonly used for the trunk line on the network
because of its greater current carrying capacity (8 amps) as
Figure 1
NMEA 2000
®
Network Topology
68
Multi
Port
Box