Zero Off Single Puck install, any advice?

[gregy]

I just got the puck and wiring harness today and no directions were included. The only thing I can find on their website is on the software side. No mounting instructions. Is there any special considerations on where and how to mount the antenna? @Jody_Seal anyone? Interesting it doesn't use any of the old round puck connectors, only communicates through the CAN cables.

[SkiJay]

For what it's worth, I was told by one of the inside R&D guys who had boxes of different pucks in his shop that if you have a two puck system, don't try to convert it to a one puck setup. They are different systems and the components don't play well together when mixed and matched.

[jercrane]

@gregy looks like you have a related question to one I just posted but maybe a little more advanced. I would love if anyone could simply tell me the basics of the puck install on a single puck system. Like where do I physically put the antenna after plugging it in.

[Gloersen]

Starboard side in front of the windshield is typical (200). I would use starboard location of current garmin puck (if two puck system upgrade).

 

I'm assuming of course that you have the ECOM cable, file, Aquastar or Diacom program with laptop to flash the head unit with the new software.

 

[Gloersen]

@gregy or @jercrane - can you post a pic of the bottom of that new single puck?

[jercrane]

 

[jercrane]

Ok so it sounds like I want it in front of the glass? Hmm so on a 197 where would you put it? Right here?

 

And any idea how I access that? Do the front seat back rests pop out somehow?

 

Man that's gonna be a big ass hole.

[jercrane]

Would it effect performance if it was behind the glass on the flat part of the dash?

[eleeski]

My seat bottom pops out. I take it out to replace the steering cable. You should have access to that area along the same path as the steering cable. Use a fish tape down to where you can get to things and make a guide string. Should be straightforward.

 

Just drill the hole where it belongs! You already added a custom cleat nearby. You will love the ZO and keep it.

 

Keep us posted on how everything works. I might have a similar project.

 

Eric

[Gloersen]

@jercrane - thanks for the pic. Clearly looks like a big hole required to accommodate the socket. I'd drill 4 small holes to match the profile (and clasp notch) and with a jig-saw to cut out a square hole (with rounded corners), trying to minimize the overall size. A single round hole would seem a bit huge.

 

Have seen some pucks inside the windshield (in front of the dash) that function fine.

[gregy]

I installed pop cleats and had to drill some big holes. I put masking tap over the area and step the drill sizes up a little each time. A hole saw might work as well. Jig saw idea would minimize the hole size. Either way you need to taper the edges around the hole keep the gel coat from chipping. I used a Dremel tool before. Thanks for the input everyone!

[jercrane]

Last question. Does it matter how flat it is? That area I am looking at mounting is slightly curved so there's really no way to mount it perfectly perpendicular to the sky. I'm guessing this is fine given the attitude of a boats hull is constantly changing anyway but thought I'd check anyway.

[gregy]

I emailed zero off Friday. If I get a reply I'll pass it on.

[jercrane]

Ugh so apparently this is a lot less plug and play than I thought. I can't for the life of me figure out where to plug all the connectors in. I'm guessing I need to know a lot more about the electrical system to do this but any ideas? Diagram somewhere? Any way for me to figure this out that y'all can think of?

[Gloersen]

@jercrane - check your inbox

[gregy]

@jercrane The new antenna does not use the any of the old antenna connectors.

 

The two Triangle shaped connectors are for the communication (2 blue wires one with white stripe and other with purple strip). The rectangular connectors are for power (12VDC red, Ground Black, Switched Voltage pink).

 

You should have similar shaped connectors under you dash (in the wiring harness that comes out of the back of the Zero off head unit). If you can find the same shaped connectors with similar colored wires it should all plug together. I'm not familiar with the MC but there may be a communication hub that has connectors plugged into it. Most likely this would be under the dash. Basically what this cable does is kinda splice into existing wires by using existing connectors.

[jercrane]

Ok @gregy that's what I was thinking but I haven't been able find the appropriate connectors to splice into. Might be out of my league.

[jercrane]

@gregy so which of these connectors will I not be using?

 

And do I need to use this other harness that came in the package that says "GPS puck retrofit"?

 

Thanks

[skierjp]

The connectors are shape specific, you can't mess up. You tube deutsch connector, it shows how to take it apart. You only need to drill a small hole for 2 wires. Piece of cake. You still have to have the program and the down load cable before it will work.

[skierjp]

FYI if Nautique thought the antenna would work behind the windshield they would have installed it there. It will work but ....,

[gregy]

Schematic Diagram

 

1 and 5 should be for the old antennas which you don't use with new antenna.

4 is for a jump switch don't use

3 and 7 are the communication. These you need. The should be the two blue stripped cables going into these.

2 and 6 are the power wires, 12vdc, ground, Vsw.

 

So you have to have communication from the ECM computer on back of the engine to the head unit in the dash. You have to splice into that those wires with the new antenna cable. Same with the power. Check out the link to diagrams.

 

The new antenna needs 4 wires, 2 blue striped wires for communication and 12vdc and ground so I don't really see an advantage to taking the plug apart. Drill the hole for the antenna however you want plug the connector into the back of the antenna, keep it simple.

[gregy]

 

@jercrane This is the antenna harness, you can see where the splices are. I agree they make it more completed than it needs to be. But it's for the sake of keeping it plug and play.

[jercrane]

Ok so I thought I'd drop a final post in here and let you all knows I got her up and running today. For posterity here's what I did. #1 I finally understood that not every connector on the eci harness was actually going to be plugged into something.

 

Under dash.

 

There's a black triangle open connector in the middle there. Comms plugged in there. The other weird thing for me was that the harness plug had 3 wires and this plug in the boat only had 2. Whatever...

 

See the female grey connector in upper right. That got the square power connector. Then the antenna plugs into two of the mess of connectors coming out of the main harness about half way down the length.

 

After all this I had 5 connectors still completely disconnected with no obvious mates but I decided to turn the battery on and see what happened. Voila head unit powers up. Next test let's take her for a spin.

 

 

Boom locked in to 34.2 mph. (Err well close enough anyway. Tough to take a pic as it's bouncing between 34.1 and 34.3)

 

So then after that I drilled and mounted the puck up front of the dash and used a fish tape to pull the connector through. That freaked me out drilling the hull but it looks great now and working like a charm. Sorry forgot to take a pic of the puck install.

 

Thanks for the help

[gregy]

So a tech from E-controls called me today. He said mount it as level as possible but the main thing is that the arrow on the antenna points in the direction on travel (arrow points toward bow). He said it would work under the windshield but for 3 event it would be better to have in the open. Evidently a lot of the wake board boats come from the factory with the antenna mounted under the windshield.

[jercrane]

On a related note, now that I am up and running. Has anyone ever put together a Zero Off for dummies manual? The writing in the manual that comes with it is god awful. The pull type settings for instance are baffling to me.

[LeonL]

2012 CP on our lake has the pucks (dual) mounted behind the windshield. @skierjp said "it works, but...." I'm not aware of any problems experienced by the CP.

[jercrane]

OK in case anyone else comes across this I finally found this excellent resource for learning ZO http://www.ballofspray.com/forum#/discussion/7944/everything-you-need-to-know-about-zero-off-for-2013

 

 

[Greg Lukin]

@gregy - I'm installing my new ZO 3 event kit. Having issue's trying to figure out the puck wiring - in your antenna harness photo above what goes where? I'm confused....any help would be great

 

 

[gregy]

@Greg Lukin Those 4 connectors go to the ZO harness below the dash. The pic above shows the connectors for only one end of the Single Puck Harness. The other end of this harness has a single rectangular connector that plugs into the Single puck.

[Greg Lukin]

@gregy - all sorted now - thanks - this post helped. Not sure why they supply the wiring for both single and double types of pucks - that confused me. I thought the single puck would have a single connection back to the harness but there are two - I assume a power and communication. anyway its fixed now - testing on the weekend. I positioned the single puck under my windscreen - nice and flat - hoping that works ok.

[eleeski]

@gregy or @jercrane or anyone who has hooked up the ZO wiring harness, where does the pink wire go?

 

My hookup harness (P/N E2381150A) has black (ground), red (+12V including fuse) and pink. Is the pink an always hot keep alive? If so, do I need It fused as well?

 

Thanks,

Eric

[gregy]

Red is always live. Pink is switched. They label it as Vsw. @eleeski

[eleeski]

Thanks @gregy , now it makes sense with your explanation.

 

Eric

[jfabela]

Hello Guys, can you please tell me where should I connect the (CAN+ and CAN -) in the Zero Off Harness I have an Ilmor 6.2 Engine with a naked harness (No Plug and Play Connectors)

[jercrane]

@eleeski got a pic to show which wire you are talking about?

[eleeski]

@jercrane There was a harness that plugged into the main harness and terminated on the other end to a black, red (fused) and pink bare wire. I don't have a picture but look for the plugless black, red and pink wires coming out of the black wire wrap organizer conduit (no idea what it's called for real). I think the other end plugged into a Deutch 4 pin connector.

 

Mine lit up properly but it was a wakeboard only head. Waiting to work out the exchange to the right one. It's winter so no hurry yet.

 

Eric

[gregy]

@jfabela sorry been busy and didn't catch this. I'm not familiar with the Ilmor wiring but in general the CAN is 2 wires that are a twisted pair, both blue. Let me know if your still having issues.

[Ed_Johnson]

Concerning the new single puck system, I just had an in-depth discussion with a Nautique Tech who has installed 50 of these. He stated it would be the biggest improvement to the quality of my ZO pull that I could make. I told him I had heard that it gave a rather harsh pull. He said that was the 1st Generation Software, and that the new program was far superior to anything I could ever get from the 2 puck system. In fact, if I was planning on skiing any Tournaments this year, it would be best I install it and get use to it.

 

My question is, for those who have installed it, have you felt any significant differences in the new version single puck vs, the older 2 puck system and what are they.

 

Thanks in advance !!

[acmx]

@Ed_Johnson I have a 2017 Nautique 200 DI 5.3. single puck. I noticed a difference in the pull (for the better) from the first set. I feel that it gives a better release out to the bouy with no down side. Seems like I recall someone else posted that a Zero Off engineer didn't recommend upgrading a dual puck to a single though?

[Ed_Johnson]

@acmx ... Do you know if your ZO program is the 2nd Generation software !!!

Also, could you tell me what prop your currently running. That seems to make a significant difference also....Thanks

 

 

[acmx]

@Ed_Johnson I'm pretty sure it's 2nd gen. Prop is 654

[D3dude]

I am in the process of upgrading to rev s single puck system....after installing harness and puck, head unit does not light up when I turn the key on.....is this normal prior to installing new software?

[DavidN]

That’s not normal. Check your wiring, maybe one of the connectors came off.

[D3dude]

Thanks