02-02-2023, 06:00 AM
Brad,
I will preface this by saying that I have not tried this myself….but….
The communication protocol between the engine and the Silverleaf is based on the SAE J1708 standard. It relies on a lower level standard called RS485.
RS485 is a communication scheme that allows to multiple devices on the same “network” to communicate with each other. For example, the engine, transmission can both talk on the same network without knowing about each other.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAE_J1708
Why is this interesting?
The CAT engine has an J1708 port right by the engine it is connected by a pair of wires to another port near the drivers seat. Theoretically you could add a J1708 device (maybe your tuner) to the network, and then tap into the J1708 port by the drivers seat and add the gauge cluster.
If this worked you would be able to avoid running a wire the length of the coach.
Newer coaches use a standard called SAE 1939 which is different yet the same as J1708. I have not done the research to see if the J1708 and J1939 devices can live on the same pair of wires.
I will warn you that this is a bit of a rabbit hole, but would be interesting to play with.
For what it’s worth.
Bill
I will preface this by saying that I have not tried this myself….but….
The communication protocol between the engine and the Silverleaf is based on the SAE J1708 standard. It relies on a lower level standard called RS485.
RS485 is a communication scheme that allows to multiple devices on the same “network” to communicate with each other. For example, the engine, transmission can both talk on the same network without knowing about each other.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAE_J1708
Why is this interesting?
The CAT engine has an J1708 port right by the engine it is connected by a pair of wires to another port near the drivers seat. Theoretically you could add a J1708 device (maybe your tuner) to the network, and then tap into the J1708 port by the drivers seat and add the gauge cluster.
If this worked you would be able to avoid running a wire the length of the coach.
Newer coaches use a standard called SAE 1939 which is different yet the same as J1708. I have not done the research to see if the J1708 and J1939 devices can live on the same pair of wires.
I will warn you that this is a bit of a rabbit hole, but would be interesting to play with.
For what it’s worth.
Bill
Bill Johnson
Birmingham, Alabama