How to make your own Ficht EMM Communications cables (2872454 & PW-45776 equivalent)

[HiPeRcO]

K447 did you ever find a usb to serial port connector that works with the cable you designed. Thanks

Don't be shy to read back a page or two

https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Serial-Adapter-Chipset-CB-FTDI/dp/B006AA04K0

[car22car]

Well, it seems that certain diagnostic software needs a 'real' serial port, and the software is not compatible with just any USB to serial adapter.

My understanding is that certain serial-to-USB chips (which is what makes the adapter actually work) are not fully compatible with the software.

Since most USB to serial adapters are sold by brand name (or no brand name) it can be difficult to know what chip type is actually inside a given adapter.

At the moment I do not have any info on which adapters or chips are the 'best' choice for this purpose. I suppose I should go dig into this question, in my spare time....

Myself, I keep an old school laptop around, which just happens to have a genuine serial port built in.

Tip: Do NOT connect a regular desktop computer to any watercraft. There is a risk, however small, of electric shock if that desktop computer develops an internal electrical fault. Polaris has a specific note regarding the use of diagnostics only with portable, laptop type computers.

K447 did you ever find a usb to serial port connector that works with the cable you designed. Thanks

[K447]

Have you read through the entire thread? We did make an effort to include lots of details and hopefully, some clarity.

There are two wiring diagrams in this post. One diagram for the Deutsch connectors, one if using the WeatherPack connectors.

http://greenhulk.net/showthread.php?t=102343&p=1157584&viewfull=1#post1157584

Background
Polaris used a Deutsch type connector in the Ficht watercraft wire harnesses until 2001 (IIRC). After 2001 model year the Ficht watercraft have WeatherPack connectors instead. Same location and wiring, just a different connector type. Instead or issuing an entire different cable for the later models Polaris instead sent the dealers a short adapter cable.

When working on an older Ficht model the original Polaris cable would connect between the watercraft harness and the laptop 9-pin serial port. If the dealer needed to work with a newer model the same original cable was used with the laptop but the short adapter cable was plugged into the Deutsch end, and then the WeatherPack connectors from the adapter were connected to the actual watercraft.

Since you are making a cable just for your specific watercraft, you don't care about the adapter aspect. Just buy the correct WeatherPack or Deutsch connectors you need to hook up with your model's wire harness.

In the watercraft, the diagnostic mating connector pair in the wire harness will be located near the EMM. Easily identified as it will be the only four pin connector pair with only a single White/Red wire on one of the connectors. You pull those connectors apart, then plug them into the mating connectors on the diagnostic cable.

The other end of the cable goes to your laptop serial port. When making the cable, you wire the serial port end as shown in the wiring diagram. Use your ohmmeter to figure out which wire colors in your particular serial cable go to which pins.

[MSX140$]

First two photos are the single wire connection in the Polaris Deutsch type 2872454 communications cable (continuing from the previous post).

For reference, the next photos are the PW-45776 adapter cable, which is used with an original Polaris 2872454 Communications cable when connecting to a WeatherPack equipped 2002-2004 fuel injected Polaris PWC.

In the pictures which Adapters are necessary? Im confused because in the first post about the 9 pin connector you used the 4 pin connector and then in this thread you are talking about another adapter? What's this other adapter for? When I'm done with the 9 pin connector what do I plug the 4 pin male connector into and female? What are these other adapters for?? Please help thank you

[MSX140$]

The Polaris Digital Wrench (Windows) and PODIAG (DOS) diagnostic software uses the RS-232 serial port on your laptop to communicate with the EMM module in the Ficht PWC.

Polaris used two different connector types for the PWC wiring harness. From 1999-2001, the EMM wiring harness uses 4-pin Deutsch connectors where the laptop must connect.

2002-2004 Ficht machines use 4-pin WeatherPack type connectors where the laptop connects.

The original Polaris 2872454 cable came with a 9-pin DB-9S connector for the laptop end, and Deutsch DT04-4P and DT06-4S connectors on the PWC end.

When they changed to WeatherPack 4-pin male and female square connectors on the 2002-2004 models, Polaris issued an adapter cable PW-45776, which converted the communication cable's Deutsch connectors to WeatherPack.

While this does work, it seems rather clunky, with the unused connectors flopping around.

Attached are wiring diagrams for building separate Ficht EMM Communications Cables for the Deutsch and WeatherPack versions of the Polaris Ficht PWC. These cables are electrically the same as the Polaris original cables.

WeatherPack connectors are sometimes called Packard connectors, or WeatherPack P.E.D (Packard Electrical Devices), or Delphi Weather-Pack, or WeatherPak.

Weather-Pack 4F (Delphi 12015798 )
Weather-Pack 4M (Delphi 12015024) clip-slot
Note: Either 20-18 gauge or 16-14 gauge pins will work. I prefer the thicker wire for durability.

Wire colors do not matter, just be sure you get the pin connections correct on each connector. The 3 wire flexible cable should be several feet long, enough to allow you to position the laptop safely nearby the PWC.

Do not make the cable excessively long, as electrical interference can cause problems in long cables. Keep the cable well under ten feet total length.

One source for the 9-pin connector and cable is to buy a six foot 9-pin serial cable with a female connector on at least one end. Cut the other end off, use your ohm-meter to find the wires for each pin, and join them per the diagram.


The single flexible wire between the two Deutsch or two WeatherPack connectors only needs to be a few inches long. 12 inches would be plenty of length.

Note: Additional information can be found here;
How to make the Ficht EMM Service Power jumper (PN 2872456)
How to read Polaris Ficht EMM trouble codes without special software or a computer

where it says to use an ohm-meter to find out which wires you need... what wires are you talking about? Also how many adapters do you need because I see you have two on your finished product? I'm just more confused on which wires from the 9 pin connector you need to connect to the 4 pin connector?

[Saltlife]

That's it! Now I get it. The most confusing part was I thought the column of pics on right side of your original post were the resulting Weatherpack once assembled. But you don't have a picture, I'm guessing because if just following your drawn diagram, it's ridiculous easy and doesn't need a photo explanation. Thanks again! I'm not even doing the work on my ski, I'm just not experienced enough, but the shop that has it doesn't have a cable so I told them just wait...! Will keep you posted, thanks again bro!

[K447]

... my ski uses the Weatherpack which I have already completed the 9-pin side. What I'm asking is what does the OTHER end of the Weatherpack connector look like? I only see the picture of the wired 9-pin. I do not see the Weatherpack connector completed. Can you please post a picture of what the entire assembled cable looks like? Thanks!

So you have completed the cable per above, with the needed three wires from 9-pin to Weatherpack Male, correct?

The only other wire is the White/Red which connects between the pin A on both Weatherpack connectors. This is shown as A-----A on the attached diagram.

On the female Weather Pack of the diagnostic cable there will be three unused pins.

[martincom]

You can view what the assembled weatherpack connectors appears as on your 2003 Virage i. Usually hanging over the EMM, is a 4 pin weatherpack connectors connected together. This is the diagnostic connector that your programming cable connects between. You'll open the diagnostic connector and connect your the two ends of your programming cable weatherpack connectors to each half. The white/red wire (+45vdc supply) is fed through the diagnostic connector. They have to be mated to complete the supply path for the +45VDC supply and likewise when you have your programming cable connected.

As there is a male and a female in the diagnostic connector, you have assembled examples of how your programming cable weatherpack plugs should appear.

[Saltlife]

The first picture is a Deutsch male connector.

The other two shown are Weatherpack type. One male and one female.

Different connector types. Your cable and your ski will use one type OR the other.

Yes I know this, and my ski uses the Weatherpack which I have already completed the 9-pin side. What I'm asking is what does the OTHER end of the Weatherpack connector look like? I only see the picture of the wired 9-pin. I do not see the Weatherpack connector completed. Can you please post a picture of what the entire assembled cable looks like? Thanks!

[K447]

The first picture is a Deutsch male connector.

The other two shown are Weatherpack type. One male and one female.

Different connector types. Your cable and your ski will use one type OR the other.

[Saltlife]

How about now? I edited it

[K447]

Pictures are not visible in your post

[Saltlife]

Help with Weatherpack please!

Okay, my question is simple I think I just over complicated it in my first post.

I read your post on the cable assemble thoroughly so I understand the difference between Deutsch and Weatherpack. It appears to me that you have placed all pics pertaining to the Deutsch on the left, and Weatherpack on the right.

If this is true, then the last picture on the right side, is what confused me. The end with the 9-pin wire assembly is easy to understand, and the cable that I bought per your suggestion, looks exactly like what you have shown in the picture, and I have run the wires according to your wiring diagram that you drew up. It's the OTHER end that I need help with. I am posting 3 pictures here, the first one is your picture, and I don't understand how you made this connector from the 3 parts that you listed. I have bought all the parts and took pics of those, which are the 2nd and 3rd pics.


That is your pic, and the end of the cable that I don't understand....



That's the first part....



And this is the 2nd part.

So how did you assemble these parts in such a way that it looks like what you made in the first pic?

Thanks again for your help!

[K447]

I am not entirely sure what you are asking.

Some model years Polaris Ficht used a Deutsch connector in the EMM wire harness for the Ficht diagnostic connection. Other Polaris Ficht model years used the WeatherPack connector.

What Polaris did for the official diagnostic kit was to keep using the original service cable, and added an adapter cable to convert from Deutsch to WeatherPack. So some machines would just use the original cable, and some would use the original cable and the adapter cable.

You can make your own diagnostic cable that goes directly from RS-232 to either WeatherPack or Deutsch, whichever connector type your Ficht machine happens to use. I have posted wiring diagrams with PIN numbers for both versions.

[Saltlife]

Hey man, I know this post is REALLY old but I bought a 2003 Polaris Virage i and trying to get it running!
Ok, first off thanks for your site and this post. Second, I can't seem to get this cable thing figured out. I just received the parts I ordered. I got both Delphi (WeatherPack) male and female connectors, as well as a 6' 9-pin serial female connector. So now I have a question about the assembly:

The 2 Delphi (male & female) connectors I bought look exactly like your drawn wiring diagram (first photo on first post, top right), but I'm not sure how you made the connector in the last photo(bottom right). Is that the male & female combined somehow? I can't figure out how you made that one. It looks like a completely different connector. When looking inside of the female connector like in the last photo, I see 4 wires coming through some green plastic. Mine doesn't look like that at all. I hope I'm making sense.

So I'm assuming you just cut away the cables you didn't need from the RS 232, since your wiring diagram calls for only 3, plus the single A to A cable. That single cable goes to the Delphi male, so I get that part. It's the 4-pin female I don't understand.

Is there a picture of the completed cable somewhere that I missed? I see the Deutsch cable but not the WeatherPack.

Thanks in advance!