I went to the Chicago Strictly Sail show over the weekend and was blown away with the vivid colors and features of the new B&G Triton displays. I really would like to have some of these displays in my instrument system. The problem is that I have a very extensive B&G Network system that was installed in 2000 with seven bulkhead displays, mast display, pilot, and ultrasonic speed sensor. It all works and it would be very expensive to replace the system. It operates on NMEA 0183 (v.1.5?). I was wondering if I could create a new NMEA 2000 backbone network on the boat and connect it to my B&G Network system with an Actisense NGW-1. I posed this question to the B&G technical support people and they say that some data would be passed but the new Triton displays would only work in a "repeater" mode. Apparently I would need to keep my NMEA 0183 sensors as they are required for the Network units. Does this make any sense? Has anyone out there worked through this problem integrating older displays and sensors with the newer NMEA 2000 displays? Alot of this technical stuff is over my head so please be kind.
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I hope someone will jump on and answer your question with B&G experience.
I can respond generical (no B&G experience) that it is perfectly fine to leave all your existing sensors, displays, and other installed produces on the 0183 network and enjoy a N2K based display like the Triton.
There are options to get the Triton displaying all the information from your 0183 network. Does the Triton manual (probably available on line ?) show the options? Does the Actisense manual provide you all the information you need?
Hello
I have the same problem/question with my B&G network. Did you get any aswer from B&G?
I want to try a Activesese NGW-1 to a Garmin plotter but I have not have time to test it.
I am curius if you get it to work.
Regards Peter from Sweden.
Hi Peter,
I'm just looking into this, I have an old B&G system installed (which are not working 100%) and are looking for options. I'm also from Sweden, maybe we can share some experiences and conclusions ?
You can reach me at: mail7 at cedb.org
Best Regards,
Andreas
Hello Peter,
Yes, in the end the Actisense NGW-1 did work for my B&G Network system. I am only using the NGW-1 as a translator gateway which takes NEMA 0183 data from the old Network system (from the NAV display input/output port) and puts it on a NEMA 2000 backbone network. My new Triton displays (three) all are acting as repeaters but I can still take advantage of the features of the new displays such as true wind direction. It seems that it is rather impossible to send data from NEMA 2000 to the NEMA 0183 Network system as the input capabilities of the NAV unit is rather limited so I really can only use the Triton displays as repeaters for the moment. When the day comes when some of the sensors on my B&G Network system start to fail, then I may have to switch entirely to the NMEA 2000 system with new sensors, autopilot and etc.
Regards,
JNotch
I too have been tempted by the Triton - the "Summer Savings" promo that offers a "free" additional Triton display with the SDW package is hard to resist ( here's a link to the form - which for some reason I can't find on the B&G site http://www.starmarinedepot.com/rebates/BG-summer-rebate.pdf , I didn't buy mine at Starmarine and have no affiliation with them)
Now I have a similar issue to the others here - bridging NMEA 0183 and NMEA 2000 data. Specifically I want to supply wind data from the Triton to my Raymarine S1 Tillerpilot (NMEA 0183 and Seatalk - no Seatalkng) and all my chartplotter data (SH CP300 - 0183) to the Triton.
I ordered the Simrad AT10 to do this and it makes it pretty simple with the Simnet connectors but will I regret not spending a little more for the Actisense NGW-1? I'd much appreciate the insights of anyone who has either used/installed both or researched their capbilities and picked one over the other.
Thanks
Patrick
Hello Patrick,
I think the issue will be: does the Raymarine network allow data to be input from other devices? Usually GPS data will be allowed but the wind data may not. This was the case with my old B&G Network system. The Network NAV unit only allowed the GPS data but nothing else. This is why my new Triton displays are really only being used as repeaters. The older B&G system is the primary system (with all of the wind, compass, boat speed sensor inputs) while the Triton displays work with the data from the older system.
I hope this helps.
Regards,
John
I don't think that your old B&G experience applies, John. The Raymarine SI commissioning manual is here:
http://www.raymarine.com/view/?id=1836&collectionid=10&col=1838
It states that the device accepts NMEA 0183 sentence MWV (apparent wind angle, apparent wind speed). MWV is a sentence that is output by the Simrad AT10, whose manual is here:
http://cs.simradyachting.com/Index.aspx?PageID=92&CategoryBrowse=Browse%2c7&FilesGallery=Download,94
So I think that Patrick is on the right track, and I hope all goes well.
I need two b&g network nav display units to replace my old ones that failed. Any ideas where I can get them, even Used?
Dear all, if some one replaces his old B&G Network system, especially the Network Pilot with the ACP1, please inform me, I am hardly looking for spares!!
Thanks for all offers.
[email protected]
I would suggest keeping an eye on ebay. I currently am sitting on two spare NAV units as backups which I obtained this way.
Dear all, is there a NETWORK Speed , i think the conversion to NMEA 2000 might be more difficult than expected. Thank you for answers
Michael, [email protected]
BG network thogeter whith triton
Hi,
My system is now with all NMEA 2000 sensors and Triton displays. I have an older B&G Hydra pilot and ACP1 that is acting funny from time to time. It has no sensor input (po. removed them). Is it possible to feed NMEA 0183 data from the 2000 network to give it input? I have a vesper marine AIS that will do the translation. Thanks for any help!
I am in the process of putting in a new B&G Zeus/3G and an N2K backbone to pick up AIS info as well as H2000 sensor info from a full H2000 network of sensors and AP. My installer will be using two Actisense translators one for AIS and one for 0183 data which comes out of the B&G FFD. I'm looking to get mag. Compass data to the chart plotter and Navigation data into the B&G network. if anyone has had experience with similar integration I would appreciate hearing from you. Likewise I will be happy to report back on how my integration goes.
Hello Len,
It sounds like your chart plotter is not N2k. My experience working with B&G Network system was that the ability to import/export data was rather limited. I did mine via the Network NAV display with an Actisense NGW-1 and you should check the manual for the Network NAV display to determine the NMEA 0183 sentences that were allowed to be inputed/outputted. Wind data wasn't transferred and I also had problems with boatspeed. I believe that navigation data was fine. I'm not so sure that magnetic compass data will transfer.
In the end, there were just too many problems with this approach so that I scrapped my Network System and moved everything over to H5000 and N2k. The new B&G chartplotters (Zeus2 and Vulcan)are really nice and much more capable than older units. I have a Vulcan 5FS for sale if you are interested.
Regards,
John
Thanks John
The new chart plotter is N2K, Zeus2. If the compass doesn't come through there is a second KVH compass talking 0183 which might work if the B&G network won't talk. Boat speed is the other sensor info that I need to come through to the new chart plotter for full function of the Zeus2. I'll be testing this in 3 or 4 weeks and post here how things worked out.
I have two Network NAV displays for sale if anyone is interested in importing/exporting data to an older Network system. Please contact me at [email protected].