I have a Catalina 34 with 25+ year electronics that I am replacing with NMEA 2000. I don't race, but I do like to sail efficiently. So far, I have an Evolution autopilot with a P70 that is awaiting installation. I've removed my old depth and speed transducers, patched one of the holes and installed an Airmar DST800.
For an MFD, I am looking towards either a B&G Zeus3 or a Raymarine Axiom. I have been told the B&G will control the Evolution (sail to apparent wind angle) and I have been told it will not. I understand I do need to use the P70 for calibration and I'm fine with that. My issue becomes getting wind data- both true and apparent.
I am told the Raymarine wind sensor will need to go through an ITC-5 and also an I70 (or similar) in order to generate N2K true data. I don't want added complexity and more gauges. Ah hah! Why not use a B&G 608 masthead sensor that will natively produce N2K data! I am told this will work, but it will only give apparent speed and angle. How do I get the true readings? Will the Evolution generate true wind? Will the Axiom? Will the Zeus? Answers are all over the place. Which piece of hardware will actually perform the calculations?
Then I thought maybe the way to go is with an Airmar 220 wind sensor which includes the GPS and can deliver native true and apparent data. I think this would eliminate any guess work. Until I came across this article
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f13/masthead-wind-instruments-nmea-2000-or-0183-a-161493.html
which argues that there can be only one source of GPS and that the GPS on the Airmar would essentially shut down. Is this true or would it still function to determine true readings, just not report GPS on the N2k network (since the GPS is coming from the Axiom or Zeus anyway)? In this kind of situation is an Airmar 220 no better than a 120 without GPS?
To complicate matters further, has anyone ever heard of the LJ Capteurs wind sensors referenced in the above forum thread? It is currently listed for sale at the Fugawi website. While I could get apparent data from this unit I am still back at square one as to what piece of hardware will generate the true speed and true direction data.
I am not married to either Raymarine or B&G (except to the autopilot at this point) so whichever MFD would be the better fit is how I am going to proceed. From a sailing perspective (dynamic lay lines, polar data, etc.) any thoughts here?
Your time, advice and guidance is very much appreciated. Thank you!
Tim Weber,
Wheaton, IL
Will
]]>I am trying to connect my old Detroit 6v92's to my N2K network. I thought this would be a "No Brainer", but it had turned out to be a bit of a night-mare. Calibrating these monsters (engine monitors, not the engines themselves) is no small task.
I have tried the Alba-Combi and I am currently trying the RS11. I could not get the Alba-combi to use the Faria senders correctly, and they basically have no tech-support, many days to weeks for an email response at best. So I gave up on that unit and moved on.
I am currently testing the RS11 with pretty good luck. I have the oil pressure and engine temperature working well. I just can't get the Tach to read correctly. I have had numerous talks with the designer Kevin, supper nice and helpful. But even with new Aetna senders I am still 60rpm behind what it should be. And on an engine with a WOT RPM of 2300, 60 rpm is a big deal.
I am curious if the Act-Sense EMU would be any better then the RS11?
]]>I have just mounted 2 B&G Zeus 3 12" plotters. Everything works perfect and I can share one map over the network.
My problem is that Navico have made a new Echo sounder 9-pin plug on the Zeus 3. I have manually spliced the AIRMAR B744V cable to a standard 7-pin connector and then connected this to a Navico 7 to 9-pin conversion plug. This conversion plug fits to the Zeus 3 however the plug has ONLY 5 pins in the plug. Therefore I only have depth & temp information and the speed information is lost.
If I can find a 9-pin (with all not just 5 pins in the plug) cable that fits directly in to the zeus 3 I could splice it directly from the Airmar B744V sounder.
Which cable fits directly into the 9 pin plug in the Zeus 3???
Thanks
]]>Due to an unexpected illness in the family I'm travelling back to the UK in a few days for a flying visit. The only bright side is that I could use the opportunity to buy a much needed autopilot upgrade while I am there for a lot cheaper than in Grenada.
So I'm trying to work out the technical setup of how it would work. Could I ask someone to sanity check this before I spend a fortune on the wrong gear. It would be greatly appreciated.
To make life easier I have linked to two diagrams, the first is my current setup. I added an AIS last year and with it a seatalk to Seatalk NG converter. This setup works OK - no obvious problems in the last year. The second diagram is what I am proposing to do with a new autopilot - all new items are marked in yellow.
Current setup (working OK):
https://www.lucidchart.com/publicSegments/view/d20f6c76-db86-412e-b018-846aa067ef37/image.jpeg
NB. the STng bus is not powered using the supplied 12v input cable. I guess it is getting power from the AIS or from the ST1 side?
New setup:
https://www.lucidchart.com/publicSegments/view/400cbbce-6ff5-4070-8ffd-c732e51e6538/image.jpeg
My main concerns here is how the whole network is powered. Do I need to buy a lot more St to STng converters for all my old gear and drop the power from the ST network completely?
I'm interested in knowing both what is 'correct and recommended' and what will work. So far I've had no help from Raymarine official channels.
Thanks,
Jon
Now, a few weeks later, I'm noticing the stereo comes on whenever I start the engine. Seemed like a silly nuisance when first discovered, but I just returned to the boat after not quite 48 hours to find the stereo on and batteries too flat to start the engine. First time for either of those happening.
Anyone else have a stereo acting this way? I can envision a scenario to (maybe) explain this particular dead-battery incident, but the root cause seems to be a stereo that powers up all by itself.
]]>Help... please.
SIMRAD radar interface (RI10) - I think it might be faulty.
Everything used to work fine - but now my NSS8 chart plotter will not switch radar on. The NSS8 can see the RI10 - it shows in the device list. It's status on the chart plotter says 'OK'.
I have checked power is going to the RI10 - with multi meter - yellow and red leads in the main cable both have the same volts as house batteries volts. But the power light in the top right corner above the power lead does not show any lights.
The simnet light above the simnet cable is flashing away nicely.
I have checked with a multimeter the volts being sent from the green block to the radar dome. The red is showing same volts as the house batteries. However, the yellow control power is showing about 1.2 volts less than house batteries.
Any thoughts anyone ?
Thanks
]]>Currently have:
--Garmin 741xs Chartplotter with Radar, nothing else talking to it, installed a couple of years ago.
--Raymarine ST60+ Tridata Depth/Speed/temp with transducers directly connected.
--Autohelm ST6000+ head with Type 300 computer and below decks actuator
Right now none of the above are interfaced. Now, my Raymarine speed impeller has bit the dust. I want to replace it with a speed impeller transducer that will talk directly to the Garmin 741xs, and while I am at it, put in an depth transducer to talk directly to the Garmin 741xs.
But...I'd like to keep the ST60+ to repeat the Depth/Speed/Temp rather than spend over $500 for a new display that will do the same thing. I'd also like to have the Autohelm interface with the Garmin.
I'd like the flexibility to add wind and AIS in the next year or so as well. Is this all doable, or am I asking for a problematic and messy jumble of wires?? I'd like guidance on the least expensive and most effective way to do all this.
I would like to have the ST60+ repeat the
]]>I searched but could not find the information I was looking for, sorry if this has been answered already.
I have a Zeus with a 3G radar and will be adding wind and sonar sensors this year. I plan to add an autopilot next year.
Since I will need a compass for the auto pilot I was wondering if I should install a WS-220WX with the integrated compass this year. Will that compass work at the mast head for an autopilot application or will there be too much pitch and roll?
Would the WSO-100 or WS-120WX be a better option with a RC42 compass?
Thanks,
Kevin
I picked up a Garmin 547 GPSMAP which is NMEA 2000 as well with the intent of simply plugging it into the backbone. Since the backbone is already fed power, I figured it would draw from that.
As a quick test, I unplugged one of the instrument displays at the helm and plugged it into the 547 GPSMAP. Unfortunately I got nothing. No power, nothing.
I'm sure I'm missing something but not sure what? The install guide is not helpful at all.
Thanks in advance.
Dan
s/v Gypsy Soul