Airmar DST810... does this one work?

[Poey50]

A second Airmar DST800 triducer has become unreliable outside of the warranty period. I had two years of this with the unit that came with the boat - long periods when it was OK, then a period of failure, then working again .. and repeat. As an alternative to fire-bombing* Airmar headquarters, I'd like to check whether anyone knows whether the DST810 is reliable and not just a more sophisticated piece of crap.

*Edit: obviously I'd give a 30 minute warning. I'm not a monster.

 

[Daverw]

Which bit is not working?

 

[PaulRainbow]

I replaced a DST800 at about 2 years old with a DST810, about a year ago and it's been OK so far. You won't get any long term reliability reports, mine was supplied by Garmin and i had to wait for the arrival of their first batch of DST810s.

 

[pvb]

My DST800 is 7 years old, with no issues.

 

[Poey50]

Some feedback on this which may help someone. I'd assumed that the hull transmitter (T121) on our wireless Raymarine tactic setup was powered from its 12 volt supply. In fact it uses the same £60 set of batteries as the masthead unit does and the 12 volt supply keeps these charged. The instructions for the hull transmitter makes no mention of this. Yesterday in a further attempt to diagnose the problem I stumbled on an answer to a similar sounding problem to mine (periodic inconsistent or no readings) on a Raymarine site and two solutions were offered. First was to renew the battery - now ordered - the second was to remove the red wire that ordinarily is connected to the set of speed terminals and reconnect it directly to the positive of the 12 volt supply. For the first time in a year the speed reading is now zero (with the boat stationary) rather than ranging between 1.5 and 2.5 knots and the depth is working at the same time and accurate. I'm glad that the DST810 isn't compatible with my Tactic setup otherwise I would have wasted more money.

Sorry Airmar for the harsh words.

 

[tjbrace]

My DST800 is 7 years old, with no issues.

Mine too

 

[vas]

Fwiw, my DST800 is reporting silly temps like 20+ or no temp at all. interesting to see that the temp on newer versions work...

 

[Jodel]

Temperature correction hack -

 

[Sailingnutz]

Fwiw, my DST800 is reporting silly temps like 20+ or no temp at all. interesting to see that the temp on newer versions work...

Ours is saying that the sea temperature is 61oC - definitely tropical

 

[vas]

Temperature correction hack -

good for you!

Mine is N2K one so such a hack would mean I have to physicaly open the transducer case, which is impossible/pointless/dangerous (for sinking...)

V.