condensation in chartploter

[sailone]

Has anyone experienced condensation in their large screen chartplotter.
I tried my brand new Garmin 3010 chartplotter in the sun and the screen fogged up.
The supplier says this is a problem common to all large screen plotters. He says that the unit is waterproof but not airtight. Therefore moist air can get in. He says that raymarine and others all suffer from this. They have put a new silica gel pack in and say if it happens again put the unit in the airing cupboard. This all sounds like bunkum to me. has anyone heard the same.

Thanks

 

[LittleSister]

I'd say you'd be lucky to have an airing cupboard on a boat!

 

[Marsupial]

No its not bunkum, had similar problems with JVC Furuno and Raymarine. The cause is the unit heating up and cold air cooling off the screen and water as moisture then condenses on the inside of the screen and in severe cases causes droplets to form that run down the inside if the screen - mega annoying. It usually happens in marginal weather – sunny but cold it’s the temperature difference between the unit or parts of the unit and the air. Mostly this is aggravated if the back of the unit is in an enclosed space like an instrument pod or worse is inside the boat and the screen is outside - I hope you get my meaning here.

I had some success preventing it with all the above makes when pod mounted by ensuring the unit was out of the sun and well ventilated so the back was the same temperature as the front (no don’t go drilling holes in the unit drill holes in the pod!)

 

[Kieran_Breheny]

Products such as chartplotter are designed to be 'sealed' to avoid water ingress. But also include a breathing hole in the rear which is generally covered with a gortex patch. This allows the unit to breath (as result of the temp variation onboard), the down side of this is that the product 'sucks in' damp air.
Damp air condenses on the coldest surface, generally the window. To avoid this many manufacturers have bonded glass or double glazed windows.
It’s unacceptable to have a product that has condensation, it should be replaced by the manufacturer.

 

[jwilson]

My Garmin 3005 5" screen does this every cold/cool morning (what else do we ever get) - leave it on at max brightness for about an hour and it dries out, but next day it's usually back again.

 

[exfinnsailor]

Had a Raymarine A65 that had condensation in the middle .. Just where the find the ship cross was .. Raymarine wanted the unit sent back to have a look .. Fox's replaced it .. No questions .. Great Service .. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Refueler]

[ QUOTE ]
Products such as chartplotter are designed to be 'sealed' to avoid water ingress. But also include a breathing hole in the rear which is generally covered with a gortex patch. This allows the unit to breath (as result of the temp variation onboard), the down side of this is that the product 'sucks in' damp air.
Damp air condenses on the coldest surface, generally the window. To avoid this many manufacturers have bonded glass or double glazed windows.
It’s unacceptable to have a product that has condensation, it should be replaced by the manufacturer.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry to point out that you appear to contradict yourself - first you give explanation of why it occurs and measures taken to reduce effect - then go on to say it shouldn't and should be replaced.

 

[ShipsWoofy]

Every single LCD in my cockpit does this, it is nothing to do with the manufacturer it is it seems a fact of life. The only way to stop this would be to have a pressurised daisy-chained system though I am not sure where I would store my nitrogen tanks.

 

[Kieran_Breheny]

Yes, its is a contradiction, apologies.

Manufacturers know why it happens. With good design, such as minimum gap (<0.5mm) between the window and the display glass, or bonded glass construction, it can be avoided. Therefore I think its unacceptable and you are within your rights to get a replacement unit with a modified window. Having spent 12 years at Raymarine I know this kind of problem can be resolved. (now I have opened myself up for all kinds of issues)

 

[Refueler]

I applaud your wish to give feedback to manufacturers as per your signature. But that is already happening where GPS / Charting companies are already monitoring such groups I have started ie : Yahoo Group - GPS Navigator. Not bragging - just fact. We even have reccomendations from some co's to people who have a problem to join us and ask ...

Having worked for Raymarine - not sure if that should be taken as a good sign or not - having used some pretty awful RM gear at sea on ships and yachts ! Last boat I delivered had integrated RM gear back to multi-display at the helm - b***y awful - even the new owner and other crew with me voiced complete disgust at it. (Luckily I carry my own plotter for jobs like that and we used that instead !)

I have an echo-sounder display that does it regularly - but that's my own fault for taking face of to repair the LED backlight. I did it in summer when air was humid.
All others - GPS plotter etc. are fine and do not cloud up on screen .... yet !

 

[sailone]

Thanks for the replies. It seems that some instruments suffer this problem while others do not. I know of at least three people who have no condensation problems even though the plotters are in the cockpit and get plenty of moist air. Why would this be?

 

[Refueler]

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks for the replies. It seems that some instruments suffer this problem while others do not. I know of at least three people who have no condensation problems even though the plotters are in the cockpit and get plenty of moist air. Why would this be?

[/ QUOTE ]

I remember on ships that often older gear had diaphragms plus Nitrogen filled to prevent this happening. The diaphragm allowed for pressure change without need for vent. Have no idea if any yachting gear ever used Nitrogen ...

 

[Marsupial]

Yes I know of several boats that didnt have the prblem until a change of ownership, the reason? the way the boat was used - the "marginal weather" I wrote of earlier. The previous owners only went out when it was warm and sunny - not when it was cold and sunny.

JRC, to their credit, replaced several displays for me and they all had problems until I "rearranged" the installation.