Cutting a Raymarine network cable?

[Ian_Edwards]

I'm struggling to get the plug on the network cable the tube from a scanstrut pod. The cable goes so far (fed from the inside os the pod) and the stops.
There is already a cable running down the tube, so space is tight.
Is there any reason why I can't cut the cable and joint it inside the steering pedistal?

 

[Boathook]

I have cut both the backbone and spur cables on my new Raymarine instruments this year to aid fitting, etc and the dealer I purchased from showed them cut in the schematic he supplied.

 

[prv]

By "network", do you mean Ethernet (as used with radars and I think sonars) or NMEA 2000?

Both can be spliced if necessary but NMEA 2000 is easier.

Pete

 

[Lon nan Gruagach]

I'm struggling to get the plug on the network cable the tube from a scanstrut pod. The cable goes so far (fed from the inside os the pod) and the stops.
There is already a cable running down the tube, so space is tight.
Is there any reason why I can't cut the cable and joint it inside the steering pedistal?

Any cable can be cut and jointed, or even spliced.
However maybe I can offer some cable fishing tricks.
Use the thinnest draw wire you can find (thats a string to pull the new cable through). Tape the end of the draw wire to the new cable 100mm down from the plug. Slip a half hitch over the plug and work down to the tape, slip another half hitch down half way from plug to tape and yet another snug behind the plug. Next up get some thin, stiff card (cereal packet is good) make a cone that fits over draw wire and plug. Now, you can get specialist wiring oil (Hellermann) or washing up liquid will do to lubricate the pull. If there is physically enough room then this will work.

 

[Graham_Wright]

Any cable can be cut and jointed, or even spliced.
However maybe I can offer some cable fishing tricks.
Use the thinnest draw wire you can find (thats a string to pull the new cable through). Tape the end of the draw wire to the new cable 100mm down from the plug. Slip a half hitch over the plug and work down to the tape, slip another half hitch down half way from plug to tape and yet another snug behind the plug. Next up get some thin, stiff card (cereal packet is good) make a cone that fits over draw wire and plug. Now, you can get specialist wiring oil (Hellermann) or washing up liquid will do to lubricate the pull. If there is physically enough room then this will work.

You can use large gauge screening sheath (like coax) to form a cone. In face, you can sometimes use if for the whole job. The harder you pull, the tighter it grips.

 

[jfm]

Yes you can cut and re-join the cable. If cat 5, you can solder it back together with heatshrink, or you can fit a new cat 5 plug on the end using either pliers or a proper cat 5 plug crimper costing peanuts these days http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Network-E...561582?hash=item48731771ae:g:2DgAAOSwImRYSTlt If n2k, or "seatalk ng" in ray-speak, just solder it and heat shrink it.

 

[Ian_Edwards]

All sorted, it's ethernet for a radar, I bought some RJ45 connectors and a cheap crimping and a coupling from Maplin.
When I got enough phone signal to do a Google search, it became obvious.

 

[Ian_Edwards]

Follow-up question.
Having worked out how to attach RJ45 plugs, I've wired BOTH cut ends using the standard wiring configuration TA568A, with pin 1 white/green and pin 8 brown. I now intend to add a bought in 5m cable, using couplings. Do I need to use one straight coupling and one crossover coupling?

 

[prv]

Do I need to use one straight coupling and one crossover coupling?

If it worked before (or would have) then no, keep it straight-through.

Most computer stuff from this century auto-detects the difference anyway, though I suppose it's possible Raymarine aren't that advanced

Pete

 

[Ian_Edwards]

OK, I have the new Quantum radar up and working, but using the WIFi connection.
I couldn't get the wired connection to work.
It's essentially an ethernet cable with Raymarine plugs on each end.
I cut the cable and wired in two Maplin RJ45 plugs, using the standard ethernet colour codes and sequence.
I've then used a standard 5m ethernet cable and two couplers.
Initially I bought two straight couplers, it didn't work. I then bought a crossover couple, still no joy.
I think the next step is to check the cable for continuity and make sure I haven't made a mistake when wiring up the Maplin plugs.

To make this easy, and dare I say it fool proof, it would be good to have the configuration of a Raymarine ethernet cable, so if I bring the two ends of the cables together, should I expect "pin1" on one end to be directly connected to "pin1" on the other end?
Or should I expect some form of crossover?

 

[Lon nan Gruagach]

OK, I have the new Quantum radar up and working, but using the WIFi connection.
I couldn't get the wired connection to work.
It's essentially an ethernet cable with Raymarine plugs on each end.
I cut the cable and wired in two Maplin RJ45 plugs, using the standard ethernet colour codes and sequence.
I've then used a standard 5m ethernet cable and two couplers.
Initially I bought two straight couplers, it didn't work. I then bought a crossover couple, still no joy.
I think the next step is to check the cable for continuity and make sure I haven't made a mistake when wiring up the Maplin plugs.

To make this easy, and dare I say it fool proof, it would be good to have the configuration of a Raymarine ethernet cable, so if I bring the two ends of the cables together, should I expect "pin1" on one end to be directly connected to "pin1" on the other end?
Or should I expect some form of crossover?

Is there any way you can try the cable with just it (2 halves) your RJ45s and a single straight coupler? One snag for ethernet cabling can be the number of joins.

 

[Ian_Edwards]

Putting just one coupler isn't practical, without taking the cable out, and I spent a long time routing the cable behind the furniture on the boat.
There were too reason for cutting the cable, firstly to put a 5m extension in, secondly because the Raymarine connectors wouldn't go through the cable ducts.
If I do a continuity check, I'll use a separate length of wire to complete the circuit with the multimeter.
I'll probably check which pins are connected, when I go to the boat on Wednesday, however, there isn't any internet access where the boat is moored, there's barely a GPRS signal and for most of the time it isn't possible to make a call on a mobile (vodafone), so I was just trying to get some info' on what I should see.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Putting just one coupler isn't practical, without taking the cable out, and I spent a long time routing the cable behind the furniture on the boat.
There were too reason for cutting the cable, firstly to put a 5m extension in, secondly because the Raymarine connectors wouldn't go through the cable ducts.
If I do a continuity check, I'll use a separate length of wire to complete the circuit with the multimeter.
I'll probably check which pins are connected, when I go to the boat on Wednesday, however, there isn't any internet access where the boat is moored, there's barely a GPRS signal and for most of the time it isn't possible to make a call on a mobile (vodafone), so I was just trying to get some info' on what I should see.

The cables are not crossover cables, 100%. Neatest and most reliable way is to get a long enough length of cable to do it in one run and fit new connectors on each end. Can you pull a new length through using the existing length ? Other than that, if it doesn't work with straight connectors you should check your work, as you said.

 

[prv]

Neatest and most reliable way is to get a long enough length of cable to do it in one run and fit new connectors on each end.

Certainly true with standard RJ45s, but can you get field-installable RayNet connectors? They're the round ones with ten pins and three keying lugs, two triangular and one square.

Ian - FWIW I recently did almost exactly the same job with the same radar and cable (no extension, but cutting and re-joining with RJ45s and a waterproof coupler to allow future mast removal) and it just worked. There's nothing funny going on, you've probably just buggered up the crimping

Pete

 

[PaulRainbow]

Certainly true with standard RJ45s, but can you get field-installable RayNet connectors? They're the round ones with ten pins and three keying lugs, two triangular and one square.
Pete

No idea Pete, he said he was using RJ45s.

 

[prv]

No idea Pete, he said he was using RJ45s.

To join it, in the middle. But at the ends he needs RayNet, to match the radar and plotter. Agree that your suggestion of "a long enough length of cable to do it in one run and fit new connectors on each end" is the best way to do things where possible, but it relies on being able to install the connectors. Which in this case are probably not available.

Pete

 

[Ian_Edwards]

The radar is stern mounted on a long custom made carbon fibre pole, in essence to get it above the height of the boom with the sail in the stack and pack. I need two lengths one to bring the cable down the pole and into the stern locker, a connector is needed at this point so I can take the pole down and off in the winter to get the boat inside the storage shed. Not dissimilar to a connector at the base of the mast.

The total length is about 15m. I cut the cable after feeding it down the pole and through the gland, with about 1m of spare cable to allow for re-termination and general messing about. The remaining length was feed from the MFD, at the nav station, through cable ducts to a dry and reasonably accessable locker. The standard 5m ethernet cable was then feed through ducting, from the locker to the aft stern locker.

If multiple couplers is likely to be a problem, I can try cutting of the end of the standard cable in the locker and do a solder and heatshrink joint.

BUT, before I do that I'll check the continuity of the cable, knowing that the cable is not a crossover helps a lot, so I'll get a willing volunteer at one end to insert a bit of solid drawn wire into each pin in turn, whilst I use a multimeter to see which pins are connected and if I've "buggered up" one of the crimps.

Thanks for the input, very useful, as always.

 

[PaulRainbow]

To join it, in the middle. But at the ends he needs RayNet, to match the radar and plotter. Agree that your suggestion of "a long enough length of cable to do it in one run and fit new connectors on each end" is the best way to do things where possible, but it relies on being able to install the connectors. Which in this case are probably not available.

Pete

Ah, no previous mention of RayNet, just ethernet and RJ45. Once again Raymarine have returned to their old ways of making proprietary connectors that mean you get shafted every time you need a cable. Or £300 for a network switch that you could buy off Ebay for pence if you didn't need RayNet connectors.

 

[Ian_Edwards]

yes, £50 for a 5m cable, £100 for a 10m cable.

I'm surprised there isn't a second source for them on the net, but I couldn't find one.

 

[PaulRainbow]

BUT, before I do that I'll check the continuity of the cable, knowing that the cable is not a crossover helps a lot

I thought you were still using the Raymarine HS connectors, which are basically waterproof RJ45s. They had to connect to a switch/hub or if only using a single display they had to be connected with a crossover coupler, these cables were definitely not crossover cables. I doubt the RayNet cables will be either, particularly as they connect to a switch for using multiple displays.