Hoping to understand Raymarine ST60 and ST60+ Tridata instrumentation.

[RichardS]

Hi Richard
The transducer is connected directly to the back of one of my C80 MFD's - there's only one socket on there where it can go, marked DSM.
As this is the only transducer (triducer in this case) connected to the system I assume that the ST60 Tridata display should display SOG using information coming from the paddlewheel? If that's the case, then maybe it's something in the settings menu?
This is the transducer:

I understand. If the paddlewheel is plugged into the Digital Sounder Module of the C80 it won't compatible with being wired into the 5 connectors are on the back of a normal ST60+ Tridata (3 for the paddlewheel and 2 for the temperature sender).

At the moment your Tridata is presumably displaying COG derived from the GPS rather than STW derived from the paddlewheel. What you therefore need to see is whether there is a setting which will result in your STW being input into the C80 being outputted from the C80 and received by the Tridata as STW rather than COG so the Tridata can use STW to derive the True Wind.

However, I don't think this will be possible. I think that the Tridata can only derived True Wind from a paddlewheel analogue pulsed output being fed into the top 3 of the 5 terminals accompanied a temperature sender (or resistor) being connected to the lower 2 terminals.

If you have the 5 terminals I would suggest a Cruz Pro, and the latest version has the GPS built in so it's just a standalone connection plus the resistor. However, without the 5 terminals on the Tridata I don't think it's possible.

Richard

 

[earlybird]

I understand. If the paddlewheel is plugged into the Digital Sounder Module of the C80 it won't compatible with being wired into the 5 connectors are on the back of a normal ST60+ Tridata (3 for the paddlewheel and 2 for the temperature sender).

At the moment your Tridata is presumably displaying COG derived from the GPS rather than STW derived from the paddlewheel. What you therefore need to see is whether there is a setting which will result in your STW being input into the C80 being outputted from the C80 and received by the Tridata as STW rather than COG so the Tridata can use STW to derive the True Wind.

However, I don't think this will be possible. I think that the Tridata can only derived True Wind from a paddlewheel analogue pulsed output being fed into the top 3 of the 5 terminals accompanied a temperature sender (or resistor) being connected to the lower 2 terminals.

If you have the 5 terminals I would suggest a Cruz Pro, and the latest version has the GPS built in so it's just a standalone connection plus the resistor. However, without the 5 terminals on the Tridata I don't think it's possible.
Richard

Couple of points, a Tridata, master or repeater, can't handle, nor display, wind data. The OP's ST60 wind can, but needs STW on seatalk from a log transducer/display for true wind.
The need for a resistor is, AFAIK, only to "bodge" a paddlewheel transducer in which the thermistor has failed, which sometimes happens. In this event, the Tridata will not recognise that it has a paddlewheel connected to it and will function only as a repeater. I don't think that the OP's Tridata is a master type anyway since it doesn't have a Paddlewheel connection.

 

[RichardS]

Couple of points, a Tridata, master or repeater, can't handle, nor display, wind data. The OP's ST60 wind can, but needs STW on seatalk from a log transducer/display for true wind.
The need for a resistor is, AFAIK, only to "bodge" a paddlewheel transducer in which the thermistor has failed, which sometimes happens. In this event, the Tridata will not recognise that it has a paddlewheel connected to it and will function only as a repeater. I don't think that the OP's Tridata is a master type anyway since it doesn't have a Paddlewheel connection.

You've probably not read the entire thread which is understandable as it's both a long one and an old one. The relationship between the different displays which consitute the ST60 system are detailed in there somewhere as is the need for the resistor in the situation where you don't have a paddlewheel transducer at all. However, as we have both stated, if you don't have the 5 terminals on the Tridata then you are stuffed!

Richard

 

[wizzer]

A paddlewheel will not give SOG, only speed through water GPS is required for SOG. DSM stands for digital sounder module, doesn't sound (sorry!) as if it will accept your triducer log input, but I'm not sure of that, perhaps someone will confirm either way.
To display log data on your Tridata, it needs a seatalk connection from an instrument that is out-putting the necessary sentence, perhaps the MFD, if it really is getting paddlewheel input.
Does the MFD show speed through water?

Sorry, I do understand that the paddlewheel gives STW and not SOG, getting mixed up with me acronyms, I reckon it still could be something in the settings menu whereby the triducer isn't set up right to give the STW to the C80, it certainly accepts the depth reading from the triducer and this is repeated on the Tridata display. I seem to recall that when I got the boat, the log reading on the Tridata display was showing some miles, I did a reset on the DSM & maybe this is where IRS going wrong. The Tridata display must have used data from the paddlewheel to get a log reading.

 

[RichardS]

Sorry, I do understand that the paddlewheel gives STW and not SOG, getting mixed up with me acronyms, I reckon it still could be something in the settings menu whereby the triducer isn't set up right to give the STW to the C80, it certainly accepts the depth reading from the triducer and this is repeated on the Tridata display. I seem to recall that when I got the boat, the log reading on the Tridata display was showing some miles, I did a reset on the DSM & maybe this is where IRS going wrong. The Tridata display must have used data from the paddlewheel to get a log reading.

The paddlewheel gives STW which means that if the boat is tied to the quay and the tide is flooding past at 3 knots, the speed from the paddlewheel on the C80 should also show 3 knots as that is the STW even though the boat is not actually moving. The SOG is, of course, zero so if the C80 shows zero in a tide it is displaying COG which comes from a GPS.

If you can get the C80 to show STW it may be able to output that over Seatalk to the Tridata which would then presumably start to increment the log display. If that happens then I think you will also get True Wind to appear on the ST60 Wind display.

My C80 is a C80 Classic which has nothing plugged into the DSM socket so I don't really know what that input can do I'm afraid.

Richard

 

[wizzer]

Still no STW reading.
I did notice that the temperature reading on the Tridata display is way out and fluctuates widely, perhaps this is the problem
Yesterday I broke one of the pins on the connection on the back of the C80, on the connection of the DSM - which is what I was using the second C80 for.
Getting a bit frustrated by trying to keep this "legacy" kit going
Does anyone have a PCB / PSU board for a C80? (the bit which the plugs all connect to)
Otherwise, if I am considering an upgrade, is there anyway I can integrate a new(er) MFD with the existing transducers etc?

 

[aviator]

Seatalk allows older kit to run with the latest. I have just ordered an Axiom to interface with an ST60+ and the dealer has quoted for a ST1 to SNG adaptor which I assume means Seatalk 1 to Seatalk New Generation.
Hope that all works well and with autopilot too!

 

[wizzer]

I've just fitted a Seatalk to Seatalkng converter to allow me to replace a Raystar 120 GPS, which had apparently expired, with a RS130 unit, the setup works in as much as the RS130 is now giving positional information to the (remaining) C80 display

 

[wizzer]

You've probably not read the entire thread which is understandable as it's both a long one and an old one. The relationship between the different displays which consitute the ST60 system are detailed in there somewhere as is the need for the resistor in the situation where you don't have a paddlewheel transducer at all. However, as we have both stated, if you don't have the 5 terminals on the Tridata then you are stuffed!

Well, perhaps not..........
It would seem that Airmar produce a replacement paddlewheel with built in temperature sensor, which can be installed by splicing the wires to the original wires from the thermistor built in to the bronze jobby.
http://www.gemeco.com/custom/img/parts/part_insjbold.png
Has anyone done this? Did it fix the STW issue?


Richard