I hate my B&G Network

[Refueler]

No matter what I do - wind speed just does not register ... the masthead unit was taken down .. serviced .. checked by yard guys (they repair such gear !) .. I get direction - but speed just does not show ..

As far as they could tell - data was being sent .. but not displayed .. display passes all tests / menu functions ...

I am fast thinking about removing that part of the network and replacing with a simple wind setup .....

 

[Boathook]

Can you borrow a display to double check, even from the yard.

 

[Refueler]

Can you borrow a display to double check, even from the yard.

To put it mildly ... they don't like B&G gear ! They reckon they have more trouble with it than even Raymarine !!

 

[Buck Turgidson]

Is this any use?

 

[Refueler]

Hi Buck ....interesting, but sadly my B&G is older network than that ....

 

[Fr J Hackett]

You need to get hold of the wiring diagram for the wind sensor and check the voltages on the various wire combinations that will eliminate or tell you if the problem is in the anemometer.

 

[dgadee]

The solution is a Windex.

 

[fredrussell]

I said on your other thread, get rid of all the old nav electronics and put in a NMEA 2000 backbone. Alibaba/Aliexpress now sell a N2K wind transceiver- you have the Garmin plotter that will display the wind info. All way cheaper than B&G or Raymarine transceiver and only a bit more than Nasa transceiver that will shed its cups in a couple of seasons. Life is too short to p1ss about with 40 year old electronics and N2K is a joy to use.

You’ve posted thread after thread about various mysterious transceivers, weird blue boxes connected to gawd knows what, unreliable depth(?) gauge and dodgy wind instrument. It’s winter. Put the Chinaspacher in (temporarily if necessary) so you can work in the warm, rip all the old stuff out and give that lovely boat the electronics it deserves.

 

[Buck Turgidson]

I said on your other thread, get rid of all the old nav electronics and put in a NMEA 2000 backbone. Alibaba/Aliexpress now sell a N2K wind transceiver- you have the Garmin plotter that will display the wind info. All way cheaper than B&G or Raymarine transceiver and only a bit more than Nasa transceiver that will shed its cups in a couple of seasons. Life is too short to p1ss about with 40 year old electronics and N2K is a joy to use.

You’ve posted thread after thread about various mysterious transceivers, weird blue boxes connected to gawd knows what, unreliable depth(?) gauge and dodgy wind instrument. It’s winter. Put the Chinaspacher in (temporarily if necessary) so you can work in the warm, rip all the old stuff out and give that lovely boat the electronics it deserves.

This is what I did but it gets expensive quickly once you start!!

 

[Aja]

The solution is a Windex.

Seems he's already getting direction

 

[Refueler]

Already have a Windex up there ....

Like most things in life - we know what we SHOULD do - but so often we don't !!

 

[fredrussell]

Well, that’s true enough!

 

[Beneteau381]

No matter what I do - wind speed just does not register ... the masthead unit was taken down .. serviced .. checked by yard guys (they repair such gear !) .. I get direction - but speed just does not show ..

As far as they could tell - data was being sent .. but not displayed .. display passes all tests / menu functions ...

I am fast thinking about removing that part of the network and replacing with a simple wind setup .....

A common fault with the B&G wind stuff. Allegedly they are sensitive to lightning, electro magnetic pulsing? Your statement about servicing? The only thing you can do is change the bearings in the spinner. The only person I found out that could fix the electronic board in the mast head unit was Myles in Florida, unfortunately his website says closed until further notice. The people who used to fix older B&G stuff have morphed in to a manufacturer of units and will sell up you a replace ment for about £400 ish! One of their techies sent me a copy of the circuit diagram for the unit, the only one in existence! It is barely readable. He also said that it is the coil on the top that usually goes bad. The thin wire parts.

 

[Refueler]

I have the Test papers for the unit ...

That will at least give me a start ....

 

[Refueler]

Just looking at possible replacement cost of masthead unit !!

B&G 213 Masthead Unit | SailRACE

Over 1000 quid oem .... 880 quid discounted .. are they ******** serious ????

 

[Buck Turgidson]

Just looking at possible replacement cost of masthead unit !!

B&G 213 Masthead Unit | SailRACE

Over 1000 quid oem .... 880 quid discounted .. are they ******** serious ????

Yeah, that company from the video do own brand replacement displays for the old B&G.
They want a grand for a single analog display!!!!

 

[Refueler]

As I understand it ... direction is voltage based 0 to 6v ..... speed is rate of pulses based ..

Can't be that hard to emulate ?? Only limitation I can then see is lack of interconnection to the other units ??

 

[Alex_Blackwood]

As I understand it ... direction is voltage based 0 to 6v ..... speed is rate of pulses based ..

Can't be that hard to emulate ?? Only limitation I can then see is lack of interconnection to the other units ??

If I have it right the Direction is potentiometer sourced and the speed is from a reed switch. If I have it right!

 

[Beneteau381]

Just looking at possible replacement cost of masthead unit !!

B&G 213 Masthead Unit | SailRACE

Over 1000 quid oem .... 880 quid discounted .. are they ******** serious ????

MHU PCB replacement for B&G 213 PCB replacement | A+T Sailing Instruments

 

[Buck Turgidson]

If I have it right the Direction is potentiometer sourced and the speed is from a reed switch. If I have it right!

looking at the voltages it looks like 3 pole 120° coils around an electromagnet like a c and y bar from the old days. I think they are called rotary variable displacement transformers these days.