Is there any way to illuminate this depth sounder?

[PaulRainbow]

This is a ST60 Tridata instrument, it is electrically compatible with ST50 series but has different type of connectors and need some (even if not too complex) work for adaptation, is not possibe a simple direct replacement.

Your Ebay listing costs 130 Euros, involves dismantling the display (not especially easy) and replacing the LCD screen. This leaves you with a very old display, that still doesn't illuminate and looks very scruffy.

Used ST60, £100, fully working, illuminates and is a lot younger, just crimp some 2.8mm spades onto the 3 wires, hardly rocket science.

** no connection with either device.

 

[Supertramp]

Detail of the depth button and lights setting - they could be set to "off".
Mine are Stowe, 35 yrs old, doing fine and with the lights for all instruments on a separate switch. May benefit from cleaning the screen and refreshing the connections.

 

[Isolano]

Used ST60, £100, fully working, illuminates and is a lot younger, just crimp some 2.8mm spades onto the 3 wires, hardly rocket science.

** no connection with either device.

The ST50 tridata has 4 round plugs, two for SEATALK connection each whith 3 wires plus one for echo transducer with 2 or 3 wires and one for speed/temperature transducer with 5 wires and these will need to be cut off, the cable bared back and 1/8" female spade connectors crimped onto the transducers and SEATALK wires, these can then be connected colour for colour to the connections on the back of the ST60 display.

1) The SEATALK bus connections has 3 wires:
-RED - Supply
-BLACK or SHIELD - 0V reference
-YELLOW - data bus

2) The echo transducer connection has 2 or 3 wires:
-SHIELD (and sometime a BLACK whire added) - cable shield
-INNER WIRE (some time white) - signal

3) The speed/temperature transducer connection has 5 Wires:
-BROWN - temperature sensor
-WHITE - temperature sensor reference
-SHIELD or BLACK - 0V reference
-RED - Supply
-GREEN - speed pulses

To replace an ST50 with an ST60 is possible and not too complex but the old ST50 has also a different connections than the newer ST60, ST50 has round multipin connectors and ST60 has proprietary near "in line" 3 pin connector for SEATALK and mini spade one for each wire for transducers.

You must remove the round SeaTalk 3 pin plugs and bare the existing SeaTalk cable back, then cut off the flat SeaTalk connector on the 'banana' shaped SeaTalk plugs and hardwire them together colour to colour, similar work must be done for other cables. Get some mini spade connectors, most chandlers have them. Cut the plug off the ST50 seatalk cable and fit the spades - they fit a treat. Red +ve, shield -ve, yellow data and do the same for other cables.

In practize there are 3 cables but a lot of wires to connect.... a simpler connection (SEATALK ONLY) is only possible for a tridata repeater because it has no transducers.

All references may be found in Raymarine Autohelm ST50 and ST60 tridata installation section of reference manuals.

 

[Refueler]

As a cheap and temp fix until display is replaced ... Guitar LED light ... I have a few round my boats ... they take 2 or 3 button cells and light is very good .. dimmable on some ... if white light not good .. bit of coloured film will sort it ..

 

[PaulRainbow]

The ST50 tridata has 4 round plugs, two for SEATALK connection each whith 3 wires plus one for echo transducer with 2 or 3 wires and one for speed/temperature transducer with 5 wires and these will need to be cut off, the cable bared back and 1/8" female spade connectors crimped onto the transducers and SEATALK wires, these can then be connected colour for colour to the connections on the back of the ST60 display.

1) The SEATALK bus connections has 3 wires:
-RED - Supply
-BLACK or SHIELD - 0V reference
-YELLOW - data bus

2) The echo transducer connection has 2 or 3 wires:
-SHIELD (and sometime a BLACK whire added) - cable shield
-INNER WIRE (some time white) - signal

3) The speed/temperature transducer connection has 5 Wires:
-BROWN - temperature sensor
-WHITE - temperature sensor reference
-SHIELD or BLACK - 0V reference
-RED - Supply
-GREEN - speed pulses

To replace an ST50 with an ST60 is possible and not too complex but the old ST50 has also a different connections than the newer ST60, ST50 has round multipin connectors and ST60 has proprietary near "in line" 3 pin connector for SEATALK and mini spade one for each wire for transducers.

You must remove the round SeaTalk 3 pin plugs and bare the existing SeaTalk cable back, then cut off the flat SeaTalk connector on the 'banana' shaped SeaTalk plugs and hardwire them together colour to colour, similar work must be done for other cables. Get some mini spade connectors, most chandlers have them. Cut the plug off the ST50 seatalk cable and fit the spades - they fit a treat. Red +ve, shield -ve, yellow data and do the same for other cables.

In practize there are 3 cables but a lot of wires to connect.... a simpler connection (SEATALK ONLY) is only possible for a tridata repeater because it has no transducers.

All references may be found in Raymarine Autohelm ST50 and ST60 tridata installation section of reference manuals.

A few crimp terminals is still easier than changing the display and still gives a better result for less money.

Is the Ebay listing for the new display yours ?

 

[Refueler]

In fact once you get a couple of Guitar LED lights - you start to find lots of uses for them ... with spring clip - they can be clipped to shine into those hard to reach places ... individual lights over bunks ....

The other name : is "clip on Book lights" ..

Clip on LED Lights for sale | eBay

 

[DangerousPirate]

Honestly, if I replace them I'll just get a very modern one. Until then I just want to illuminate. I'll try the clip leds

 

[Refueler]

Honestly, if I replace them I'll just get a very modern one. Until then I just want to illuminate. I'll try the clip leds

Ones I bought - I could remove the clips and then mount as I wanted. No cables to worry about ... twist the lens to switch on / off.

 

[cpedw]

Here is the whole manual, which describes the lights as in post 22.

 

[DangerousPirate]

Here is the whole manual, which describes the lights as in post 22.

Okay, but as I said many times already, clicking it more than 1 second will still only let me adjust the depth alarm.

I think that this might be too old to even have illumination.

 

[Refueler]

Okay, but as I said many times already, clicking it more than 1 second will still only let me adjust the depth alarm.

I think that this might be too old to even have illumination.

I assume you have checked behind to make sure there is no 'extra wire' not connected ?

TBH - most older displays - I find the built-in illumination inadequate anyway ... often a bright glow in one area and rest of screen hardly readable ..

 

[DangerousPirate]

I assume you have checked behind to make sure there is no 'extra wire' not connected ?

TBH - most older displays - I find the built-in illumination inadequate anyway ... often a bright glow in one area and rest of screen hardly readable ..

Yes, just checked. Seems all connected up