Nmea alarm

pete

pete

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I am new to nmea but I have purchased a boat with "B&G" instruments, the sounder's alarm is hopelessly quiet, I think it is faulty as it would not be designed like that, as it would never be heard with the engine running.
As most of my sailing is in shallow water even when miles off shore I would like to improve things and have some warning.

I looked in the sounders manual and the sounder has a spare lead with this on the end
attachment.php


So I naively thought I could wire a buzzer between the "1" and the "4" pins :)
anyway a 12v buzzer didn't work but with a multimeter I get a reading of
1 - 5v flicking up and down !

So I tried a 6v then a 3v buzzer still no luck :mad:

I know that a multimeter will show volts easily with no amps but is there any way I can boost this output or operate a relay with it to sound an alarm (cheaply) :D

Thanks
Pete
 
I don't know that kit, but alarm connectors and NMEA aren't the same thing and aren't normally combined. I expect that pin can be assigned to one or the other, and is currently set to NMEA. Look in the settings for the device to see if you can change it to acting as an alarm output.

Pete
 
pete said:
I am new to nmea but I have purchased a boat with "B&G" instruments, the sounder's alarm is hopelessly quiet, I think it is faulty as it would not be designed like that, as it would never be heard with the engine running.
As most of my sailing is in shallow water even when miles off shore I would like to improve things and have some warning.

I looked in the sounders manual and the sounder has a spare lead with this on the end
attachment.php


So I naively thought I could wire a buzzer between the "1" and the "4" pins :)
anyway a 12v buzzer didn't work but with a multimeter I get a reading of
1 - 5v flicking up and down !

So I tried a 6v then a 3v buzzer still no luck :mad:

I know that a multimeter will show volts easily with no amps but is there any way I can boost this output or operate a relay with it to sound an alarm (cheaply) :D

Thanks
Pete
Click to expand...

Try again but connect between 2 and 4. You will probably need a low current buzzer as well, not the electromechanical type.
 
2Tizwoz said:
Its done through a relay.

The B & G website click here has details (page 23/25) of the system and describes the necessary wiring arrangemnt whereby the external alarm is instigated via a relay switching an external supply.
Click to expand...

That particular B&G system appears to have a completely different setup to the OP's, with two alarm wires connected to a relay. His apparently has a single "alarm out".

If he were to tell us which model it is, we could look up the correct manual instead of turning up any old B&G paperwork at random.

Pete
 
prv said:
That particular B&G system appears to have a completely different setup to the OP's, with two alarm wires connected to a relay. His apparently has a single "alarm out".

If he were to tell us which model it is, we could look up the correct manual instead of turning up any old B&G paperwork at random.

Pete
Click to expand...

Sorry it is a B&G network quad combined depth sounder and speed/log with a separate B&G wind speed /direction next to it.

Thanks for the info so far.

Pete
 
I have been in touch with B&G but they said the network quad is no longer supported and did not respond to my question about connecting a buzzer to the "nmea + / alarm out socket !

2Tizwoz post looks promising if it will work on my unit I guess I should test these socket connections with my meter first to check for switching in alarm conditions to avoid blowing the unit up :)

prv and nigelmercier I have checked through the instructions again but cannot see any info about re-programing the pin output from nmea to alarm.

Thanks for the ideas
Pete
 
pete said:
prv and nigelmercier I have checked through the instructions again but cannot see any info about re-programing the pin output from nmea to alarm.
Click to expand...

I think that suggestion was misleading as, according to the Network Quad manual, it isn't able to transmit NMEA data anyway! It would therefore seem that pin 4 is only used as an alarm out on your unit.
 
Is a B&G autopilot fitted. The ACP2 has an alarm output option.

You could try calling Tinley Electronics, they repair B&G instruments, and in the past, have been very helpful. Worth a try.

In my B&G Network system, all the instruments are link daisy chain fashion, there are no spare tails hanging out of the Quad, each instrument is conneced to the next one, and everything goes through the B&G autopilot computer.
 
On my chartplotter it said the alarm must be wired via a relay as the NMEA outpout was a maximum of 100mA. So the relay must have a coil (activation) current of 100mA max.

I should think it will be very similar in your set-up. Could try Maplins for the relay.
 
I have got this info from the B&G website and have pasted a bit more with the notes underneath

attachment.php


B&G said parts are no longer available note no 3 relates to network quad and I am referring to the female (top picture) only.

nigel1 I have a autohelm 4000+ wheel pilot fitted. The B&G depth/speed and the B&G wind are pigtailed together.

Why can't things be simple ? :)

Pete
 
Last edited:
Ah hah! The notes make it a lot clearer!

1) The NMEA / Alarm choice isn't a setting on the device, but depends which device you have
2) They expect you to fit a specific alarm device (giving the part number) not a general-purpose buzzer as is the norm on other kit.

Give point 2) and the signal you saw on your multimeter, I suspect the output is an audio signal rather than a simple voltage output or connection to an internal relay. Try connecting a small speaker to it.

Pete
 
prv said:
the signal you saw on your multimeter, I suspect the output is an audio signal rather than a simple voltage output or connection to an internal relay. Try connecting a small speaker to it.

Pete
Click to expand...

Ah I never thought of that.
I now have a few new ideas to check out next weekend :)
Thanks
Pete
 
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