quantum radar fault?

[Ian_Edwards]

I have a quantum radar with an odd fault, it's a E70210, wifi and cable, although I'm using it in WiFi mode, from 2017.
The radar powers up to standby mode, and I can WiFI pair it to an e series multifunction display, I've tried that on different displays.
But, when I select transmit, the unit return "failed power on self test" and switches it self off.
The radar failed gradually, first by switching itself off after an hour or more working ok.
It felt like a power supply problem, so I've investigated that.
It's powered off the main 12 volt bus bar, via a relay, from a switch on the main panel.
I've checked the voltage at the base of the mast:
Open circuit voltage 12.34volts
When the radar is connected and running in standby mode 12.24volts, nominal 7 Watts, 0.58 amps (calculated)
I now have the radar at home I took it off the boat yesterday, the connector to the radar is clean and dry and I've checked the continuity of the cable from the radar to the base of the mast and my multimeter says 0 ohms, round trip.
Raymarine want £750 for fixed price repair
£1200 for a reconditioned unit.
Both these sound extortionate to me.
I'm tempted to have look inside to see if there's anything obviously amiss.
Is there a phone app which will allow me to look at the WiFi output from the radar with out it being connected to a MFD?
Any other thoughts on how I might get a more economical repair?
I have a 750 mile trip planned for mid August, and I'd rather have a working radar for that.
Cheers
Ian

 

[Ian_Edwards]

A subsidiary question, does anyone know if there is an Android app that will allow me to connect to a Raymarine Quantum radar without an MFD?
I've looked at Open CPN and the Radar_Pi plugin, but that doesn't appear to support the Quantum.
Anything else around which might work?
I'm just interested in testing it, to know it's transmitting would be a start.

 

[dunedin]

A subsidiary question, does anyone know if there is an Android app that will allow me to connect to a Raymarine Quantum radar without an MFD?
I've looked at Open CPN and the Radar_Pi plugin, but that doesn't appear to support the Quantum.
Anything else around which might work?
I'm just interested in testing it, to know it's transmitting would be a start.

Find a neighbouring boat with recent Raymarine plotter and try to link to that plotter?

 

[Ian_Edwards]

Thanks for the input, the radar is now at home 160 miles from the boat.
Before I left I checked and it will link (pair) to each of the 3 MFD on board, which is why the fault is so frustrating, It powers up in standby mode and then fails when I try to get it to transmit, and switches itself off.
It seems obvious to me that most of the system is working, WiFi, control system, but there's something wrong with the transmit side, scanner or the RF generation ...... but no error code or clue to say what the problem is.

 

[Sailing kev]

Hi Ian,
I have the same problem with my quantum radar.
I have extensively tested the unit:
Wired + wireless connected
2 different plotters
All gave the same result.
I have contacted Raymarine support, which quoted the same prices.
After being relayed through several people over the phone a Raymarine engineer told me this is much likely a software issue which cannot be resolved by a user. Part of the chipset needs to be flashed in order to get it working. I haven’t send in my unit yet as I was hoping for a generous approach from Raymarine as it failed completely without anything I could do about it. Since mine is little over 3 years old all warranty was void anyway. So I opened up the unit to see what is inside.
I will share some pictures in my next post.

 

[Sailing kev]

Quantum radar opened up. (I have grayed some WiFi stickers which contain connection details ?)
Error: Scanner failed self-test
The radar connects to the plotter, but when pressing transmit the error appears. The scanner inside rotates before the error 1/3 turn. Removing the belt from the drive does not change the error.
I have some movies as well if someone is interested.

 

[[2574]]

Hmmmm.....I’m currently researching MFD and Radar combo for new year purchase. Raymarine has just slid down the ladder and B&G has just ascended in the lift....

 

[PaulRainbow]

Hmmmm.....I’m currently researching MFD and Radar combo for new year purchase. Raymarine has just slid down the ladder and B&G has just ascended in the lift....

Also take a look at Garmin.

 

[Sailing kev]

Hmmmm.....I’m currently researching MFD and Radar combo for new year purchase. Raymarine has just slid down the ladder and B&G has just ascended in the lift....

Although I don’t have any experiences with other manufacturers, I had my share of Raymarine troubles, besides the radar I had an es127 Raymarine plotter of which the touchscreen malfunctioned and became unusable just months outside warranty. Bought an Axiom screen as a replacement soI could keep using my quantum radar......

 

[[2574]]

Also take a look at Garmin.

Interesting. When I was last buying nav kit Garmin was considered a poor relation in the Raymarine/Furuno/B&G market. I take it that's no longer the case?

 

[[2574]]

Quantum radar opened up. (I have grayed some WiFi stickers which contain connection details ?)
Error: Scanner failed self-test
The radar connects to the plotter, but when pressing transmit the error appears. The scanner inside rotates before the error 1/3 turn. Removing the belt from the drive does not change the error.
I have some movies as well if someone is interested.
View attachment 105048View attachment 105049View attachment 105050

You have my sympathy. It is so frustrating when expensive kit like this dies well before it's due date and one finds oneself over a barrel to an unsympathetic highly commercially driven faceless organisation. My Raymarine kit is dying but it is 14 years old - which is more palatable.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Interesting. When I was last buying nav kit Garmin was considered a poor relation in the Raymarine/Furuno/B&G market. I take it that's no longer the case?

I'd say that Garmin compete very well with all of the above. Their customer service is very good too. Over the last few years they have acquired several smaller companies who have had expertise in specialist areas, so the radar and sonar offerings are as good as anyones. The latest acquisition being Navionics.

 

[jwfrary]

Brother had an issue after an update with his quantum. Raymarine customer. Services changed it out for a quantum 2 which seems far far better.
Unit was only a month old.
Having dealt with simrad for warranty I can say they are all as bad as each other when it comes to out of warranty support!

 

[RJJ]

If as stated it's a software issue, I guess it will take Mr Raymarine a matter of minutes to fix. 750 sounds extortionate. I have the same unit and it's working well touch wood.

I would ask them politely to justify this huge whack, noting it appears to be a "known fault"; there is no indication of user error although the chap who dismantled the unit has obviously given himself a red card - for better or worse.

then offer them what you think reasonable (£200?) And see if can reach agreement. Tell them you will be posting on this forum (plus Twitter, Facebook, your class association) to the extent of your contentment with the service; no need to state the price; but that we will all be disappointed if they treat customers like this.

Fixing things out of warranty where there are known faults is what decent companies "should" do. Not because they're nice, but because it keeps you loyal and because you tell your mates.

 

[Skylark]

Having dealt with simrad for warranty I can say they are all as bad as each other when it comes to out of warranty support!

Most of the Simrad electronics was replaced on my boat under warranty, in search of an illusive fault. It was initially extremely difficult to gain their attention but I managed to find an email address for their CEO and things moved pretty quickly thereafter. Now, 7 years on, whenever I've had cause to ask a question via their website service/technical help pages I've always been happy with their support.

 

[Sailing kev]

If as stated it's a software issue, I guess it will take Mr Raymarine a matter of minutes to fix. 750 sounds extortionate. I have the same unit and it's working well touch wood.

I would ask them politely to justify this huge whack, noting it appears to be a "known fault"; there is no indication of user error although the chap who dismantled the unit has obviously given himself a red card - for better or worse.

then offer them what you think reasonable (£200?) And see if can reach agreement. Tell them you will be posting on this forum (plus Twitter, Facebook, your class association) to the extent of your contentment with the service; no need to state the price; but that we will all be disappointed if they treat customers like this.

Fixing things out of warranty where there are known faults is what decent companies "should" do. Not because they're nice, but because it keeps you loyal and because you tell your mates.

I have of course tried to play the sympathy and social media pressure card. They were not having it....
Was thinking about opening a YouTube channel called “Praymarine: just pray to keep it working” ?
I managed to create an interesting collection of Raymarine errors and strange behavior last 2 years.?

I bought my quantum radar unit 3,5 years ago for around 1450€ with 2 to 3 years warranty (depending on registration). Getting it repaired would be almost 1200€. (This is a flat fee service which actually swaps your unit for a refurbished one, does not matter what is broken)
Besides the exuberant pricing for a fixing a software failure, they also give you only 3 months warranty on the repaired unit, which in winter is worthless to me because unit would be waiting for spring until my boat gets out of winter storage.
Question is now do I get my unit repaired and save 300€ or do I buy a new one, since transferring to other brand is out of the question with everything else still being Raymarine (autopilot, instruments, vhf, ais & plotter)?

 

[Stewproud]

My Quantum failed in exactly the same way. I have heard of other such failures. I believe that there was an issue with early Quantum radars. Mine was just out of warranty in September 2019, but talking to the engineer for the product I managed to get it repaired FOC. Incidentally the returned unit had a different serial number SSID and password, so was an exchange item. On finally returning to my boat in Holland this summer I fitted the replacement radar to find that I could not pair it with my A128 MFD! A Dutch Raymarine service agent returned it to the UK for repair, and in finally in November I got the radar fitted and working.

 

[[2574]]

Question is now do I get my unit repaired and save 300€ or do I buy a new one, since transferring to other brand is out of the question with everything else still being Raymarine (autopilot, instruments, vhf, ais & plotter)?

I initially thought like that as mine is an all Raymarine boat. But NMEA connectivity really should allow another brand on board. I seriously considering putting B&G or Furuno or Simrad on the NMEA network. If not then we are completely over the proverbial barrel with Raymarine and just isn't right. But I might be mad even attempting it, I'll let you know.

 

[PaulRainbow]

I initially thought like that as mine is an all Raymarine boat. But NMEA connectivity really should allow another brand on board. I seriously considering putting B&G or Furuno or Simrad on the NMEA network. If not then we are completely over the proverbial barrel with Raymarine and just isn't right. But I might be mad even attempting it, I'll let you know.

The only two things mentioned in this thread that absolutely must be from the same brand is the radome and MFD. All of the other instrument should work fine. An autopilot will also work, being able to steer to compass bearing, waypoint or wind, buit it can only be controlled from its own control head, to be able to engage/disengage from the plotter is not possible.

I have fitted equipment from all of the big brand names but i've had the best service from Garmin. That's not to say they are perfect, but they don't come out with the garbage i hear from Raymarine. A few years ago Raymarine suggested that the reason my brand new MFD wasn't getting a GPS fix was "they may have turned the satellites off". Returned for a reluctant refund and have never purchased Raymarine since for my own use, have fitted for customers, but i don't like anything about Raymarine.

 

[prv]

I initially thought like that as mine is an all Raymarine boat. But NMEA connectivity really should allow another brand on board. I seriously considering putting B&G or Furuno or Simrad on the NMEA network.

They should exchange standard PGNs perfectly fine. But autopilot control (as in, enable/disable, change mode, adjust settings or calibration) is not standardised, so you’ll need the pilot to match the controller (and preferably plotter) there. And radar isn’t NMEA2000 anyway, so you also need the radar to match the plotter.

Pete