Raymarine ST30 Bidata

[RoyF]

Hi All,

Looking for some thoughts please on our Raymarine ST30 Bidata (Depth and Speed), on a new to us Motor Boat which had been working fine up to now.

Last weekend I checked the actual depth in the marina and compared this with the display and found the unit is set to depth below stern drives so all good so far. I then set the shallow depth alarm to 1.5m within the menu, came back out to the main screen and then noticed the 'metres' word was flashing next to 2.7m depth reading. ....First time I had seen that........ Quick look at the manual shows that when this flashes it means it has not received a signal from the transducer for at least 10 seconds and sits at the depth last recorded until power cycled. So powered off, left it for a bit and powered back on and I now have 0.0m and 10 seconds later the dispaly flashes 'metres', so looks like I've suddenly lost signal from the Transom mounted Depth/Speed transducer?.

Seems a very strange coincidence if the transducer failed at the exact time as setting the shallow depth alarm? Apart from getting the boat our of the water and replacing the transducer if they are still available, is there anything else I should be checking first?... I've been through the entire menu more than once and everything seems to be set up correctly as far as I can tell. Not had chance to move the boat yet to see if the speed indication is still working.... Any thoughts or ideas would be gratefully received...

Thanks, Roy.

 

[[164147]]

Is it the round or square Bidata?

 

[RoyF]

Hi DrSpock, it's the round Bidata.......

 

[alahol2]

First thing I'd do is reset the shallow depth alarm to zero. Maybe also check any 'gain' settings if you have them.

 

[RoyF]

Good idea alahol2, I'll try that this weekend and take the depth alarm back to zero............ I'm pretty sure I tried that but will certainly give it another go ....... I don't think there is an option on the ST30 to adjust the gain though, there's certainly nothing in the manual about it.

Roy.

 

[[164147]]

You can only adjust the damping for depth on a bidata.

 

[RoyF]

Hi All,

So, finally got down to the boat and switched on the ST 30, and it powered up and worked as normal. Turned it off for a few minutes and back on again it was fine. I'll be back down there the end of this week so hopefully it will be all working again...... Can't explain why it suddenly decided not to tell me the depth, but a power down for a week or two and it looks like it has resolved the issue surprisingly...... so fingers crossed now !!

Roy