Raymarine upgrades

[Sailfree]

With problems with both the RADAR and ST60 wind wondering whether its time to slowly upgrade some or all of my instruments but wonder about compatibility.

I believe my ST 60 wind, ST60 depth and ST60 autohelm combined with my E80 & E120 chartplotters are all analogue. These were all fitted in 2005.

Are the later instruments digital and not compatible?

Advice appreciated.

 

[prv]

The ST60 wind and depth sensors could be described as analogue, they send back raw pulses and voltages and the brains to convert those into numbers are in the instrument heads. Current sensors have finally done what seemed obvious to me twenty years ago, and convert to Seatalk / NMEA2000 in the sensor itself or a box mounted very nearby.

Apart from that consideration I don't think your analogue / digital distinction makes any sense

Pete

 

[Boo2]

I believe my ST 60 wind, ST60 depth and ST60 autohelm combined with my E80 & E120 chartplotters are all analogue. These were all fitted in 2005.

Are the later instruments digital and not compatible?

Raymarine now make a part called an "ITC-5 Instrument Transducer Converter" which converts all your analogue data inputs into Seatalkng (NMEA2000). See here : http://raymarine.com/view/?id=3338

There used to be separate input modules ("ST70 pods") as Pete says but AIUI these are now discontinued.

The ITC-5 permits connection only to STng, not ST1 or ST2 (AFAIK) so you would need to bridge to those systems somehow. To give more advice will require the information as to which instruments you were looking to upgrade to and what of your existing setup you want to get rid of ?

Boo2

 

[laika]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong here but I believe that sailfree is talking about slowly upgrading, starting with the malfunctioning wind and RADAR.

With the caveat that I don't possess any of this kit (though I do have a C-series Wide and ST50s so am in a not-too-dissimilar position)and the following is just supposition from my (questionable) memory of some investigation I did for a neighbour (who also has an E-series classic) a few months back (so do double check)....

According to this: http://www.raymarine.co.uk/knowledgebase/index.cfm?view=3753 The E series classic with the latest firmware update (updating firmware is easy enough) is compatible with digital RADAR, so replacing the RADAR with a new one shouldn't require replacing the plotter. Similarly I believe the E-series classic supports SeatalkNG so you could add in a new Raymarine wind instrument. You'd need to check whether the plotter will repeat seatalkNG to seatalk if you want the autopilot to steer to wind (which would also require the plotter on when you wanted to do that) but that's not a function everyone uses.

Note also that the extra wire seatalkNG has over standard NMEA2000 is for seatalk-1 which could simplify the wiring in a slow transition from old to new.

I could be wrong but if sailfree is planning on sticking with Raymarine kit the slow upgrade option looks very viable.

 

[Boo2]

Note also that the extra wire seatalkNG has over standard NMEA2000 is for seatalk-1 which could simplify the wiring in a slow transition from old to new.

Note that rather few of Raymarine's products actually suport this pin. Most, like the e7 MFD leave it unconnected, it is only bridge devices like the ST70 (no longer in production) that actually use this wire and have it connected to anything internally.

It is certainly possible to follow a Raymarine old->new upgrade path but don't expect it to be cheap, the E22158 ST1 -> STng adaptor sells for upwards of £100, for example.

The OP needs to determine which of Raymarine's many protocols and devices he wants/needs to support and start from there. The plus side is that things like the ST70 bridging instrument devices are available in boxed condition on eBay for around half the price of the new i70 displays.

Boo2

 

[Sailfree]

Thanks for advice.

The ST60 wind display shows 3 dashes now all the time and needle never moves. It used to always work when switched on but failed after 2 mins or more likely 2hrs now it never works. It would always work if rebooted by switched off /on but not now so hopefully the fault is constant rather than intermittent and easier to trace.

Raymarine agent advice that the new i60 instrument will work with existing system so thinking of buying complete unit and doing component replacement but suspect its the display. This weekend I will remove both and get them tested. I need to check compatibility of size between i60 and ST60 and if OK just accept that a new instrument that's black and doesn't match the rest! Need to check that autohelm will work with wind setting in addition to bearing.

Contacted 2 Raymarine dealers ref RADAR one said new digital unit will work OK with software upgrade on classic E120 & E 80. Other said he didn't think it would!! - wish they all sung off the same hymn sheet !!

Will remove RADAR dome and get it checked out by dealer.

All people that I have contacted said that spares for ST60 are difficult and non existent for the analogue RADAR dome.

I hate to spend money on repairs when they will still be old units when probably long term its more economical to go for complete replacement.