jrudge
Well-Known Member
I have just replaced my old ST60 / 6001 style units for newer ST70.
This happened by accident as I saw a dual pack of the auto helm controller and the depth / speed / multi display for sale on eBay for £315 and boys and their toys.
Of interests was that my old Speed Depth would only show the water paddle speed not GPS, and most of the time that was nil. Having added engine data that was also of interest to me to display somewhere other than the plotter.
To add the engine data I had already added a simple Seatalk NG network ( about £150 as I recall including the cables and mini hub). The ST70 depth / speed and other stuff instrument just connected to this and worked.
The Autohelm head when added said No Pilot. This was not a total surprise as the autohelm was on the Seatalk 1 network, but in theory the E120 acts as a data bridge. But that requires the latest software ... and I have not been able to update mine ...
If you cut a Seatalk NG wire there is a yellow wire that carries Seatalk 1 to compatible instruments. ST70 is compatible - so one home made cable later all was working.
The final bit just drop in the controllers. Or drop through as the hole was too big. Bugger. Perspex company made up 2 custom mounts for £50.
Was it worth it ?
1. The old autohelm head sold for £ 260 on eBay. The speed depth is on there and looked at sold prices will yield circa £200 - so it will have cost me nothing
2. the buttons on the autohelm are small and to be honest to old one is simpler to use ( not that pushing a button is complex)
3. the autohelm display can hold additional info ( depth etc) so this I like
4. The multi display is excellent. For some reason it will give fuel consumption but not L per NM even though it knows how fast i am going so I assume it is expecting something else to calculate it. Lazy programming. ....
5. It looks more modern
6. If the plotter is off then the multi instrument goes off also so you don't see depth. I tend to leave stuff on all the time so it is fine with me, but it may matter to others. The depth on the lower helm is on all the time so that is there at night - it may bother someone with a sports boat ( single helm) more. There are ways round this by converting the depth to sea talk NG but you are making things more and more complex.
I thought others might be interested that it can indeed be done and finding out what is compatible with what on line can be difficult.
Finally I have bought a Seatalk 1 to Wi Fi adapter and when I wired in the new auto helm and was messing with the Seatalk wiring I left a fly lead so I could connect it with no more work.
I am not really sure why I bought this other than it was £30 and it lets me see depth on the Navionics iPad ( allegedly). Quite why I want to see depth on the iPad is another question I cant actually answer!
This happened by accident as I saw a dual pack of the auto helm controller and the depth / speed / multi display for sale on eBay for £315 and boys and their toys.
Of interests was that my old Speed Depth would only show the water paddle speed not GPS, and most of the time that was nil. Having added engine data that was also of interest to me to display somewhere other than the plotter.
To add the engine data I had already added a simple Seatalk NG network ( about £150 as I recall including the cables and mini hub). The ST70 depth / speed and other stuff instrument just connected to this and worked.
The Autohelm head when added said No Pilot. This was not a total surprise as the autohelm was on the Seatalk 1 network, but in theory the E120 acts as a data bridge. But that requires the latest software ... and I have not been able to update mine ...
If you cut a Seatalk NG wire there is a yellow wire that carries Seatalk 1 to compatible instruments. ST70 is compatible - so one home made cable later all was working.
The final bit just drop in the controllers. Or drop through as the hole was too big. Bugger. Perspex company made up 2 custom mounts for £50.
Was it worth it ?
1. The old autohelm head sold for £ 260 on eBay. The speed depth is on there and looked at sold prices will yield circa £200 - so it will have cost me nothing
2. the buttons on the autohelm are small and to be honest to old one is simpler to use ( not that pushing a button is complex)
3. the autohelm display can hold additional info ( depth etc) so this I like
4. The multi display is excellent. For some reason it will give fuel consumption but not L per NM even though it knows how fast i am going so I assume it is expecting something else to calculate it. Lazy programming. ....
5. It looks more modern
6. If the plotter is off then the multi instrument goes off also so you don't see depth. I tend to leave stuff on all the time so it is fine with me, but it may matter to others. The depth on the lower helm is on all the time so that is there at night - it may bother someone with a sports boat ( single helm) more. There are ways round this by converting the depth to sea talk NG but you are making things more and more complex.
I thought others might be interested that it can indeed be done and finding out what is compatible with what on line can be difficult.
Finally I have bought a Seatalk 1 to Wi Fi adapter and when I wired in the new auto helm and was messing with the Seatalk wiring I left a fly lead so I could connect it with no more work.
I am not really sure why I bought this other than it was £30 and it lets me see depth on the Navionics iPad ( allegedly). Quite why I want to see depth on the iPad is another question I cant actually answer!
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