Replacing useless Nexus wind instruments with VDO, is there a compatible MHU?

[drowned_rat]

After the trusty 1980's VDO Mast Head unit failed and spare parts were no longer available, we decided to upgrade to a newer more current system. The local chandler had recently taken on the Nexus instrument range and the gear looked good. We purchased three instrument heads and a Mast head unit spending many thousands of dollars in the process.
The system was difficult to set up and it was an email from the agent with the correct instructions that finally allowed us to pair the MHU with the WSI receiver. The system went for a total of 4 weeks before it failed and it went back for repair. We received the system back only just before the beginning of the following sailing season only to find that it worked for 5 weeks and failed again. The agent said they would still honor this system under warranty and explained that the units had been recognized as less than reliable. During the time away the Nexus company changed hands to Garmin ( I believe) since then I cannot get any responses back from the repairing agent or Nexus and it looks like we have lost the MHU and WSI receiver for ever.

I am loathed to spend any more money on what I consider is first class rubbish and I am looking at the original VDO wind instrument heads and wondering if there is a compatible Mast head Unit that I can get this to work again? I believe the unit uses NMEA 0183

Does anyone have any experience in matching up the VDO Wind Speed / Direction instrument to a MHU?

 

[Gypsy Rose]

Interested to see your experience with the Nexus wind instrument. I have a re-branded Furuno (read Nexus NX2) wind instrument package which performed flawlessly until the non Nexus MHU packed-up.
Up to this point I have been very happy with our Nexus (Furuno)system
Subsequently purchased the wireless MHU from Southern Seas Marine in Brisbane who confirmed compatibility for our system. Like you we could not get the system to function reliably whatever we tried.
Contacting Southern Seas resulted in them advising that they had no more involvement with Nexus as Garmin bought the company.
However I was referred by them to Kiwiyachting (google and you will find) in New Zealand for follow-up repairs. Their support has been excellent and I would not be surprised if your MHU and WSI box finished up at their address.
I have not been able to overcome our wireless issue and are now resorting to a wired MHU . Hopefully that will fix my issues.
Interested to hear if and how you might resolve your problem

 

[Gypsy Rose]

Nexus instruments

Interesting to read your Nexus experience just after a similar experience with mine.
We have a Furuno branded Nexus NX-2 system which worked flawlessly until the non Nexus MHU packed up. Advice received from a Nexus dealer (Southern Seas in Brisbane) was that the wireless Nexus MHU would be compatible.
Like you I could not get the system to function even after all the advice received from Nexus. Changed position of the WSI unit, moved metal items away from the deck area to ensure clear reception etc. All to no avail...Back to a wired MHU, hopefully that will resolve my issue. We have been very happy with the system otherwise.

Nexus apparently has indeed been taken over by Garmin. I used the Asia repair agent in NZ (Kiwi Yachting, google and you will find) who have been most helpful and also still seem to do the warranty
repairs. Would not be surprised if your MHU unit is at their facility.

If your system is using a server unit I believe you can actually fit any masthead unit which use NMEA, and set the server menu accordingly

PS I posted a earlier reply , but that seems to have gone astray....