Troubleshooting E85001 PC/SeaTalk/NMEA 0183 Interface Module

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Troubleshooting E85001 PC/SeaTalk/NMEA 0183 Interface Module

The E85001 can accept data from a single NMEA 0183 talker or PC running RayTech software. The E85001 can output NMEA 0183 data to a PC running RayTech software or up to 3 NMEA 0183 listeners.

The E85001 is designed function in one of two mutually exclusive modes:
- SeaTalk to NMEA 0183 bridge or RayTech mode. The default operational mode of the E85001 is SeaTalk to NMEA 0183 bridge. It will revert to this mode each time that it transitions from the powered OFF state to powered ON state. When the E85001 senses SeaTalk data, its SeaTalk status LED will be illuminated. Should the E85001 receive communications via its NMEA 0183 input port, then its NMEA LED will be illuminated.
- RayTech mode - If a PC running RayTech software has been interfaced to the RS232 and NMEA 0183 input ports of the E85001 and the RayTech software has been configured for SeaTalk (vs NMEA 0183) communications via the selected serial COM port, and the RayTech software completes a handshake with the E85001, then the RAYTECH LED will be illuminated. Upon successful completionof this handshake the E85001 will communicate with the PC running RayTech software and will transmit/receive SeaTalk data packets.

Should the SEATALK LED of the E85001 not be illuminated, then verify that all marine electronics have been powered ON. If so, and the problem persists, then voltage should be measured across the red and white SeaTalk terminals of the SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter ... 12VDC should be measured if the SeaTalk bus is powered. Using an analog voltmeter, voltage should then be measured across the yellow and white SeaTalk terminals of the SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter ... the meter's needle should pulse between +9 to +11VDC ... pulsing is indicative of SeaTalk communications on the SeaTalk bus. Should the measured voltages be present, then the E85001 would be deemed to have suffered a failure.

Raymarine retired the E85001 several years ago and this product is no longer available from Raymarine and can no longer be serviced by Raymarine's Product Repair Centers. Workarounds include interfacing a product's NMEA 0183 communications interfaced to the PC Serial Data Cable (strongly recommend first determining the list of NMEA 0183 sentence identifiers and the data transmitted within each of the supported sentences prior to doing so) or using a third party SeaTalk to NMEA 0183 / PC communications interface. Please click here to view a FAQ addressing replacement of an E85001 PC/SeaTalk/NMEA 0183 Interface Module.


RAYFAQ#