Seatalkng/NMEA2000 Power

[ledouxjj]

I am just finalizing a new dual MFD Raymarine system using two es128 MFDs. I have also installed a Maretron NMEA backbone system to support monitoring all the engines, weather, etc. My first question is this, I believe the Maretron cables are of heavier gauge wire and therefore a lower power loss. So should I be powering the entire NMEA2000/SeatalkNG system from the Maretron or Vice versa?

Second question is since Raymarine does not make a 183 to 2000 converter am I safe to assume I can use the 183 interfaces at both MFDs to connect to my ICOM VHF and SSB Radios.

My first try was powering the NG/2000 buss through the SeatalkNG and connected my third party Class A AIS via the SeatalkNG/NMEA2000 adapter but I was not getting all the AIS data sent to the MFDs. The unit is an AllTec.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome to the Raymarine Forum ledouxjj,

Q1. I have also installed a Maretron NMEA backbone system to support monitoring all the engines, weather, etc. My first question is this, I believe the Maretron cables are of heavier gauge wire and therefore a lower power loss. So should I be powering the entire NMEA2000/SeatalkNG system from the Maretron or Vice versa?
A1. Raymarine places no restriction on using SeaTalkng components to construct a SeaTalkng/NMEA 2000 backbone. Raymarine offers adapter cables to support adaptation to DeviceNet Micro-C male and female plugs/socket commonly employed in Maretron NMEA 2000 networking componets. The SeaTalkng/NMEA 2000 backbone should be powered from a single power insertion point located at the approximate mid-point of the backbone's LEN load. Raymarine MFDs are neither designed to be powered by, nor to supply power to a SeaTalkng/NMEA 2000 backbone. Raymarine MFDs are designed to be powered via the power cable supplied with the MFD.

Q2. Since Raymarine does not make a 183 to 2000 converter am I safe to assume I can use the 183 interfaces at both MFDs to connect to my ICOM VHF and SSB Radios?
A2. Your statement is not quite correct. Please click here to view a FAQ addressing this subject.

[ledouxjj]

Ok, after going to the forum post you provided, I think the NMEA 183 interface to a DSC Radio is a one way connection. Ie from Raymarine to DSC Radio. If so, and I should receive an emergency call on either the VHF or SSB I will not get a visual on my MFD because it is not receiving 183 messages. Is this a true statement?

John

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

ledouxjj.

The earliest generation of DSC VHF radios supported one way NMEA 0183 communications to support receiving GPS data from the marine electronics system. This GPS data would be used by the VHF radio in it RF transmissions to permit receiving DSC VHF radios to receive your vessel's coordinates. Currently manufactured DSC VHF radios support not only this capability, but also support transmission of DSC report data (type of message, coordinates, etc.) received from another vessel to the vessel's chartplotting system. Bidirectional NMEA 0183 communications between two devices requires four leads. Should only two of the VHF radio's NMEA 0183 leads be interfaced to the navigation system and should the VHF radio be reporting that it is getting a GPS position FIX, then the VHF radio would be deemed to be interfaced via one-way (marine electronics -> VHF radio) communications, and the marine electronics would then correspondingly not be receiving the DSC data required to automatically plot DSC messages received by the VHF radio.

[ledouxjj]

Chuck, Thanks for the answers. I was just thrown off a bit by the picture diagram in the FAQ you sent me to. It only showed two wires from the adapter. Final question for now, are the es MFDs fully compliant NMEA 183?

John

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

John,

Raymarine a/c/e/eS-Series MFDs are designed to support NMEA 0183 v4.10. The complete lists of supported NMEA 0183 input and output sentences may be found within the appendices of the LightHouse MFDs Operation Instructions.

[ledouxjj]

Chuck,

I managed to get one of my two eS 128s to communicate with my ICom 604 VHF Radios. The 128 is the Data master unit that communicates with the radio while the other 128 does not communicate with the second Radio. Is there a limitation that only the data master on a multi MFD system will communicate via the NMEA 183 ports?

Thanks

John

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

John,

If networked together via Ethernet, then both MFDs will share the GPS data from the system. It is recommended that you verify that this is how the MFD's have been networked and if so, that you check that the MFD's NMEA 0183 Port 1 has been configured for 4800 BAUD NMEA 0183 communications (NMEA 4800), and if so, then check its MFD's NMEA 0183 Port 1 buffer for transmitted data. Please click here to view a FAQ addressing this subject.

[ledouxjj]

Chuck,

Thanks for the response and the point to the troubleshooting tip.

John

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

You're welcome. As this thread has drifted from its original subject (Seatalkng/NMEA2000 Power), should you need further assistance with the NMEA 2000 troubleshooting, then please create a new thread. By restricting threads to a single subject, others using this Forum may more easily find the information which they are seeking.

Thanks