P70 No pilot error and mode page blank

[rlschmidt]

I have a P70 control head and an EV-1 ACU 200 which has been working fine all season, but yesterday the P70 started displaying a no pilot error, and the menu/mode page is blank. I checked voltages on the ACU 200, and there is 12V on both sides of the main fuse, and the seatalk power fuse. I have also checked all of the seatalk connections and they are all tight. How do I go about troubleshooting this?

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome to the Raymarine Forum rlschmidt,

The reported error condition is indicative of a communications failure between the autopilot control head and the EV-1 CCU. The command sequence MENU->SET-UP->DIAGNOSTICS->ABOUT SYSTEM may be used to verify which devices within the SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 backbone are communicating with the autopilot control head. Should the EV-1 CCU not be listed and other devices be listed, then the communications path between the autopilot control head should be checked to ensure that no cables have been damaged / modified and that all plugs are securely seated and locked into place with the socket's locking rings. If so, the the EV-1 CCU's Status LED should be examined to ensure that it is illuminated. If not then it's SeaTalkng Spur Cable should be disconnected and tested to ensure that power is being supplied to its pins. If so, then the EV-1 CCU would appear to have suffered a failure, necessitating that it be sent to Raymarine’s Product Repair Center to be bench checked / serviced.

[rlschmidt]

In the P70 system diagnostics the only device that is seen is the p70r.
The ACU 200 shows a red power on LED for the seatalk indicating power is being supplied to the network, and the 12V LED is also on. I don't know where the CCU status indicator is, but if the various colored panels under the seatalk cable socket are in fact LED's none of them are light. The power is obviously being supplied to the buss, since the p70 is powered by the ACU power output on the network.

I also removed and re-seated every connector on the seatalk buss to insure they were properly seated.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

rlschmidt,

Communications between the Evolution autopilot components may be blocked if each is not operating with the latest version of software. The software for these components may be updated via the C90W. When doing so, it is advisable that only the MFD and the device to be updated be connected to the SeaTalkng backbone. Should you have updated the software within each of the Evolution autopilot components and should the communications issue persist, then please attach a system diagram to this thread indicating how you have constructed the SeaTalkng backbone and where you have installed the SeaTalkng Termination Plugs. The diagram should show all devices which you have interfaced to the SeaTalkng backbone.

[rlschmidt]

I am attaching a diagram of the seatalk network. The autopilot was installed at the beginning of the season and worked all season. The network configuration has not changed. The software was updated when I installed it. When I went out yesterday to get the software info from the P70, the pilot came on for a few minutes then went away and I have not been able to get it on again, but it was long enough to get the software version from the ACU-200. Here are the various software versions.
P70r --- version 2.17, bootload V1.01
ACU-200 ---- version 1.11
C90W --- VERSION 2.35, bootcode 1.05

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

rlschmidt,

As indicated within my prior response, communications between the Evolution autopilot components may be blocked if each is not operating with the latest version of software. This is certainly the case for the autopilot control head and ACU. It is recommended that the software within each of the Evolution autopilot components be updated accordingly. Also as indicated within my prior response, it is advisable that only the MFD and the device to be updated be connected to the SeaTalkng backbone. The SeaTalkng Power Cable packaged with the EV-200 autopilot may be used to power the SeaTalkng backbone when the ACU-200 has been disconnected from the backbone. After individually updating the software within the Evolution components, then they may all be reconnected to the SeaTalkng backbone and an Autopilot Factory Reset should be commanded via the autopilot's control head.

Please additionally note that your diagram indicates that the Termination Plug (blue) has been inserted into the unused spur socket of the p70 Autopilot Control Head. Should this plug actually be a blanking plug (black), then it may remain within the p70's spur socket to protect the socket. However, should the specified plug be a SeaTalkng Termination Plug (blue). then it must be removed from the p70's spur socket.

Should the problem persist after addressing the above listed items, then it would be recommended that the EV-1 CCU be sent to Raymarine’s Product Repair Center to be bench checked / serviced.

[rlschmidt]

I checked what I called a termination on my diagram for the P70R and it is black, so I guess it is correct.
I have downloaded the software and looked at the update procedure on your website, and have a couple of questions.
1. The procedure indicates that the update files should not be stored in a folder. Is this just because they would not be found during update? In other words, if I copy the needed files from a folder to the root of the flash drive would the duplicates in the sub-folder interfere with the update procedure in any way. I am asking this because the flash drive is an appropriate place to keep the update files for all of the devices so if they can be stored in sub-folders without interfering with the update, I can bring the desired files into the root directory of the drive as needed.
2. Does the autorunc.dob file in the folder only deal with the files in that folder, or is it more generic?

I tried updating the CCU from the C90W, and the device could not be discovered so the upgrade failed. Would it make sense at this point to run temporary cables to the C90W to see if there is a cable issue? I would like to eliminate cable failures before saying the ACU is not working. Would the control head recognize the ACU if the display unit is disconnected (It dosn't)? I did also try a system reset from the P70r and that did not make a difference. I guess what I am looking for is what is the minimum system that should work?

Thanks
Bob Schmidt

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Bob,

Q1. I checked what I called a termination on my diagram for the P70R and it is black, so I guess it is correct?
A1. Yes.

Q2. I have downloaded the software and looked at the update procedure on your website, and have a couple of questions.
Q2A.The procedure indicates that the update files should not be stored in a folder. Is this just because they would not be found during update? In other words, if I copy the needed files from a folder to the root of the flash drive would the duplicates in the sub-folder interfere with the update procedure in any way. I am asking this because the flash drive is an appropriate place to keep the update files for all of the devices so if they can be stored in sub-folders without interfering with the update, I can bring the desired files into the root directory of the drive as needed.
A2A. It is indeed possible to do as you have specified. Per my previous response, the SeaTalkng backbone should be reduced to the MFD and one of the devices which will be updated. This is accomplished by simply unplugging the SeaTalkng spur cable from the SeaTalkng spur socket of the other devices or from the corresponding SeaTalkng spur socket of the SeaTalkng backbone. As the backbone will not receive power from the ACU, the SeaTalkng Power Cable must be installed (at least temporarily) when updating the software within any SeaTalkng device other than the ACU itself. It is also considered a best installation practice to power the SeaTalkng backbone via the aforementioned SeaTalkng Power Cable rather than from the ACU.

Q2B. Does the autorunc.dob file in the folder only deal with the files in that folder, or is it more generic?
A2C. The autorunc.dob file is somewhat generic as you have suggested. The same autorunc.dob file is used to boot the MFD into Software Update mode when updating any of the Evolution autopilot components.

Q3. I tried updating the CCU from the C90W, and the device could not be discovered so the upgrade failed. Would it make sense at this point to run temporary cables to the C90W to see if there is a cable issue? I would like to eliminate cable failures before saying the ACU is not working. Would the control head recognize the ACU if the display unit is disconnected (It dosn't)? I did also try a system reset from the P70r and that did not make a difference. I guess what I am looking for is what is the minimum system that should work?
A3. As you were able to determine the software level of the ACU via the diagnostics of the p70R, then it would indicate that the communications network between the ACU and p70R is operational and that there are no hardware faults within these devices. Additionally, should the About System diagnostics of the p70R list the software level of the MFD, then it would similarly indicate that the communications network between the ACU, p70R, and MFD is operational and that the SeaTalkng communications circuitry of these devices is operational. Again, such diagnostic communications with the EV-1 CCU will not be supported until its software has been updated.

[rlschmidt]

The system working lasted less then 4 min when I was able to get the software versions, and nothing has been recognized since either from the C90W or the P70r.
I put the external power cable on and confirmed via the P70 that it was working. I then removed everything from the distribution except the EV1 and the C90W and tried the upgrade, and the C90 is not finding the EV1 on the network.
The next thing I tried was to move the EV1 and the C90W to the local distribution using only black and white cables, and the C90 still did not see the EV1. I then tried removing the EV1 and connected the P70r to the black white distribution, and neither the C90W or the P70r recognized each other. Assuming that connecting only to the local distribution is valid, I am not sure there is anything else I can do to eliminate cabling issues.
Did this approach make sense?

Thanks
Bob Schmidt

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Bob,

Per our conversation the About System diagnostics feature of the autopilot control head should list all SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 devices which have additionally been interfaced to the backbone ... including your C90W. Given the symptoms reported during attempts to use this feature and reported during attempts to update software within the Evolution autopilot components, it would appear that the MFD may have suffered a failure of its SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 communications circuitry. It is accordingly recommended that the MFD be sent to Raymarine’s Product Repair Center to be bench checked / serviced. As the software within the ACU, p70R, and likely the EV-1 CCU are also not current, it is recommended that these components also be sent to Raymarine's Product Repair Center to be updated. It is further recommended that the EV-1 CCU be bench tested by Raymarine's Product Repair Center given that the autopilot had initially functioned properly before communications between the autopilot control head and EV-1 CCU ceased.