Best practices for chasing cables through binnacle / pedestal tubes

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Best practices for chasing cables through binnacle / pedestal tubes

Sailing vessels can prevent some challenges with regard to chasing cables, particularly when it comes to chasing cables through binacle tubes supporting MFD / chartplotter and/or instrument pods. Similar challenges are also encountered by those chasing cables to steering stations within tuna towers, upper stations, or through hard tops. The following best practices may ease the task of chasing cables into binacle pods:

- Use both binacle tubes

- Cut oval shaped holes (i.e. [censored] is taller than its width) within binnacle tubes to increase access to tube and ease cable bends

- File / sand holes within binnacle tubes to prevent damage to cables and to reduce resistance when chasing cables

- Use cable chasing lubricant

- Use cable fishing tool

- Apply waterproof shrink tubing to any splices

- Chase cables in the direction which will permit either the end of the cable featuring bare wires or the cable's smallest plug to be chased through the binnacle tube.

- Chase cables having the largest plugs before chasing cables with smaller plugs

- Minimize the number of cables to be chased through the binnacle tubes (ex. installing an iTC-5 Analog Instrument Converter and an i70S / i70 Multifunction Instrument Display (MFID) may permit instrument transducer cables to be terminated below decks rather than being chased through the binnacle tubes)

- Should a RayNet plug be too large to chase, consider using a RayNet (F) to RJ45 (M) Cable, as the RJ45 (M) plug has smaller dimensions. Alternatively, the RayNet cable's RayNet (F) plug may be cut from the cable, permitting the plug-less end of the cable to be chased down the binnacle tube. Marine grade shielded RJ45 plugs may then be secured to the previously cut cable ends and then the cable ends may be re-joined using a waterproof inline coupler. Please click here to view a FAQ addressing this subject.

----- In systems featuring more than three compatible devices having an Ethernet communications interface, consider installation of an Ethernet network switch(es). By doing so, it would only be necessary to chase a single Ethernet cable through the binnacle tube.

----- If a SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 backbone will be installed onboard, consider having one end of the backbone terminate within the instrument pod (typically mounted above the MFD / chartplotter pod). In doing so, it is recommended that a pair of SeaTalkng Backbone Cables be used. One of these SeaTalkng Backbone Cables would run from below decks into the MFD's pod, where it will be interfaced to a SeaTalkng T-Piece, 5-Way connector, or SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter. The MFD would then be interfaced to the SeaTalkng T-Piece, 5-Way connector, or SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter via a SeaTalkng Spur Cable or SeaTalkng to DeviceNet (F) Spur Adapter to the SeaTalkng T-Piece or 5-Way connector. The second SeaTalkng Backbone Cable would then be chased from the instrument pod to the MFD / chartplotter pod, where it would be interfaced to the SeaTalkng T-Piece, 5-Way connector, or SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter within the MFD / chartplotter pod. A SeaTalkng Termination Plug will be installed within the blue backbone socket of a SeaTalkng 5-Way connector or SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter which will be installed within the instrument pod. Each instrument or autopilot control head having a SeaTalkng communications interface will individually be interfaced to a spur socket of the SeaTalkng 5-Way connector or SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter which has been installed within the instrument pod. Any instruments or autopilot control heads having a SeaTalk communications interface will be daisy chained to one another and will be connected to the SeaTalk socket of a SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter which has been installed within the instrument pod. Should a ST4000+ or ST5000+ be installed within the instrument pod, then it should be installed as the last device within a daisy chain of SeaTalk instruments. The SeaTalk cable which is connected to the ST4000+/ST5000+'s SeaTalk port will need to be cut and then spliced back together, leaving its red leads unspliced and insulated to prevent shorting.

----- If the system features devices having a SeaTalk communications interface, and such devices lack a SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 communications interface, consider installation of a SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter(s). Should such device be installed within an instrument pod, then consider installing a SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter within the instrument pod rather than within the MFD's pod or below decks to eliminate having to additionally having to chase a SeaTalk cable through a binacle tube.

----- If the system features devices having a NMEA 0183 communications interface, and such devices lacking a SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 communication interface, consider installation of a NMEA 0183 to NMEA 2000 data bridging device(s) (ex. Actisense NGW-1-ISO, etc.).

----- Consider encoding analog video sources to streaming video which may then be transmitted via the system's Ethernet network

- If not using the NMEA 0183 leads or analog video interface of a MFD's Power/Data/Analog Video Input Cable, don't chase this cable. Instead, chase separate power, ground, and drain leads through the binacle tubing and splice these wires to the MFD's Power/Data/Analog Video Input Cable within the pod.

- Minimize the excess cable stored within pods by using cables of appropriate length and/or passing excess cable down the binacle tube(s)

- Excess cable will be loosely coiled to prevent cable bends which are less than 4" in diameter.

- For those seeking fishinding sonar features, it is recommended that a compatible fishfinder sonar module(s) supporting the desired type(s) of sonar imaging be installed onboard and that the fishfinder sonar module (s) be interfaced to the system's Ethernet network switch. Doing so will eliminate having to chase a fishfinder transducer cable through a binacle tube. Alternatively, another compatible MFD having internal fishinder sonar circuitry matching the type of fishfinder sonar imaging desired may be installed in another more accessible location onboard (ex. navigation station, lower helm, etc.) and will then be interfaced the system's Ethernet network switch. The fishfinder transducer(s) will then be interfaced this second MFD's fishfinder transducer socket or to the fishfinder sonar module(s).

- Use SeaTalkng Termination Plugs to seal any unoccupied spur sockets within any SeaTalkng networking components or within any devices having a SeaTalkng spur socket.


RAYFAQ#