Replace ST60 Tridata with i50 Tridata

[sailjumanji]

I had a previous thread on ST60 Tridata failure of depth readout - whether transducer or display. Diagnostic testing was unclear as per the culprit, so I ordered a complete i50 Tridata with transducers, and started by changing out the display only. But I have reached a snag, and not sure how to integrate with other instruments.

This is what I STARTED with:

1. ST60 Tridata depth and speed, daisy chained to ST60+ wind, and Raymarine Smartpilot
2. The Tridata cabled to a SeaTalk to SeaTalkng converter. The converter was powered, and then plugged into the backbone of a NMEA 2000 system.

As it was working above, all of the ST60 data was uploaded onto the NMEA 2000 network, and I could see on my B&G Zeus 2 chartplotter. Everything worked wonderfully. Even the Zeus 2 GPS waypoints were available on the autopilot - so there was two-way talking of the NMEA2000 network, to Seatalkng and then Seatalk.

So now I have changed out the ST60 Tridata, and replaced with the i50 Tridata. Was told can still use the old ST60 transducers, with the i50 Tridata and that it is compatible with Seatalk. Now here is my issue. The transducers plugged into the i50 Tridata just fine. But on the back of the i50 Tridata are two plugs labeled for Seatalkng cables. (Plus I was supposed to have a Seatalk to Seatalkng adapter cable in the box, but there was none.)

So the question is, do I just use a Seatalkng spur cable from the i50 Tridata, to the Seatalk to Seatalkng converter? Is the converter going to know this is Seatalkng coming thru, and not Seatalk? If so, will the ST60+ wind be able to see the boat speed thru water, and therefore be able to calculate true wind speed and direction? The instructions don't have any info about how to get the instrument to talk in Seatalk, rather than Seatalkng.

Or is there another way to hook this up to make it work?

Also, how do I get the Seatalk to Seatalkng adapter cable that was not in the box?

Please help! Thanks

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

sailjumanji,

The i50 Tridata should have been packaged with both a 400mm SeaTalkng Spur Cable and a SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Cable. The communications interfaces of Raymarine's i50/i60/i70 Instruments are designed to support either SeaTalk or SeaTalkng communications, but not both. Accordingly, the i50 Tridata may be interfaced as a spur to the SeaTalkng backbone or may be interfaced to a SeaTalk bus, but may not be interfaced to both. Should you have already interfaced the i50 Tridata to the SeaTalkng backbone within your system and should your system's backbone include a SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter which has the latest available Raymarine product software update installed, then nothing else need be done with respect to interfacing the i50 Tridata display to the system. When so configured, depth, speed, and water temp data will be available to both devices which have been the SeaTalk bus, as well as devices which have been interfaced to the SeaTalkng backbone.

[sailjumanji]

Ok, I cabled the i50 Tridata to the white connector on the Seatalk to Seatalkng converter. (The daisy-chained ST60+ Wind and Smartpilot are cabled to the other white connector on the converter. And the converter is connected via a backbone cable to the NMEA2000 network.) I can get the depth data onto the NMEA2000 network, and as well can repeat on my chartplotter (also on NMEA2000 network).

When I go into depth calibration mode for the i50 Tridata, it allows me to set "feet or meters", and then the offset, but then immediately back to feet/meters. There is no choice to enable the alarm - it skips that step. So first question is what can I do to enable using the shallow water depth alarm?

Second question - hooked up this way, will the ST60+ wind be able to get the boat speed data so that true wind can be displayed? The i50 Tridata boat speed coming into the converter as Seatalkng data would then have to flow to ST60+ Wind as Seatalk data?

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

sailjumanji,

Q1. The daisy-chained ST60+ Wind and Smartpilot are cabled to the other white connector on the converter.
A1. If the SeaTalk bus has been interfaced to the SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converte as you have described, please note that this not correct. The yellow SeaTalk socket of the SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter is designed to interfaced to the SeaTalk bus. Additionally, the SeaTalk bus should receive power from the SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 backbone via the SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter's yellow SeaTalk socket. Accordingly, care must be taken to ensure that the SeaTalk bus is not being powered from another source (ex. the red terminal of the autopilot course computer's SeaTalk port. Failure to ensure that the SeaTalk bus has been powered in this manner may result in a ground loop occuring. Please click here to view a FAQ addressing this subject.

Q2. When I go into depth calibration mode for the i50 Tridata, it allows me to set "feet or meters", and then the offset, but then immediately back to feet/meters. There is no choice to enable the alarm - it skips that step. So first question is what can I do to enable using the shallow water depth alarm?
A2. Has the i50 Tridata instrument been directly interfaced to the depth transducer? Has the i50 Tridata instrument been configured as the Depth master? What version of software is installed within the SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter?

Q3. Second question - hooked up this way, will the ST60+ wind be able to get the boat speed data so that true wind can be displayed? The i50 Tridata boat speed coming into the converter as Seatalkng data would then have to flow to ST60+ Wind as Seatalk data?
A3. The SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter's function is to bridge data between the SeaTalk bus and the SeaTalkng backbone. Accordingly, should a SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter which has been updated with the latest available Raymarine product software update have been installed, then speed data from the SeaTalkng backbone to which the i50 Tridata (with speed transducer interfaced to the Tridata and the Tridata configured as the Speed master) has been interfaced will be made available to devices on the SeaTalk bus (ex. ST60+ Wind, etc.).

[sailjumanji]

sailjumanji,

Q1/A1. I checked again, and realize I wrote the connection wrong before. The converter is powered, connected through a white plug. The i50 Tridata connects to the converter through a second white plug. The ST60+ Wind connects to a yellow plug on the converter. The autopilot has its own power, and therefore only the data wires are connected to the ST60+wind.

I do not know the version of software for the converter. My MFD is a B&G Zeus2. The converter was purchased new in mid 2015, and installed then. Is there a way to check the version of software for the converter, and/or update WITHOUT a Raymarine MFD?

Q2/A2. The depth and speed transducers are left over from the ST60 Tridata. They are both plugged into the i50 Tridata display. I don't know how to configure the i50 Tridata instrument as the "Depth master". Did not see that in the instructions. If that is required, could you please advise procedure?

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

sailjumanji,

Q1. I do not know the version of software for the converter. My MFD is a B&G Zeus2. The converter was purchased new in mid 2015, and installed then. Is there a way to check the version of software for the converter, and/or update WITHOUT a Raymarine MFD?
A1. The software installed within the SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter would most definitely not be current given the date of purchase. It would be necessary for the system to include a Raymarine a/c/e/eS/gS-Series MFD or i70 MFID to determine the version of software installed within the SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter. Much as the software within third party products is not designed to be updated via Raymarine products, the software within Raymarine products is not designed to be updated via third party products. The SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter's software may be updated by a Certified Raymarine Installer (you may save some cost by bringing the converter to the installer, Raymarine’s Product Repair Center, and many Raymarine dealer (recommend calling the dealer first).

Q2. Q2/A2. The depth and speed transducers are left over from the ST60 Tridata. They are both plugged into the i50 Tridata display. I don't know how to configure the i50 Tridata instrument as the "Depth master". Did not see that in the instructions. If that is required, could you please advise procedure?
A2. Detailed instructions for setting mastership of depth and speed are addressed in Section 8.4 Data Master of the i50 Instruments Installation and Operation Instructions.

[sailjumanji]

Aha, that is what I didn't have. Didn't see this in the instructions that came with the instrument. Will give that a try when I am back on the boat. THANKS, especially for the prompt reply.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

You're welcome.

[sailjumanji]

Not on the boat at the moment, but reading the instructions. Top of page 57 says "displays that have transducer physically attached to them are automatically set as data masters". Could it be that since my transducer is older version, the display is not automatically set as master? Guess I will find out when I get on the boat.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

sailjumanji,

Normally, it is the case that the instrument will automatically be assigned mastership when a compatible transducer has been interfaced to the instrument. However, your instrument is not acting like a depth master ... hence, my recommendation to verify that it is so, to verify the SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter's software version, and to identify whether the system includes any other sources of depth data.