Interfacing products having a SeaTalk interface to SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Interfacing products having a SeaTalk interface to SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000

Any device within the present system having both a SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 port and a SeaTalk port (ex. SPX autopilots, E-Series Classic MFDs, C/E-Series Widescreen MFDs) should be disconnected from the SeaTalk bus, as these devices will instead be interfaced as spurs to a powered and properly terminated SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 backbone which may include one or more E22158 SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converters.

SeaTalk instruments, autopilot components, GPS sensors, and chartplotters featuring a 1st generation SeaTalk interface which do not additionally feature a SeaTalkng interface (ex. ST40/60 Instrument Displays, ST6xxx/7xxx/8xxx Autopilot Control Heads, S1/S1G/S2/S2G/S3/S3G Autopilot Course Computer, Wireless AP Controller base station, Raystar 125 GPS Sensor, etc.) may be interfaced to one another, in any order, connected via a daisy chain or to SeaTalk Junction Blocks, using standard SeaTalk Cables having press-fit 3-pin plugs. SeaTalk Cables can be joined using D244 SeaTalk Junction Blocks, splices, marine grade terminal strips, or R55006 SeaTalk Auxiliary Junction Boxes. SeaTalk Cable is available in 15", 1m, 3m, 5m, and 9m lengths. This method of interfacing is referred to as a SeaTalk bus.

NOTE: Autpilot Course Computer products introduced prior to the Type 150/150G, 400/400G, ST4000+, ST5000+, instrument products introduced prior to the ST50+, as well as chartplotting, fishfinding, and radar products introduced prior to these autopilots and instruments utilize an older version of the SeaTalk communications protocol than did the products which followed them. The SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter has neither been designed nor tested for use with such products. Accordingly, it is recommended that any such devices within your present system be disconnected from the SeaTalk bus and that they instead be interfaced to the newly created system via NMEA 0183 communications protocol if possible. Several Raymarine autopilot course computers feature two SeaTalk ports. Should the system feature such an autopilot course computer and an autopilot control head(s) having a SeaTalk communications interface, then it would be considered to be a best practice to interface the autopilot control head(s) alone to one of the autopilot course computer's SeaTalk ports and then use the course computer's second SeaTalk port to connect the SeaTalk bus to which any other devices having a SeaTalk communications interface have or will be connected (to include a SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter).

Each SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter will support a SeaTalk bus of up to five SeaTalk devices. Should your present SeaTalk bus consist of more than five SeaTalk devices, then it will need to be divided into smaller busses including no more than five SeaTalk devices. Should the current system feature an autopilot course computer having a SeaTalk communications interface, an autopilot control head(s) having a SeaTalk communications interface, and other devices having a SeaTalk communications interface, then any autopilot control head(s) having a SeaTalk communication interface will be disconnected from the current SeaTalk bus. This autopilot control head(s) will instead be interfaced to a single SeaTalk bus, which will in turn be interfaced directly to the SeaTalk port of the autopilot course computer. The SeaTalk bus featuring the autopilot control head(s) will be powered by the autopilot course computer's SeaTalk port (i.e. connect all three leads of the SeaTalk cable). When interfaced in this manner, the autopilot may be operated irrespective of the power state of the rest of the marine electronics system.

Each of the other SeaTalk busses (i.e. those not having an interfaced autopilot control head) will in turn be connected to the yellow SeaTalk port of a SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter. The SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converters may be interfaced to one another via appropriate length of SeaTalkng Backbone Cable. The SeaTalk bus will need to be branched or extended and connected to the yellow (SeaTalk) port of an E22158 SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter Kit which has been upgraded with v2.01 or later SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter software.

SeaTalkng devices (ex. Data Master MFD, SPX/Evolution autopilots, ST70/ST70+ MFIDs and Autopilot Control Heads, i50/i60/i70 Instrument Displays, etc.) will in turn be interfaced as individual spurs to the white SeaTalkng spur ports of the backbone's T-Pieces, 5-Way Connectors, or SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter(s) using appropriate length of SeaTalkng Spur Cable. Please click here to view a FAQ addressing how additional spur sockets may be added to the system's SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 backbone. Daisy chaining STng units is not recommended, click here for further details.

The SeaTalk bus including devices other than the autopilot control head(s) will need be to be disconnected from its present power source ... note: this may well be the red terminal of an autopilot course computer's SeaTalk port. It is considered a best installation practice for SeaTalk buses featuring devices other than the autopilot control head(s) instead be powered by the SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 backbone via SeaTalk socket of the SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter(s). The SeaTalkng power cable supplied with the SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter Kit will be connected to a switched 5A 12VDC power circuit and will be interfaced to one of the white SeaTalkng spur sockets within the SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 backbone at the approximate midpoint of the LEN load of the SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 backbone which is being created.

Finally, the blue SeaTalkng Termination Plugs will need to be installed within in the remaining two blue SeaTalkng backbone ports of the SeaTalkng backbone / SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter(s).

It is strongly recommended that all devices featuring a SeaTalkng socket be updated with the latest available Raymarine product software updates. Such updates may be performed via a Data Master Raymarine MFD featuring a SeaTalkng port which has been interfaced to the SeaTalkng backbone. Should the system not include a Raymarine MFD featuring a SeaTalkng port, then please click here to view a FAQ addressing how one may update the software within the system's Raymarine devices.


RAYFAQ#