[CA] [CA11] Intagration of the ClearCruise System

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Jeff,

Q1. OK, I removed the S3 (E12091) Computer with the suspect seatalk1 port and installed the spare X30. I wired both seatalk ports as per the original diagram, where it depicts a dedicated port for only Pilot controls and the other port for the ST60 instruments. Everything came online and seemed to be happy. The X30 was reset to factory settings and I completed the dockside setup and plan to do the seatrial/compass swing next week.
A1. I assume that you are referring to the diagram shown below:



Replacing the S3 with the X30 bring in a new dynamic. Please be aware that as the X30 autopilot course computer and p70 autopilot control head both feature SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 interface. It would instead be recommended, as a best installation practice, that these autopilot components instead be interfaced as spurs to the system's powered and properly terminated SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 backbone. The instruments, ST8001, and SmartController base station would once again be combined into a single unpowered SeaTalk bus which will not be directly connected to the autopilot course computer. A SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter would then be installed as a backbone component of the system's SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 backbone. This aforementioned SeaTalk bus would then be interfaced to the SeaTalk (yellow) socket of the SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter.

Q2. I still have to do the AR-200 calibration and the compass swing for the pilot...these being two separate procedures, (one for the AR-200 unit and one for the Flux Compass feeding the X30.) Will these 2 procedures interfere with each other? (The AR-200 is temporarily disconnected at the moment. )
A2. Possibly. Unlike currently manufactured Raymarine products, legacy products such as the X30 were not designed to support multiple data sources of any single type of data within a system. The system which has been created is not one which has been tested. My initial thoughts would be to disconnect temporarily disconnect the X30 from the SeaTalkng backbone and then attempt to calibrate the AR200 and select it as the system's Heading data source. Next, disconnect the fluxgate compass from the X30, reconnect the X30 to the backbone and attempt to operate the X30 in Auto Mode. Please indicate whether the autopilot then steers to the locked heading.

Q3. Do I do the compass swing first, then connect the AR-200 spur cable and then do its calibration?
A3. See the response to Q2. Should this action work satisfactorily, then it will not be necessary to install the fluxgate compass and perform related calibration.

Q4. Since the X30 has the Ng connection, and the 5 way is co-located, should I connect it?
A4. See the response to Q1.

I will have a free spur port on the 5 way, should I also connect the P70 to it?