[TG] [TG11] Sonar Addition to Es7 Configuration

[Tom - Raymarine - Moderator]

Hello Jeff,

Quote:Q1: Do I need any additional equipment to enable Sonar? If so, options and recommendations?

Can you define what you mean when you say Sonar? A fishfinder style image of what's below you, or something more specific?

Quote:Q2: Does B744V work in the current DST-800 thru-hull / sleeve?

No, all of the sensing of the B744V transducer is inside the bronze body of the transducer, not the insert, and the B744V's stem is a similar outside diameter to the DST800's.

Quote:Q3: Can the current DST-800 wiring be used for the B744V? Or is a new wiring run required?

Transducer cables should never be cut and joined. This is for several reasons:

• There are high voltages on transducer cables (in a 600W B744V, this can be >600Vp-p)
• The reply signal levels are very low (millivolts to microvolts) and you're likely to get unacceptable signal losses across a join
• Any break in the cable shielding is a place for electrical interference/noise to get in, spoiling the sounder's performance, or out, interfering with other gear such as VHF
• To re-iterate: hundreds of volts may be present on the cable!
  

On top of this is the consideration that DST800 and B744V are very vague designations (Airmar's cross-reference lists 53 different B744Vs with different acoustic elements, internal wiring, connectors and compatibility for example) and there's no way to know whether cabling is cross-compatible without knowing exactly what variants of each are in question.

Quote:Q4: Pro’s and Con’s of using the B258. Understand a new thru-hull and wire run is required as the DST-800 can’t be replaced.

The B258's a good fishfinder transducer, but it would be uncommon on a yacht. This is partly because this level of fishfinder performance is usually unnecessary, and partly because it's quite a big transducer and presents more drag than most sailing vessels' crews want to have.

Quote:Q5: Would like to confirm the B260 is not compatible with my current equipment profile.

You can use either a B258 or B260 (parts E66082 or E66079, with adaptor cable E66066) with eS97 or eS127 if you wish. They won't ping at 1kW, they will only transmit at 600W because that's all the eSx7's internal sounder outputs. If you wanted to get the full 1kW for deepwater fishing then you'd need to add a CP370 1kW black-box sounder, which would connect to the displays via the Raynet network (port labelled Network on either display.)

Quote:Q6: Do you have sample wiring diagrams...?

These are very much modular systems and every non-production boat installation is different, so we probably don't have another boat's wiring diagram that would make clearer rather than confuse the situation with your system.

Quote:...recommend sonar equipment and my current setup?

The question I always ask is, what is it that you're trying to achieve? If you can tell me what the end result you want is, I can tell you how best to get there.

Regards,
Tom