[CA] [CA11] Upgrading from E7 to Axiom 9 - cables/converters needed?

[scottotheforest]

Apologies is this is a duplicate- thought I posted an hour ago, but can't find it, so re writing it now!

Yesterday I purchased a basic Axiom 9 touchscreen at the Vancouver Boat Show, and now need to replace my existing E7. I need to know what specific cables and converter box I need to buy to do so.

The E7 was part of an all Raymarine system that was already installed on the 'new to us' sailboat we bought last year.

The connected components include Raymarine radar, autohelm, wind instruments, depth sounder (basic transducer only), and AIS VHF receiver.

Help hugely appreciated, and thanks in advance.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome to the Raymarine Forum scottotheforest

Please click here to view a FAQ addressing moderation of the Raymarine Forum. This FAQ explains why the thread which you had previously submitted was not visible.

Please click here to view a FAQ addressing replacement of an a/c/e/eS/gS-Series MFD with an Axiom MFD.

The currently installed AIS / VHF receiver will need to be interfaced to a spur socket within the system's powered and properly terminated SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 backbone. If the currently AIS / VHF receiver is a Raymarine product, thenAIS / VHF receiver should be interfaced to a spur socket within the system's SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 backbone via an appropriate length of SeaTalkng Spur Cable. If the currently AIS / VHF receiver is a third product and it features a NMEA 2000 communications interface, then an A06045 15.7in (0.4m) DeviceNet (F) to SeaTalkng Spur Adapter or A06075 39.4in (1.0m) DeviceNet (F) to SeaTalkng Spur Adapter may be used to adapt the Axiom MFD's DeviceNet Micro-C (M) plug to be mated to a SeaTalkng spur socket of a SeaTalkng backbone. If the currently AIS / VHF receiver is a third product, does not feature a NMEA 2000 communications interface, and features a NMEA 2000 communications interface, then a 384000 BAUD NMEA 0183 to NMEA 2000 data bridging device (ex. Actisense NGW-1-ISO-AIS, etc.) may be used to adapt the NMEA 0183 interface of the AIS / VHF receiver to be mated to a SeaTalkng spur socket of a SeaTalkng backbone.

Regarding the remaining items, please respond with the make/model of the depth sounder, a photo of the transducer's identification tag which clearly identifies the transducer's manufacturer and model, and the make/model of autopilot. If the autopilot is a Raymarine autopilot, please specify the model of the autopilot and the model of the autopilot control head.

[scottotheforest]

Winter has temporarily descended upon us, sorry for delayed response- snow is fairly foreign here and disrupts things more so than parts of Canada where it is a usual winter occurrence!

Here is a link to a series of photos, showing the wiring and routing of the Raymarine system, including the E7 serial and connection plugs, and the various manual covers, showing exact models and dates. https://photos.app.goo.gl/cdrKA9SD6Qrmo9zAA

So currently, the integrated Raymarine system has an:
- AIS receiver VHF GX-2150
- speed transducer (installed and functional- just not placed in thru hull currently- using GPS only for speed)
- Raymarine Depth transducer
- ST70 Instrument Controller
- ST60+ Wind and Close hauled Wind Instrument
- ST60 Depth Instrument
- ST60 Speed Instrument
- ST7000 PLUS Autopilot Control Unit

In case this ends up beyond my pay grade to make the new Axiom 9 (basic) talk to and integrate into the system, I am in the process of finding a tech to do the connections and setup. Problem being that the only Raymarine Certified tech company is 80 miles south or 100 miles north. Our local marine electronics suppliers rep other brands, sadly.

I did spend 30 years as an audio recording engineer, so troubleshooting and doing simple wiring is not completely foreign, but I am much more an operator than a technician, and this is the first boat I've had with a full complement of instruments.

Keen to learn though!

Thanks in advance Chuck, and hope this paints a clearer picture for you. Much appreciated, as always.

Scott

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Scott,

General comment: Typically, electrical motors should not be installed within 3' of the vessel's compass or an autopilot's compass. I have noted the proximity of the autopilot's rotary drive unit in relation to the vessel's magnetic compass. When so located, the rotary drive will present a fixed deviation field when not operating and a variable deviation when operating. Accordingly, the reading of the vessel's magnetic compass should be taken with a grain of salt.

Replacing the e7 MFD with and Axiom MFD should be a fairly simple task given your stated skills. With respect to interfacing the Axiom MFD in place of the e7 MFD:

- the E7 MFD's Power/NMEA 0183/Video Input Cable will need to be replaced with the Power/NMEA 2000 Cable supplied with the Axiom MFD.

- the currently installed SeaTalkng Spur Cable (which had been interfaced to the e7 MFD's Ethernet Network (RayNet) socket will simply be unplugged from the e7 MFD. An A06082 SeaTalkng (F) to DeviceNet (F) Adapter will be fitted to SeaTalkng Spur Cable's Plug. The DeviceNet (F) end of this adapter will then be mated to the DeviceNet (M) plug of the Axiom MFD's Power/NMEA 2000 Cable.

- the currently installed Ethernet Network (RayNet) Cable which had been interfaced to the e7 MFD's Ethernet Network (RayNet) socket will simply be unplugged from the e7 MFD and then plugged into the Axiom MFD's Ethernet Network (RayNet) socket.

- as the Axiom MFDs do not feature a NMEA 0183 communications interfaced the SH GX-2150 VHF Radio / AIS receiver must be interfaced to a 38400 BAUD NMEA 0183 data bridging device (ex. Actisense NGW-1-ISO-AIS, etc.), which in turn will be interfaced to an unoccupied spur socket within the backbone. Should no unoccupied spur sockets be present within the existing backbone, then a spur socket will need to be added to the backbone.

[scottotheforest]

Beautiful Chuck,

I will contact my.supplier for the needed cable and AIS bridging device and see if there's an unoccupied spur socket.

Thank you for your sharp eye on the compass too. Since moving the E7 beside the compass it has not been usable. With the addition of the Axiom 9, I will be looking for a new.placement for the magnetic compass.

Kind regards Chuck,

Scott

[SVBREILA]

Thanks for the tip on the magnetic compass, after 50 years of sailing this is the first mention I've seen on this. It makes perfect sense. But if your using the Axiom, surely the display will show the magnetic or true heading using the GPS or the auto pilots heading sensor?



Michael

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Michael,

Q. But if your using the Axiom, surely the display will show the magnetic or true heading using the GPS or the auto pilots heading sensor?
A. Unless the vessel is equipped with with a satellite compass or gyro compass, heading data will be exclusively reported from a magnetic north seeking device such as and autopilot/instrument's fluxgate compass, EV-1/2 CCU, or AR200 IP Stabilization Module for Augmented Reality, etc. GPS sensors do not generally report heading, they report course over ground (COG). While heading may be specified in the true rather than magnetic reference frame, the magnetic north seeking device must be correctly compensated for deviation or the resulting true heading will be incorrect.

[scottotheforest]

Update Chuck: in the homestretch!

A methodical, wiring savvy sailing friend and I spent the past two days sleuthing our way through getting the various parts and cables connected, including a Furuno NMEA converter (suggested and supplied by ROTON Marine in Vancouver, who also sold me the Axiom 9 at the Boat Show) to hookup the Standard Horizons VHF AIS receiver at the cabin chart table to the system. That was the toughest as the colour coding on the AIS and GPS send receive cables isn't industry standard.

A call to the very knowledgable and helpful Furuno tech in Washington State got that sorted out and the hot wrench and shrink wrap heat gun has it all looking ship ship and diagrammed for future reference.

Today working on the Axiom 9 mounting and then the long deep dive into operations. But everything is talking and happy. Thanks for your part too.

Going to the manuals too to see if it's just proper setup that needs to happen with the Axiom, to sort the connection of the autohelm, that doesn't show up on the Axiom connected device list at this point.

AIS overlay is happening fine and radar screen and wind seems to be functioning.

Almost there. Can my Raymarine ST7000+ Autohelm be connected and talked into following routes created and run on the Axiom 9?

If so, and a converter device is needed, can the newly bought and connected FURUNO IF-NMEA2K2 that we have in the system now for the AIS VHF receiver overlay, somehow also be used with the ST7000+, or is a seperate device converter required for the Autohelm. Or?

In for a penny, in for a pound!

Thanks,

Scott

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Scott,

The ST7000+ is an autopilot control head which was designed to be compatible with a number of legacy Raymarine autopilot course computer. In order to advise regarding how to interface the autopilot the Axiom MFD, it would be necessary to have you specify the model of autopilot course computer which is presently installed onboard.

[scottotheforest]

I will share the component/cable routing diagram we have created to this point, and update it when the autopilot course computer is located and identified. I guess I see the advantages and luxury of a new boat or a complete new NAV system. Not unlike the difference between a reno and a new build in house construction.