[CA] [CA11] i50 depth connections

[eddystone]

The only Raymarine instrument I have is a self-standing i50 Log not connected to anything (except power and paddle wheel of course!) Just acquired ex display i50 depth instrument and P79 in-hull transducer. The i50 instrument has 2 x circular multi-pin sockets (ST?) and pins marked "depth". I assumed I would connect transducer here but the transducer cable terminates in an ST type which suggests should be plugged into one of 2 circular sockets - is this correct? I which case do I need to tape over pins to stop corrosion and possibly false signal.

I am also assuming the older i50 log will have a spare circular socket so that i can daisy chain power to i50 depth which will sit alongside.

I have no intention of setting up a NMEA2000/ST backbone at this stage - I only have a single NMEA0183 connection from AIS receiver to CP (neither of which Raymarine)

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome to the Raymarine Forum eddystone,

Q1. I assumed I would connect transducer here but the transducer cable terminates in an ST type which suggests should be plugged into one of 2 circular sockets - is this correct?
A1. Negative. At least three versions of the P79 Transducer have been offered by Raymarine, two of which were designed for use with depth instrument displays. The analog instrument variant of the P79 Transducer (E26001-pz) features leads which have been terminated with 1/8" female blade connectors. This variant of the P79 Transducer should have been advised for use with an i50 Depth or i50 Tridata instrument. The transducer's leads would then have been mated to the matching color coded male blade terminals of the i50 Depth or i50 Tridata instrument.

The SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 Smart variant of the P79 transducer features a SeaTalkng spur (white) plug as you have described. The SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 Smart variant of the P79 transducer (A80373 (NMEA2000)
or T70278 (with SeaTalkNG Adapter)) is not designed to be plugged into the i50 Depth instrument's spur socket as you have suggested. Like other SeaTalkng/NMEA 2000 devices, this variant of the P79 transducer was designed to be interfaced to a powered and properly terminated SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 backbone to which instrument displays would have additionally been interfaced. An i70S/i70 MFID or Axiom/Axiom Pro/Axiom XL MFD would also need to be interfaced as a spur to the backbone to support configuration of depth offsets and to support configuration depth related alarms. Should this variant of the P79 transducer and the i50 Depth instrument alone be interfaced to the backbone, then the i50 Depth instrument would repeat the depth below transducer data produced by the P79 transducer, but would be unable to support configuration of depth offsets and to support configuration of depth related alarms.

Q2. I am also assuming the older i50 log will have a spare circular socket so that i can daisy chain power to i50 depth which will sit alongside.
A2. Indeed these may be daisy chained to one another via an appropriate length of SeaTalkng Spur Cable or better yet should each be interfaced individually to a spur socket within the aforementioned SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 backbone.

[eddystone]

Thanks for that information. Is the transducer lead colour coded in a way that it is possible to swap the Sea Talk plug for soldered on spade terminals? I realise the correct thing to do would be to swap transducers but as this was an Ebay purchase may not be so easy.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

eddystone,

Q. Is the transducer lead colour coded in a way that it is possible to swap the Sea Talk plug for soldered on spade terminals?
A. Negative. Smart transducers and analog transducers are fundamentally different. Smart depth transducers receive and process depth signal to determine a depth value and then transmit this depth value in SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 formatted PGNs via their cables. This would permit potentially any device supporting NMEA 2000 protocol and software to process the PGN containing depth data to display depth information. In contrast, analog instrument depth transducers return signal levels which must in turn be processed by the instrument's depthfinder circuitry to determine a depth value.

[eddystone]

Hi Chuck

After returning P79 transducer with ST cable termination I obtained what I was assured was the correct model with spade connections but in fact it has a connection like attached photo - that doesn't look right - can you advise?

Secondly because the P79 is wider than my existing in-hull transducer, im struggling to squeeze it into the flat space between the rise of the bow on either side - are there any issues in locating very close to an Airmar paddle wheel transducer which would give me slightly more room?

Sorry can't get attachments to work but it is round black plug with 4 yellow metal contacts in a square orientation

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

eddystone,

Unfortunately, it appears that your source has supplied you with the fishfinder version of the P79 transducer ... more specifically, one which was designed to be interfaced to a CP370 fishfinder sounder module (although no Raymarine part number is visible on the transducer's label. Instead of returning it and asking that it be replaced with one which is compatible with you ST50 instrument, be very specific about asking for the E26001-pz version of the P79. The label of the transducer's package will be marked with this part number.

[eddystone]

Thanks and regarding second point, is there a minimum distance between this transducer and the log through hull, which has magnets in the paddle wheel (Airmar 800, I think)?

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

eddystone,

Q. minimum distance between this transducer and the log through hull, which has magnets in the paddle wheel (Airmar 800, I think)?
A. The P79 transducer is not a magnetic north seeking device, nor are speed/temp transducer. Like thru-hull transducers, in-hull transducers should be installed where they will experience a non-aerated flow of water beneath them or the hull surface beneath the transducer. Please click here to view a FAQ addressing how to use a water bag to test intended transducer installation locations.