AIS faults SeaTalk1/NG converter

[trishark]

2009 sailboat with original AutoHelm Seatalk depth, wind, tridata, autopilot control and S3 autopilot. Also SR100 weather (HS to MFD). 2014 upgraded to C125, HD Radar, AIS650, Seatalk-SeatalkNG converter. System worked well for 5,500 kmiles cruising over 1.5 years. Came back to US, stored boat 3 months, on return no Seatalk information or AIS on C125.

Concerned that original cable might be pinched in rudder area. Purchased new backbone cable and ran direct from converter to tee/spur/term plug at MFD. No comm. installed tee/spur/term plug at AIS with direct connect thru new backbone cable to MFD with no comm. Sent MFD to raymarine and port found to be good. On return to boat and install of MFD, during cable swaps, Seatalk data communicated when AIS spur NOT connected to converter. Reconnect with existing and new spur, converter immediately went to 2 long flashes, 4 shorts which is fault in ST-NG comm. Swapped power and AIS comm ports on converter as well as backbone and termination plug with fault immediately on plug in. Tested without Seatalk yellow cable connected with faults for both.

software uploaded to V17 mfd, 2.03 on converter, and 4. something on AIS. Versions of software recorded on windows computer that has virus and not available but latest versions from Raymarine website. ProAIS2 shows all functions in AIS good. 12.3 to 14 vdc over several hours on line. SWR 2.2:1. 10 to 15 vessels shown in area.

Trying to make sure I have not missed something before returning AIS.

Any suggestions? AIS at house, boat 1,000 miles away.

Mike

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome to the Raymarine Forum Mike,

Should
- the vessel be connected to shore power, its batteries be permitted to be fully charged, and the problem then be duplicated while still connected to shore power, and
- plugging the AIS650 into the system result in communications loss within a powered and properly terminated SeaTalkng backbone, and
- the backbone be powered via a SeaTalkng Power Cable, and
- the power insertion spur be located at the approximate midpoint of the backbone's LEN load, and
- should the SeaTalk bus receiving power ONLY from the SeaTalkng backbone (i.e. verify that the red lead of the SeaTalk Cable which is connected to the S3G's SeaTalk port has not been connected to the port's red terminal ... instead it should remain disconnected and should be insulated to prevent shorting.
- should unplugging the AIS650 then restore communications within the backbone

then there would appear to be a problem with

- the SeaTalkng Spur Cable which is interfacing the AIS650 to the SeaTalkng backbone or ... this may be fault isolated by testing the system using different SeaTalkng Spur Cable to interface the AIS650 to the SeaTalkng backbone
- AIS650's SeaTalkng communications circuitry (this would not be reflected in the ProAIS2 application) ... should swapping the SeaTalkng Spur Cable not correct the problem, then the AIS650's SeaTalkng communication circuitry would be deemed to have suffered a failure. Accordingly, it would be recommended that the AIS650 be sent to Raymarine’s Product Repair Center to be bench checked / serviced.

[trishark]

vessel at the dock on shore power, battery voltage 12.4 to 13.1 volts during all tests. two different spur cables where used at AIS with same result. it is possible that the red power from the S3 autopilot is still connected. it worked for a year and a half. The seatalk spur was disconnected close to a dozen times so only the converter power would be on the network. Back bone is one 15ft cable, tee/spur/termination plug at MFD and converter with termination plug/power/seatalk/AIS spur/backbone cable (connections to 5 ports). this is as close to the middle for power injection as I can get.

Will return AIS to Raymarine for bench check.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Mike,

Thanks for the additional troubleshooting information. While it seems clear that the AIS650's SeaTalkng communications circuitry has suffered a failure and should be sent to Raymarine's Product Repair Center, it is also recommended that you verify that the S3 is not supplying power to the SeaTalk bus or a ground loop may result.