Seatalkng Power Connection

[mswanicke]

I'm planning the installation of my EV-100 Wheel autopilot. The installation instructions for the Evolution EV-1, (doc #88016-2) page 25 has a note that says...
" The ACU-100 does NOT provide power to SeaTalkng".

However, Section 3.3 page 35 states...
"The SeaTalkng system requires only ONE 12-V power source. This can be provided by...An Evolution ACU, via the SeaTalkng system".

So my question is, do I need a separate power connection to the SeaTalkng network AND a separate power connection to the ACU-100 or can I connect power to only the ACU-100 to power the SeaTalkng network?

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome to the Raymarine Forum mswanicke,

Unlike the ACU-200, ACU-300, and ACU-400, the ACU-100 cannot be used to power a SeaTalkng backbone. When using a ACU-100, a SeaTalkng Power Cable must be interfaced to a switched 12VDC power circuit. The SeaTalkng Power Cable will then be connected to a spur socket within the backbone at the approximate midpoint of the backbone's LEN load.

It is considered a best practice to power a SeaTalkng/NMEA 2000 backbone from a dedicated switched 12VDC power circuit rather than an ACU as,
- the SeaTalkng power output of the ACU-200, ACU-300, and ACU-400 may not be sufficient to supply power to SeaTalkng/NMEA 2000 backbones featuring large numbers of SeaTalkng/NMEA2000 devices. As it is quite common for systems to grow in size, and corresponding SeaTalkng/NMEA 2000 power demand, problems related to insufficient backbone power resulting from system expansion may be avoided by powering the SeaTalkng/NMEA 2000 backbone from a dedicated switched 12VDC power circuit.
- power savings may be obtained by shutting down unneeded equipment while permitting other parts of the system to utilized.
- use of dedicated power circuits may provide a degree of system functionality in the event of a catastrophic failure of one or more system components.

Depending upon the size of the system and one's concept of operation for the system, some systems will more power circuits than others.

Please click here to view a FAQ addressing this subject.

[mswanicke]

My systems consists of E7D, P70 and wheel drive above deck at the helm. EV1,ACU-100, and SeaTalkng just below deck because the pigtails are short. I have a 15ft run to the panel below deck. The power hook ups are to the wheel drive, E7D and SeaTalkng. Should I run one black and one red wire to the panel using 6AWG and connect to a single 20amp breaker? I would install a fuse block to the pigtails before the connection to the 6AWG. I would connect the black wires from the pigtails to a bus bar and run 6AWG to the engine block.
Or, would it be better to run separate wire runs of 10AWG for both red and black back to the panel and fuse block connected to 3 separate toggle switches?

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

mswanicke,

It is recommended that three separate switched circuits be run to power the MFD, SeaTalkng backbone, and autopilot ACU respectively. Use of 10AWG for each of these should products should be more than sufficient given the distance specified. Rather than running separate ground leads back to the panel, you may want to consider installing a single heavy gauge wire between the panel and a busbar installed at the location of the electronics. At that location the grounds from MFD, SeaTalkng backbone, and autopilot ACU may be joined to the single heavy ground wire.

[mswanicke]

Can the single heavy ground wire be run to the engine block (that is the house battery ground), or must it be run to a ground point that goes to battery negative terminal?

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

The negative leads of the power cables and negative power terminals of marine electronics should be connected to the battery's negative terminal.

Please click here to view a FAQ addressing the drain leads/terminals of marine electronics.

[mswanicke]

In sizing my wire runs I am using the following max loads for these devices.

ACU-100 10amps
SeaTalkng 5amps
E7D 7amps.

Assuming my wire run is 15ft for positive, 15ft for negative = 30ft total circuit.
Wire sizes for cable runs would be...

ACU-100 10AWG
SeaTalkng 12AWG
E7D 10AWG
Ground wire 10AWG

Fuse size at the panel for positive cable would be the same as max loads above.

Does this sound correct?

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

mswanicke,

The wire gauges which you have indicated within your last response appear to be quite adequate for the current which will be passed over the distance specified.