Finally completed installation of the new chartplotter and radar with AIS feed. This turned out to be a major task requiring a series of steps and upgrades and interfaces.
It all started when my old generation (2006 technology) C70 chartplotter died in 2015. It was going to be 500$ to repair my nearly 10yr old chartplotter. Meanwhile, Raymarine was offering a great deal on a new Es75 digital chartplotter - under 900$ for a normally 1500$ unit. So that's an easy decision, one would think. Except, it turns out you have to buy a new radar transmitter to be compatible with the new chartplotter. But they were offering another great deal - again, less than 900$ for a normal 1500$ radar. So, 1700$ for 3000$ worth of equipment. But, the new equipment runs on SeaTalkNG ethernet rather than the old proprietary SeaTalk1 databus. So, you have to buy a ST NG to ST1 converter (shown on right in photo above) for another 100$. Also, the new radar requires a dedicated power line rather than simple single cable to the chartplotter (shown in center above). And you need a special interface cable for the AIS feed to the new chartplotter (shown on left). The Raymarine folks felt sorry for me at this point and provided me this cable (35$) as a gift.
Then you need a new circuit breaker for the radar power line and I dont have any spare spots so I had to reassign some breakers and move accessory equipment over to another breaker to use that one for the radar. Fortunately, it turned out I could accomplish that task with minimal disruption to my instrument panel. It looks like a lot of spaghetti, but there is a logic to all this wiring and it only took 1 day in 100degree heat factor weather to make these changes. Another day to run the power wire from here to the helm station and, another day to run the radar cable from the transmitter unit down to the helm.
Another day to make all the connections and troubleshoot (the radar cable plug to chartplotter was not seated properly, AIS wire connections came apart when pulling radar cable through helm, and autopilot ST1 connection came off during all the wire pulling. All working today. One final day to secure all the cabling in place now that all is successfully operating.
So I now have a fully functional new chartplotter, radar and AIS feed with the only problem being that my engine alternator interferes (turns the screen off for 10-15 seconds) with the chartplotter when the alternator is ramping up charging current from idle speed. Raymarine says a power stabilizer might fix that (another 140$).
***Post seatrial report: I installed an interVolt power stabilizer ($118 on Amazon) which resolved the interference issue. All working properly now.
It all started when my old generation (2006 technology) C70 chartplotter died in 2015. It was going to be 500$ to repair my nearly 10yr old chartplotter. Meanwhile, Raymarine was offering a great deal on a new Es75 digital chartplotter - under 900$ for a normally 1500$ unit. So that's an easy decision, one would think. Except, it turns out you have to buy a new radar transmitter to be compatible with the new chartplotter. But they were offering another great deal - again, less than 900$ for a normal 1500$ radar. So, 1700$ for 3000$ worth of equipment. But, the new equipment runs on SeaTalkNG ethernet rather than the old proprietary SeaTalk1 databus. So, you have to buy a ST NG to ST1 converter (shown on right in photo above) for another 100$. Also, the new radar requires a dedicated power line rather than simple single cable to the chartplotter (shown in center above). And you need a special interface cable for the AIS feed to the new chartplotter (shown on left). The Raymarine folks felt sorry for me at this point and provided me this cable (35$) as a gift.
Then you need a new circuit breaker for the radar power line and I dont have any spare spots so I had to reassign some breakers and move accessory equipment over to another breaker to use that one for the radar. Fortunately, it turned out I could accomplish that task with minimal disruption to my instrument panel. It looks like a lot of spaghetti, but there is a logic to all this wiring and it only took 1 day in 100degree heat factor weather to make these changes. Another day to run the power wire from here to the helm station and, another day to run the radar cable from the transmitter unit down to the helm.
Another day to make all the connections and troubleshoot (the radar cable plug to chartplotter was not seated properly, AIS wire connections came apart when pulling radar cable through helm, and autopilot ST1 connection came off during all the wire pulling. All working today. One final day to secure all the cabling in place now that all is successfully operating.
So I now have a fully functional new chartplotter, radar and AIS feed with the only problem being that my engine alternator interferes (turns the screen off for 10-15 seconds) with the chartplotter when the alternator is ramping up charging current from idle speed. Raymarine says a power stabilizer might fix that (another 140$).
***Post seatrial report: I installed an interVolt power stabilizer ($118 on Amazon) which resolved the interference issue. All working properly now.
