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Have installed Nexus wireless on two boats, both racing a lot, Working well.

 

Also Nexus has a TRIDUCER = log + depth + temp all in one Airmar DST800 unit.

 

Another benefit is that the log skin fitting has an excellent flapper valve that reduces the 2" 50mm water bore to a mere trickle, so little I would be happy to go aft to the transom & back before putting in the transducer or blanking plug, and then sponge the bilge. All that trickling water effect you know :shh:

 

Make sure you follow the NZ agents' advice and mount the wireless Wind Sensor Interface (WSI) forward so that the signal is not obstructed by spinnaker poles stowed on deck. (Installation book is not optimal (wrong!).

 

Also charge up the wind sensor battery for 2 days BEFORE linking to instruments and BEFORE fitting on masthead. 2 days on the back ledge of the car allowed the solar cell to charge the battery nicely.

 

See www.nexusmarine.se & download english manuals.

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I have a 40 ft cursing sailboat in the usa and have nexus instruments and the wind transducer both wired and wireless has given me lots of troubles and the customer service has been horrible. don't buy unless you are somewhere else than the usa

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You could do that with the Furuno LS4100 or 6100 and a nmea wind speed and direction ducer from Nasa marine and a transducer. A lot cheaper but need to run wires.

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Like PaulR, I have gone to Nexus and am happy with the move.

 

I installed it myself, as someone with only basic skills, and it worked straight out of the box. The overall impression is that it has benefited from someone starting from a clean slate and eliminating many of the niggles that are found in other packages.

 

Not so great to read the other post about customer service in the US but here in NZ I was well looked after by Kiwi Yachting and it is a plus when you are dealing with someone who is sailing and using the gear every weekend. PM Gappy on this site - or wait for him to emerge in this thread, he can't be that far away. At the time I bought, they were doing an "amnesty" with a discount if you traded in old Navman instruments - it was the only time I ever felt fortunate to have that stuff. :lol:

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We have gone the Nexus route and the Wireless windgear is just awesome.

 

We got really first class service from Gappy at Kiwi Yachting.

 

Our application is made extra difficult as we have a rotating and canting rig but Nexus have come up with a really brilliant solution.

 

We are still having troubles with condensation in the displays but other than that its great gear.

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I have a 40 ft cursing sailboat in the usa and have nexus instruments and the wind transducer both wired and wireless has given me lots of troubles and the customer service has been horrible. don't buy unless you are somewhere else than the usa

 

What sort of problems???

 

Wireless: Have you installed the receiver as per the book?

If yes then that is wrong. You need to install the deckhead receiver in the forward part of the yacht, ideally directly under the masthead transmitting sensor, preferably where the spinnaker pole does not come between the masthead wind sensor and the receiver and blocks or distorts the signal.

 

The aerial is in the bottom of the WSI receiver, so this needs to be mounted "UPSIDE DOWN" i.e. with the last "top" cover in a 'rain catching' position. I placed mine temporarily with gaffa tape, then tested the RSI strength indicator with the spinnaker poles up and stored until we found the "best" reception position. The RSI strength needs to be over "30".

 

Did you test run the masthead unit and instruments before installing?

 

The masthead unit battery needs a couple of days in the sun (under the back window of the car) to become fully charged BEFORE test running to initalise all the instruments, this being well BEFORE installing anywhere near the mast!!

 

The wind sensor needs to be ROTATING before data is transmitted, so in absolute calm, NO data is transmitted.

 

It may pay you to bring the masthead sensor down and have close above the WSI receiver so RSI signal strength is well over 60, possibly 80 or 90 and then re-initalize all the instruments, ONE INSTRUMENT AT A TIME.

 

Do all the basics: clean all electrical contacts or replace. You may need to clean the display pins if there is any salt there.

 

Have you put the little "bootlace" terminals over the wires, then screwed into the connector blocks, then covered in the supplied silicon grease BEFORE finally attaching wiring to displays??

 

Are there any breaks in the wiring? if so, replace wiring with unbroken length to minimise faults.

 

Is battery voltage good?

 

These are only a few items.

 

I would suggest you email Peter Woolf of :thumbup:

KIWI YACHTING CONSULTANTS LTD

Web: www.kiwiyachting.co.nz

Woolfy@kiwiyachting.co.nz

 

What woolfy does not know is not worth anything.

 

:silent: Don't say you have been talking to me, otherwise it will cost me buying him a drink!!

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On the east coast of the USA I replaced my classic single vane nexus wind transducer with the new wireless. I was told that it was the way to go but I needed to replace my server and depth also with the new system. I found that to be a lie but that was the dealer and not nexus. Then when I installed it I could not get it to pair with the wsi box sitting right along side of it. I found that the instructions were wrong, in fact a lot of the book was wrong. After a month of dealing with the rep from Annapolis Maryland I gave up and another rep gave me new instructions. Long story short they were wrong also but I kept inserting different combinations and finally it paired. I set the wsi box in a good place right under the deck by the mast and it worked great for about two months and then it quick completely. I found, when I took it down from the mast, that if I tapped it, it would work. Something came lose inside the battery was fine and charged. I was told they would replace it and to go back to the wired transducer. It took me three months for them to honor their warranty and I got a big run around. So I have had many problems over the years with their technical services both on the old wind transducer the and new one. I had trouble getting a replacement and getting proper information and I got a rep who was not trained and sold me stuff that was unnecessary. I think Nexus probably has good equipment for the most part but they need better technical services and customer service in the USA.

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Have you e-mailed Woolfy and / or Blair of Kiwi Yaching directly :?: :?: :?:

 

They can both help you more than I can.

 

:idea: Sail down here, summer's comming and they can get onboard with you.

 

:idea: Bring lots of RUM and we will ALL help you out.

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I've heard of local Auckland boats experiencing problems with wireless instruments whilst sailing in the harbour, thought to be due to the 'noisy' electrical environment. They start working OK again once clear of the city.

 

I attended L&B's recent presentation of the latest Raymarine lineup a few days ago and I can confirm there are some sexy-ish new gadgets on the way. Which you'll like if you get exicted by the thought of being able to set a course of waypoints on your iPhone at the breakfast table then having them all synchronise automatically with the boat's systems as you step aboard. Oh and also you'll be excited if you are looking for digital fishfinder that has enough resolution to tell the difference between a male or femal cray on the seabed. OK, so I'm exaggerating about that one, but you get the point.

 

However, if you are less impressed by colourful screens and wireless digtail gadgety and are just looking for more reliability so your units last more than 2 years and you hope to avoid major $$$s on boatbuilders fees every time you need to swap out one proprietary transducer for another one, then like me you'll be disappointed. I find the whole convergence of the marine instrument makers depressing, you have so little choice now there are really one two major players out there plus some also-rans.

 

I'm still confused about what to switch to, to ensure maximum reliability for telling me speed/depth/wind/position, which is my #1 priority ahead of other wizzadry. The nice L&B/Raymarine guys had no answer to this question, btw.

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Watch the Asian made self-branded gear start taking the legs out from the big names ..... or the big company with all the big names.

 

Also as most is made there anyway does a brand name really count for anything much these days bar an inflated price?

 

I was going to add 'in some categories of products' thinking chain is one where a name is a good thing but then there is a pile of PWB chain drifting around NZ currently that is branded PWB but it isn't made by PWB. Understandably the Aussies (PWB is a Aussie) aren't at all happy but it looks like they can't do squat about it. That's a bummer as PWB is very good stuff, or at least the real stuff is. The knock-off is stamped exactly like PWB do theirs and the dodgy buggers website is a copy, word for word, of PWB's. Dodgy plus.

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Watch the Asian made self-branded gear start taking the legs out from the big names ..... .

 

Already happening. I just bought a 20amp, twin battery bank solar regulator ex China that was exactly the same, except for the logo, as a "brand name" unit in NZ. The specs were identical.

 

China unit was NZ$60

NZ unit was NZ$350

 

What alot of people dont realise is the big brand names are often simply rebranding chinese gear that is commonly available through places like ebay.

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Errr..... I wouldn't rely on many specs out of that country. We have been testing chains available in NZ, knot one of the chinese ones meets the Specs they say it is. Some close and in parts spot on but as yet knot one has met all the required conditions to be called what they are. And there are one or 2 outfits calling some a Spec when they are very obviously a completely differing one.

 

As my post above suggests, while it may look like a chicken and the numbers say it's a chicken, a lot still isn't a chicken or at least knot the chicken you think it is.

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For simplicity, interoperability and reliability:

 

NMEA2000 sensors: eg: Airmar DTS800 (triducer - depth speed and water temp), Airmar PB200 (wind speed and direction, compass, gps, pitch and roll, barometer and air temp)

multifunction display: eg: Garmin GM10, Furuno RD33, Maretron or similar.

 

This is basically the setup going into drums of time as she gets put back together. I can let you know how it goes.

 

My intention when I have time is to build my own segmented LED display (red LED numbers displaying a limited selection of the most important data for night sailing).

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Aileys you are correct about some wireless systems having problems in the harbour it is one brand that we used to do and the problem is that the specified frequency that is approved for is interfered by the sky tower broadcasting that same frequency as we later found out.

 

We haven't had any problems with regards to frequency on the nexus we had an early bad batch of batteries but thats about it as Paul R eluded to make sure it is charged before you put it up and they go fine we actually charge units in sunlight before they leave the warehouse now to cover that.

 

Paul R I tried to contact the guy both in here and by PM but he has obviously decided he just wanted to have a rant and doesn't want helping we are here to help if he wants it and been actual owners of Nexus we have a vested interest world wide on the service side.

 

Km that would be the chain that people keep ring up to say it doesn;t work in their windlasses stuff I have seen measures anywhere between 2mm under length and 2mm over in pitch.

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Gappy, there are several issues we find with the Chinese chain and KM will have greater knowledge tyhan me because he deals with the Customers, (they keep me away from the Humans) but what I find in the testing side, is that the Chinese chain changes shape very early on in loading. For ionstance, one chain I tested recently, had a supposed max working load of around (can't remember the figures exactly off top of head) ~1000Kg. It did very well at holding together till it broke up around ~2500Kg. But the chain had started to elongate at only 500Kg. Infact at not much over 500Kg, it was no longer able to fit around it's recommended Gypsy without causing significant wear or slipping/jamming on a Gypsy. It continued to stretch all the way to ~1900Kg where the loadcell registered no more increase while the chain just continued to stretch significantly. Then it increased again till it reached ~2400kg where it went through another significant stretch period with no increase in figures, then it slowly raised and then failed. A good failure figure and you could say that you would be safe in the case of a big blow. But the chain will never be retreavable afterwards, because it will nolonger go around the gypsy. What eve end up seeing in normal everyday use is that Customers complain that their winch is no good because their Gypsy has worn out far quicker than they expected it too and blame the manufacturer for a poor winch.

So to sum that up, as KM has said, it meets the figures it stated, but they left out certain figures. People ask what it the breaking load of a chain, or the safe working load and the Chinese chain state and do in fact meet those specs. But what don't tell ya is that the chain will be stretch beyond use at a figure way below the published specs.

Another area we often see is the Galv. The Chinese tend to have a nice smpoopth Galv. But that means very little as to the Quality of the Galv. Infact, the smooth Galve can often mean it has been applied very lightly. Thick Glav often looks a little ruffer. That all comes down to two factors. The temperature of the Galv Bath, which determines how "liquid" the Galv is, the Chemistry of the Galv used, which determins how "viscous", "Hardness" and zinc content the Galv is/has and the time the Metal has been in the Bath for, which determins how hot the metal being coated becomes, which affects the stength properties of the metal by annealing and the biuld up Galv. It is a real art to get the time right to allow a good clean attachment and a good runoff of excess after it is raised back up clear of the bath adn yet still maintain a good thickness. The quantity of Zinc determins the "Softness" of the Galv coating and the ability to "migrate" and self heal. Adding aluminium, which Chinese chains seem to have a lot of, makes a hard brittle coating which gives a smooth brighter finish, but will flake off easier, have little self healing ability and will corrode far sooner.

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Km that would be the chain that people keep ring up to say it doesn;t work in their windlasses stuff I have seen measures anywhere between 2mm under length and 2mm over in pitch.
Quite possible, it sure wasn't calibrated at all well, if any happened at all. But that's knot the only one, all the chinese in NZ has issues, none meet the spec it's being sold as, isn't what most think it is and it's being sold with massive burglar margins.

 

Speaking electriconics shite, I've decided I have to replace my gear so it all talks to each other better. Anyone doing old school stuff that doesn't involve freaky deaky words like 'server' and 'black box'? My programme of going away from anything electronics like that has more than one button, anything with the word 'multi' in it and has magic black boxes is proving to be a massive fiddling time saver and we getting a shite load more uptime. Too many outfits putting in to much wank into their gear 'just because they can'. Wank causes issues and crashes.

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