Compatible NMEA200 connections and transducers

dlochner · Dec 17, 2019

Navíco has for the most part moved to standard NMEA connectors. They should not be a problem. The Simrad DST800 is the same as the B&G DST800 which is made by Airmar. Navico's ethernet connectors are proprietary.

DougM · Dec 17, 2019

I was able to interface newer Raymarine instrumentation with their proprietary cabling and adapters. Overall, they were ridiculously expensive. I don‘t think any of us like the idea of going through a bunch of adaptation to get perfectly good older instrumentation to talk to the new. I would have preferred a simple way to “plug and play” a B&G chartplotter into the network. Its the manufacturers’ way of tethering one to their products.

HMT2 · Dec 17, 2019

I mixed a Garmin N2K network with Raymarine Seatalk NG auto pilot. Here is a previous post you may find helpful.

Seatalk NG Demystified

I recently installed a Raymarine EV100 Wheel pilot on my 1983 Hunter 31, the original ST 4000 finally gave up the ghost and went to "Iron Mike" heaven. I had an existing N2K network (also called "Devicenet" who knew?) with a wind instrument, Garmin 541s , Simrad RS35, and Ikommunicate on the N2K...

forums.sailboatowners.com

JohnShannon · Dec 17, 2019

Garmin chartplotter plugs right into an Airmar depth transducer and worked right away. Also on the network an EM-Trak AIS system. NMEA 2k is expensive, but you plug it together and it just works which is sorta fantastic.

BarryL · Dec 17, 2019

Hey,

There is a difference between an instrument and a transducer. For example the Raymarine ST50 series of instruments are NMEA 2000 compatible. The transducers are not. Take the older Ramarine wind transducer. It has 6 or so wire connectors. Those wires feed the display instrument and the instrument translates the signal into a NMEA network.

Some newer transducers are NMEA compatible, but the older transducers are not.

Barry

dlochner · Dec 17, 2019

There are 2 issues here, the network protocol and the network connectors.Raymarine SeaTalk ng is a NMEA 2000 protocol but it uses RM connectors which are not standard NMEA 2K connectors. To connect a RM device to a standard N2K network, an adaptor must be used.

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Navico (B&G/Simrad/Lowrance) use standard N2K connectors that come in different sizes, micro, mini, and I think one more bigger size. The pin configuration for at least the micro and mini plugs is the same size and interchangeable. The sizes match cable sizes, mini and micro. Any device, transponder, sensor, etc that uses N2K connectors can easily connect to Navico devices without the use of adaptors. Thus you can connect devices from Airmar, VesperMarine, Maretron, Yacht Design, and other companies can be easily added to the network. Devices from RM require the adaptor. My network has B&G instruments, a Yacht Design data recorder and barometer, and a Vesper Marine AIS all connected without adapters.

Hope this helps clear the air.

Joe · Dec 17, 2019

TimFromLI said:
Thanks Dave, So the Simrad DST800, B&G Wind vane and B&G MFD will all connect with standard connectors on a NMEA2k network. If I get an adapter cable I should be able to connect the Raymarine auto pilot to the network. The autopilot controller is a P70 - I think it should now be able to read the wind and steer to it.

On my B&G/Simrad system the Vulcan chartplotter has an AP controller display. It does not have a Nmea 0183 connection. When I purchased my Simrad tiller pilot from West Marine (on sale of course) the electronics salesman in the store made a call to B&G technical help to verify a Nmea 0183 to Nmea 2000 adapter was all that was needed. Transponders must be N2K compatible to get the full benefit of the system, but there may be similar solutions. So if you take the time to contact B&G regarding your AP options, the transducer question may have a simple answer also. In any event, the cost of an adapter cable solution certainly outweighs that of replacing the transducer unit.

dlochner · Dec 18, 2019

TimFromLI said:
The wind depth and speed transducers are all original to the boat and have I tried various configurations and adapters to convert the signals to NMEA 2000 and have finally given up - they are probably original to the boat (1993) and I'm replacing them. It's my understanding that I won't be able to control the Raymarine P70 AP with the B&G MFD but the AP should be able to pick up the new wind transducer now. I believe the BG Vulcan will only control a BG autopilot.

AP controllers and Radars usually use proprietary protocols so the controller and computer need to be from the same company. The actual drive units may be generic as they are dumb units and just respond to polarity of the current used to drive them. Apply the current in one direction and the drive responds in one direction, reverse the current and the drive goes the other direction.

Early versions of NMEA 0183 may not be compatible with later versions of NMEA 0183. This is true with the B&G Network Series of instruments. When I purchased my 1993 boat (used of course) it had the Network series of instruments, when I was upgrading B&G Tech support said it was unlikely the new stuff would work with the old stuff. An older transducer may not work with a new MFD or display.

Edit: If you need Navico tech support, call them. Don't rely on email tech support. Took them 6 months to respond to one of my questions via email.

Phone support is good.