Ray Jefferson Wind Speed and Direction Indicators

[Squidd]

I had this in Parts Search Forum, But am bringing it up front cause I found my part, but now I need to mount it...

I have a set of Ray Jefferson gauges in my boat...The Knotmeter and the NM log both work (sending and display) and I have no reason to believe the wind speed indicator WD60 and the wind direction indicator WD30 shouldn't work as well...


But I do not have the mast top sending units and cable(s)...


Anyone have a WS and Direction mast top unit they would part with...?


Or anyone familiar with these units, can I mate them to another brand sending unit...?


Cable looks to be phone line or Cat5... easy enough to replace, indicators have "open lugs" exposed on back so minimal hookup required..

Buddy of mine (actually new sailor buddy/met on forum) stopped by to look at my boat...


I mentioned the gauges and looking for a sending unit...He says he "might" have something..!!


Stopped by today with this,

looks correct, has correct number of wires..Just need to run some "jumpers" to the gauges to see if they communicate...


Wish me luck...

Question 1....Is this the right way or is it up side down..? (don't laugh)


Question 2 is "Where do I put it"...? Top of the mast sticking out the side/ front/back/...?

I have a Davis wind vane, VHF antenna and anchor light at top of mast now...so this would have to stick out to the side to clear. He was thinking maybe off the spreaders...? but where to clear the sails...


Anyone have a pic or recollection of how and where it should be mounted...??

After further examination, thinking it might go on mast top facing forward...

Thinking the as yet "unidentified" bracket with angled rod may have something to do with it...at least it seams to have the same angle as the tube on the wind vane/anemometer...


Thoughts...?

 

[woodster]

looks to me like you have answered your own question......

regards

woody

 

[Squidd]

I hope so, But was looking for some "oldtimers" that might be familiar to confirm...

Cause the next questions are "how does it work"? "which wire goes where"? and what kind of resistance, voltage, continuity should I be looking for to calibrate..?

 

[Joe]

I hope so, But was looking for some "oldtimers" that might be familiar to confirm...

Cause the next questions are "how does it work"? "which wire goes where"? and what kind of resistance, voltage, continuity should I be looking for to calibrate..?

a simple google search should give you that information.

 

[Squidd]

Top 5 results are our posts and then they go off in never land...

 

[Squidd]

At least I get 5 good results now...before it was like... "Ray Who..??"..."Thomas Jeffersons brother Ray ?" ..."never heard of him.."

LOL

 

[Scott T-Bird]

Facing forward ...

Your photo shows the mounting bracket facing forward. I think this is the way purists would do it because the air is cleaner, with less turbulence. The original wind instrument on my boat was mounted facing aft so when I replaced mine I did the same thing. I can see it from the cockpit much more easily, not that I have to crane my neck to look at it veryoften - that's the purpose of having this wonderful instrument ... you don't have to kink your neck all day while sailing! The photo seems to flatten it out some, but even facing aft, I think mine is high enough for clear air.

There is a calibration feature on the instrument panel that you have to adjust depending on the angle you mount the arm. Mine is reversed 180 d obviously. It can even be mounted off to the side if I wanted, I just have to calibrate the angle properly.

You will have to figure the wiring out on your own. Without an instruction manual, good luck. This is where I normally punt and just by a whole new instrument.

 

[Squidd]

Cool thanks, Looks like I'll have to cut the tube to make it fit the pin, and I see you have the vane on top the cups so that confirms my layout and works with the angle on the mast mount..

I'm thinking I'll prefer the front mount, for the instruments, cause I can read the gauges...But still keep the "Davis windvane" with backmarkers to look up at and keep out of irons...

I looked closer at back of gauges and there is only two wire lugs on one and three on the other (and a two wire and a three wire on the head unit) so not too many layout options to try ...This may work yet...

 

[caguy]

Mine were mounted facing forward. They no longer work. The gages all had water in them and the rheostat in the directional sender was no working consistently either. I can not see it when the main is up. I plan on moving it to the back and just use it as a simple windex. I cut the wires to the gauge and will take a look at them to see what color goes where, provided I haven't tossed it yet. Mine looks exactly like yours but it is an SR Mariner. They sent me the diagrams but only God and the cleaning lady know where they might be. If I ask Him I get nothing if I ask the cleaning lady all I get is "¿Qué?".

 

[Squidd]

Thanks...My gauges are in good shape, clean readable dials and the "backlights" even work...

Just gotta get out there and run some jumpers and hope I can get some action out of the needles..

 

[Squidd]

Success !!


Both gauges work only took three or four attempts at different wire combos to get it to show 180 and 90 each way on the direction finder and I found I can blow a good 20 knots wind speed with lung power...


Now just need to wire the mast to connector and back to gauges...


Cool...I like running old stuff...

Thanks everyone for help and support...

 

[Squidd]

One more question... On the gauge it has 30* to 30* with a 180* on the bottom....

When I calibrate/set direction, I assume the 180 is a direct "tail wind" and the bare space between the 30*s is my "dead air" /irons coming from up front...?

Or is it the other way round and I never read an "apparent" tail wind...?

(I'm going for the former)..

 

[kloudie1]

Yes, 180 is directly from the rear.. The scales from 30 to 90 are usually expanded to give better resolution

 

[Wayne Steinhour]

Last year I bought an old O'Day 23 with Ray Jefferson wind instruments like the ones described here. No sensors at the top of the mast. Does anyone know where I might find a mast top unit? As an alternative, where can I find out what kinds of input these gauges take? Would a modern anemometer with a reed switch output work for the speed gauge, or is it expecting to be hooked up to a voltage output?

 

[Squidd]

It appears to be variable voltage output from the anemometer... like a little generator that varies the voltage with the speed of rotation.