B&G Zeus2 question

[Sefuller]

I just replaced my B&G Network Quad with a Zeus2. I can't tell for sure from the supplied documentation if I can use the old transducers with the new MFD. I emailed B&G Support on Monday and while they have since sent me two emails advertising their other products, they have not responded to my question. I understand I will need a network backbone with drops to each transducer but I'm trying to find out if the Zeus will interpret the information from the existing transducers, which I assume is nmea 0183. There is some mention in the manual about nmea 0183 and the video port on the Zeus, but it's not clear if it will take input in this format or just output through the port.

 

[dlochner]

Assuming that the Network Quad you have is the same as my Network System, here's the response I received from B&G last year:

Dave,

The Network system only transmits 0183 data in Version 1.5 and the Zeus2 system only plays well with version 2.0. The correct baud rate is 4800 but some functions may not communicate well. Unfortunate do to the age of the network system we do not test it with the new equipment. It us worth trying as some customer have had good luck but if you do want to better your chances of full two way communication there is a company in England called Tinley that makes an NMEA 0183 version converter that can bring it to a version of 2.0 or higher.

If the Zeus2 is receiving 0183 data it will bridge it to NMEA 2000. The only thing it will not bridge is AIS information.

Thank you for choosing Navico products!

Sincerely,

John

Navico Technical Support

 

[Maine Sail]

Most older transducers were not network capable and usually neither NMEA 0183 nor NMEA 2000. Without the Quad, that could convert the transducers to 0183, it may be tough.

Without knowing the specific transducers (Airmar, Radarsonics etc.) and the ages it is impossible to really even take a stab.

Your Zeus2 is NMEA 2000 and also has NMEA 0183 via the video port cable. Raymarine makes a product called the ITC5 that converts older ST-60 transducers to STng/NMEA2000 but it usually does not work across brands for things other than depth and occasionally speed & temp.. The Actisense DST can also work with some existing transducers for depth speed and temp but not wind etc...

 

[Sefuller]

Thank you for the replies!

The depth transducer is a B&G and I can find no information as to what language it outputs. Here is what it says on the tag:
170kHZ
05/01
SEN-DEPTH-N
31-197-4-01 Rev 2

Speed/temp is an Airmar ST850 SEN-SPD-HP, which actually may be nmea2000.

If in fact the speed transducer is nmea2000, I assume I plug that into a network backbone connected to the nmea2000 port on the Zeus. Rather than try to connect the depth with a separate cable to the video port, I should probably just purchase a new depth transducer that is nmea2000 compliant?

 

[pfaffk]

Last year I bought a B&G Zeus T7. I knew it was one of their old models but at $400, I couldn't pass it up. This year I installed a Nema2000 network to connect my old Ray Marine Seatalk 1 instruments. To do this I had to buy a Ray Marine converter to take Seatalk 1 to Seatalk NG which can then connect to Nema2000. With this configuration my B&G can see some of my old instruments and display the data, but I had to play with the Zeus a lot, as the manuals are terrible. Just this week I got the Ray Marine ST60 Depth and Speed data to be displayed, but it took hours to find the correct menus and settings on the Zeus

 

[Sefuller]

Well, I ended up purchasing a new Airmar DST800 triducer, as well as a Triton T41 display. I spent the afternoon today trying to get everything situated the way I'd like but as you noted, the documentation is woefully lacking. I have a masthead unit on order, but that may end up being a winter project.

 

[chuckwayne]

I did much the same conversion this winter and it was a snap. I've also found Navico tech support to be extremely helpful. It's critical that you have a proper layout for you NMEA2000 bus, with proper power, terminations, and drops. The T41 is designed to daisy chain into your backbone chain, not on a drop.
Assuming you have a B&G wind on order, that becomes the last part of your backbone and has the terminator built in.