I want to change my old st40 to st60. The problem is the old head units have three wires from a ray marine converter box that have round ends with 2 to 3 prongs. I want to use sea talk for the new units. I was told I could still use the original transducer. Do I have to rewire from the transducer or can I cut the wire before or after the control box and convert to sea talk. The other problem is that my chart plotter gets a fix, but cannot find ship. Not sure if the control head from the autopilot is bad or the gps antenna is bad. Please feel free to pass on some ideas. Dutchess.
Changing st40 to st60
- Thread starter Dutchess
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Dutchess....If the Chart plotter is getting a fix, it has in essence "found the ship". That fix is your boat's location. What it sounds like is that it is not displaying a representation of your position. And without knowing the make, model of the chart plotter we really can't help you. You might try entering a google search query like "raymarine XXXX(model number), display position". Should give you a link to owner's manuals, blogs about failure modes, etc.
SeaTalk is SeaTalk. it is a three wire deal in all cases. power, ground and signal. If the transducer is Raymarine then you don't need a converter box. Just wire it like the new control head indicates. Since you have a ST40 AND a converter box between it and the transducer, I'm thinking you need the converter box for some reason like it is not a raymarine transducer.
With all that said you should be able to take the wires from the converter box and attach (they plug in with spade terminals) them to the ST60 and be done.
The transducer does not communicate in the SeaTalk protocal. Each transducer connects to a control head which processes the signal and then displays it and transmits it to the SeaTalk wires. Another way of saying this is there are three seatalk wires in a quick connect plug that you daisy chain together the heads with and there are wires from each control head to it's transducer.
The SeaTalk(NG) uses the same protocol but different (still 3 wires) wiring plugs BTW so don't be afraid to upgrade beyond the 60 series
With all that said you should be able to take the wires from the converter box and attach (they plug in with spade terminals) them to the ST60 and be done.
The transducer does not communicate in the SeaTalk protocal. Each transducer connects to a control head which processes the signal and then displays it and transmits it to the SeaTalk wires. Another way of saying this is there are three seatalk wires in a quick connect plug that you daisy chain together the heads with and there are wires from each control head to it's transducer.
The SeaTalk(NG) uses the same protocol but different (still 3 wires) wiring plugs BTW so don't be afraid to upgrade beyond the 60 series
Bill's advice is good. You can also go to Raymarine's forum for answers but Bill's is pretty straight forward. I would too recommend if you are upgrading to go to newer units if possible. The deal may be the newer units won't be able to use the signal from the old transducer. Again, Raymarine can help with that as well.
Bill will each wire splice to the 3 wires from seatalk. Do I still need that box before the splice. Can I run a new wire from the transducer straight to the new depth st60. The current connection has 3 round connectors. As for the chart plotter. It is a c80 I have had for a few years. I'm pretty familiar with the unit. Could the old st 4000 auto helm be band. I bought the c70 to replace it as well. Yes it is seatalk nt and I have the converter box for nt and basic seatalk
SeaTalk to Seatalk(NG) is just a cable converter. The sentences are the same and the format is the same. No "data conversion" is needed. Just the plugs are different. You can order the cable from Raymarine
Now I'm confused. lets get some terms defined so we can talk.
transducer connects by dedicated wires to the control head. No converter is needed between them (think this is where I got confused). It should just be pull the ST40 and replace with ST60. So yes you should be able to just wire the transducer to the control head directly. But those wires are not seatalk protocal. they should be male spade connectors on the control head.
The seatalk connection on ST60 is a half moon connector with three wires. They are not in any way connected to the transducer to control head wires. There are two seatalk ports on the ST60 so you can daisy chain the control heads. Ray has a seatalk to seatalk(NG) cable. they have diagrams in their manuals that show the connection between the two "systems" with just a special cable that has seatalk plug on one end and seatalk(NG) on the other. I suspect that since NG has a MUCH higher data rate that there is some impedance matching going on in the cable so each plays well with the other. I'd not recommend trying to splice the two together. Your mileage may vary.
Now I'm confused. lets get some terms defined so we can talk.
transducer connects by dedicated wires to the control head. No converter is needed between them (think this is where I got confused). It should just be pull the ST40 and replace with ST60. So yes you should be able to just wire the transducer to the control head directly. But those wires are not seatalk protocal. they should be male spade connectors on the control head.
The seatalk connection on ST60 is a half moon connector with three wires. They are not in any way connected to the transducer to control head wires. There are two seatalk ports on the ST60 so you can daisy chain the control heads. Ray has a seatalk to seatalk(NG) cable. they have diagrams in their manuals that show the connection between the two "systems" with just a special cable that has seatalk plug on one end and seatalk(NG) on the other. I suspect that since NG has a MUCH higher data rate that there is some impedance matching going on in the cable so each plays well with the other. I'd not recommend trying to splice the two together. Your mileage may vary.
@Bill
I don't want to start a network battle here but you can not connect a seatalk network to a seatalking network with just a cable.
SeaTalking has 5 wires and Seatalk has 3 and the protcols are completely different. Raymarine has the Converter http://www.raymarine.com/view/?id=1597. This converter has electronics in it. This allows for the data conversion . If you connect the cable only without the converter you'll let the magic smoke out
.
I don't want to start a network battle here but you can not connect a seatalk network to a seatalking network with just a cable.
SeaTalking has 5 wires and Seatalk has 3 and the protcols are completely different. Raymarine has the Converter http://www.raymarine.com/view/?id=1597. This converter has electronics in it. This allows for the data conversion . If you connect the cable only without the converter you'll let the magic smoke out
.
The ST70 and newer series have the converter internal to the head. So you can attach either SeaTalk1, Seatalk2 (plugs are the only difference) or SeaTalk NG and it will act as a converter box. just need the special cable.
Pays to read the manuals BEFORE you buy.
Pays to read the manuals BEFORE you buy.
Please allow me to contribute
I have a lot of experience with this
Firstly, the converter box.
I think you have a Seatalk to nmea converter unit. It's the only converter I know of that fits the time frame of your instruments.
Next
Careful... If you use an older ST 40 knotmeter xducer with st60, it won't work. The older xducers didn't have a temp sensor, and the st60 uses this for self test.
Seatalk is Seatalk. You get Seatalk on the yellow wire of the 3 pin half moon connector on all st60 instruments
So, your xducer wires into the knotmeter directly, and the st6o outputs Seatalk on the cable yellow lead.
Your plotter should read this just fine.
If your plotter is getting a fix, and reading lat long, you should have ""find ship", unless there is a problem with your chart chip. Look on the screen, and see if you see high detail of the chart area.
Next,,, the cable that supposedly converts Seatalk to STng doesn't. For conversion, you need the Raymarine st to STng converter. It is the only reliable way to talk between Seatalk and NG.
I am going to suggest not going with St60, but go with the new Raymarine I series. I switched my st60+ all over to I70 last summer.
Just amazing. Of course this depends if you are planning on keeping the boat for awhile.
Good luck
Hi guys...
I have a lot of experience with this
Firstly, the converter box.
I think you have a Seatalk to nmea converter unit. It's the only converter I know of that fits the time frame of your instruments.
Next
Careful... If you use an older ST 40 knotmeter xducer with st60, it won't work. The older xducers didn't have a temp sensor, and the st60 uses this for self test.
Seatalk is Seatalk. You get Seatalk on the yellow wire of the 3 pin half moon connector on all st60 instruments
So, your xducer wires into the knotmeter directly, and the st6o outputs Seatalk on the cable yellow lead.
Your plotter should read this just fine.
If your plotter is getting a fix, and reading lat long, you should have ""find ship", unless there is a problem with your chart chip. Look on the screen, and see if you see high detail of the chart area.
Next,,, the cable that supposedly converts Seatalk to STng doesn't. For conversion, you need the Raymarine st to STng converter. It is the only reliable way to talk between Seatalk and NG.
I am going to suggest not going with St60, but go with the new Raymarine I series. I switched my st60+ all over to I70 last summer.
Just amazing. Of course this depends if you are planning on keeping the boat for awhile.
Good luck
never said the CABLE converts the data. The cable connects the boxes so the ST70+ or similar can do the conversion internally. ie the converter is part of the head. You just need the cable to do connect the physically different ports.
This is documented in most of the manuals.
try this for starters:
http://www.raymarine.com/view/?id=264
about 1/2 down the list
This is documented in most of the manuals.
try this for starters:
http://www.raymarine.com/view/?id=264
about 1/2 down the list
page 12 upper left hand corner
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...OFO-8jESf-l6W1zOMgafzbA&bvm=bv.48572450,d.dmg
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...OFO-8jESf-l6W1zOMgafzbA&bvm=bv.48572450,d.dmg
I just upgraded my ST 50 to the i50 instruments. WHile I got new transducers I am currently using the old ones which were plugged into the old instrument. I cut the transducers wires but on the cute little raymarine spade terminals and hooked up the instruments. I plugged in a seatalk to seatalkng cable from my St6002 autopilot control head to the first instrument and them the seatalkng to seatalkng cables to the other instruments and everything seems to work. Power comes from the autopilot course computer. If I could do it it was easy
Yes & no
The conversion provided by the instrument is one way only,
In other words, it is not Bi-directional. Let me give you an example of what the cable will & won't do.
Assume you have a st7o or i70 head. As it is being fed with STng, it will have all instrument data on it.
Now, if to take the adapter cable, and plug it into, (as example), a st60 analog wind guage, the wind guage will work.
But, you cannot feed back any data from the wind guage into the NG network, such as calibration, lighting, etc.
So, the cable is a one way link.
On the other hand, the st to NG converter will allow bi directional data.
Here is an example.
Lets say you have a st60 depth sounder attached to its own transducer.
By connecting the st wire from the depth sounder into the converter, you will now have depth on the NG network.
The Raymarine documentation does not make it abundantly clear that the data flow is unidirectional using the adapter cable, but I can assure you that is the case.
Bill,
The conversion provided by the instrument is one way only,
In other words, it is not Bi-directional. Let me give you an example of what the cable will & won't do.
Assume you have a st7o or i70 head. As it is being fed with STng, it will have all instrument data on it.
Now, if to take the adapter cable, and plug it into, (as example), a st60 analog wind guage, the wind guage will work.
But, you cannot feed back any data from the wind guage into the NG network, such as calibration, lighting, etc.
So, the cable is a one way link.
On the other hand, the st to NG converter will allow bi directional data.
Here is an example.
Lets say you have a st60 depth sounder attached to its own transducer.
By connecting the st wire from the depth sounder into the converter, you will now have depth on the NG network.
The Raymarine documentation does not make it abundantly clear that the data flow is unidirectional using the adapter cable, but I can assure you that is the case.
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