Depth instrument

[fiestaMojo]

My boat (bought this past spring) has depth and speed transducers installed in the hull, but no dedicated instruments they are tied into; they look to be connected to an Autohelm wheel pilot unit, which is not connected to the wheel. My question is two-part:
could these transducers be connected to the wheel pilot "head" unit and provide displays?
If not, can I install any depth instrument to connect to the existing transducer, or do they need to be matched"?

 

[rardiH36]

FiestaMojo:

Sorry this isn't an answer, but might help you get to one.

As a first suggestion, probably you will get a better result by posting on the "Ask All Sailors" forum. By your description, certainly your hardware is not an original factory system specific to Cherubini Hunters. You will get a much larger pool of expertise (and characters) on Ask All Sailors.

Secondly, give more information if possible about the manufacturer's name/markings on both the senders and head unit. Also with this information, you can try to find out if the manufacturer still maintains a "legacy" webpage that might have the original owner's and installation manuals. Also a google search might reveal an enthusiast that has pdf'd the manual or other info on the web.

If you have an auto-pilot head unit, is there a reason why it doesn't connect to the wheel drive apparatus?

 

[fiestaMojo]

Thanks. I actually did post on Ask All Sailors, but got impatient waiting for a response (is this bad etiquette?) The autopilot is an Autohelm 4000+, and I have no idea why there is no wheel drive app. (there is a compass unit mounted in the galley cabinet @ almost centerline). I will try to get info from the depth transducer. Thanks for the reply. . .

 

[rardiH36]

FiestaMojo:

I've got an ST4000. My boat has older (and probably the 1980 original) Datamarine depth and speed sensors and displays. Certainly they are not compatable with the auto pilot and I haven't even attempted. My recollection from the autopilot manual is lots of info about connecting it to a GPS, and references to wind instruments that supports the MNEA convention and also a speed sensor that is SEATALK compatable.

http://www.raymarine.com/Default.aspx?site=1&section=3&page=657

This link should get you the Raymarine page for the ST4000. You can browse around for another manual if you think you have a newer version.

regards,

rardi

 

[rardiH36]

Photos of Old Original Speed/Depth Sensors

FiestaMojo:

In case this helps with your quest to identify you depth & speed senders, attached are photos of the housing and its output wire mounted in my bilge well for the speed impeller; and also for the depth sensor mounted in the hull. If your equipment looks the same, then not much of a chance you can tie into the autopilot system. Also are photos the backsides of my display instruments themselves.

 

[Ed Schenck]

You are certain that your transducers are wired to the AH4000 control head? In the manuals that Rardi linked us to I see no possible way. I do see a depth alarm feature but that has to come from SeaTalk. Very strange if the wiring runs there.

 

[fiestaMojo]

I can find no information on the depth transducers, and neither of the transdu8cers look like Rardi's pics. . . both transducers connect to the back of the Autohelm 4000+ head unit, but I am not sure they ever functioned (I have not managed to get the Autohelm to power up) Right now I would like to use the depth transducer with a depth instrument. . .

 

[fiestaMojo]

I figured out the cable runs on this old boat of mine; it seems the depth and speed transducers are not connected to the unused Autohelm 4000+, but take a turn and are dangling in a space where instruments were previously mounted. The only information I can decipher is a tag on each cable:
One cable has "AIRMAR 01-0691
DST-25 200KH
SC6808/3-376"
the other cable "AIRMAR 01-0891
SIAI5
C6863/31-209-1-42"
I did a Google search, but didn't come up with much; any ideas out there? As always, thanks for any help. . .