How do you interconnect your electronics?

[Ed Schenck]

On my "pod" I have two Nexus displays, wind and multi. These are daisy-chained from a small cable which originates at the Nexus computer near my nav station. Also on the helm guard is my GPS chartplotter. Then on the wheel there is the Simrad WP30 autohelm.

The wiring for the chartplotter and autohelm go down through the pedestal and then into the starboard locker. There they connect to 12 volts and ground but nothing else.

How are you guys tying the wind and/or GPS signal(s) to your autohelm?

 

[Benny17441]

I don't, all the instruments are stand alone and you could say I act as the interface between them. No GPS or wind vane is going to change course on the boat without me knowing about it. Technology is great but I find that my being in the loop keeps me engaged to what is going on and it really takes no effort to act upon the information received. It is very much like making a store list on a piece of paper rather than engaging a computer and printer.

 

[Ed Schenck]

Interesting Benny. Certainly is an option and one I have been using for twelve years on this boat. But then I have never been on a well found cruiser that did not have the capability of sailing to an "address".

The cable ends for the autohelm and the GPS are in the same general area. I guess I could just wire the ends together. The Nexus instruments are the problem since they terminate in the displays. I am reluctant to cut that cable under the cockpit sole for a splice.

 

[Jim Legere]

Electronics talk

Ed, are we talking NEMA 0183 or 2000? I think NEMA 2000 offers more options for networking, such as CANBUS and soon to include Ethernet compatibility.

All my stuff is NEMA 0183 and its pretty simple. I have a small terminal block behind my VHF where I join the wiring from the GPS, the radar, and the VHF. A small audio signal wire (2 x 22 AWG, shielded) also goes from there aft to the auto pilot. Nothing fancy, but it all seems to work.

Ocean Navigator magazine has had some good articles on networks for boats.

 

[windwagon]

Ed,

Have you looked at my post yesterday 'Home brewed computer'. I figured out how to easily link everything together, especially 0183 NEMA and SeaTalk. Check it out. I'm practically your neighbor. My Hunter 35.5 is at Catawba Island. If you ever want to see my setup leave a message with your phone number and I will contact you.
Don Habegger owner of Windwagon

 

[Ed Schenck]

See, I have been away too long. Need to be clearer in my posts. My electronics are all NMEA 0183. I think that I can connect the various inputs to the autohelm and make it work. The question is more about how and where. The cables from the autohelm and GPS(chartplotter) are short. They come out of the bottom of the pedestal and over into the starboard locker where I have 12 volts to splice into. There is no terminal block nor a convenient place for one. So my thought was to just use small wire nuts and connect the GPS and autohelm. But then there is the long cable from the Nexus computer to the displays. I guess I could cut that under the cockpit sole, connect to a terminal block along with the GPS and autohelm, and then on up to the displays. Maybe just the GPS to autohelm splice and forget wind?

I should also mention that I have a ton of projects to be ready for spring. I do not have time for anything elaborate. Those solutions require long wire runs that I simply do not have time to do. Some things I might have to do include: maybe a leaking fuel tank, for sure leaking water tanks, repainting entire deck and cockpit, I have most of the helm/pedestal home, replacement of cockpit traveler, interior varnishing, still have all the carpet on the bulkheads. Get my drift.