Light in GPS antenna flashing

[RWSlater]

ok so I’m on a mooring for awhile and don’t plan on leaving for many days or weeks. I have all the instruments off, along with the chart plotter off, and the light inside the GPS antenna on the deck just outside the cockpit is flashing. I’m assuming something is on for it to be flashing right? I found no other circuit breakers to turn it off.
So,
1. Why is it flashing
2. Does it need to be flashing
3. I assume it using power the batteries which I don’t need
4. If it doesn’t need to be on, how can it be turned off?

 

[Meriachee]

Without knowing what brand the gps is, the guess would be that the network is powered up somehow. When you turn off the chart plotter, are you turning the chartplotter off, or are you turning off the whole network? They are two different things.

 

[RWSlater]

It’s a ray marine plotter, and I’m just turning off the plotter.

 

[Meriachee]

I have a ray GPS and there is a light in it that shows network connectivity, and consequently power. So it's a fair statement that your network is powered up. All of the devices on the network, speed, depth, wind, any converters or adapters are on. Probably a good idea to turn it off when you're not there.

 

[smokey73]

When you turn off your main DC breaker or your Batt ON/Off or ON/OFF/Both switch to off does the light stop flashing?

In general for most boats the only thing that is powered independent from the ON/OFF Battery Switch and Main DC breaker is the bilge pump and possibly the memory for your AM/FM radio. Most everything else is switched through the DC on/off breaker on your panel and/or the Batt ON/OFF switch.

If the light is not flashing with the BATT ON/OFF switch in the OFF position and the DC main panel breaker off then leave the DC main panel breaker off and turn on the BATT ON/OFF switch ON. If it starts flashing, then the power is coming off the DC line between the BATT ON/OFF switch and the DC main switch (It should not be, by the way). Assuming it is not flashing with the BATT ON/Off switch ON, then turn all the individual DC breakers off and turn the DC Main panel breaker on. If its then flashing, the power comes from the DC main on the switched side but not through any of the individual breakers (It should not do this). Then turn on each breaker one at a time and see which one makes it start flashing - that is the DC power breaker that is feeding your GPS. If the PO wired it, it might be coming from anywhere so you just have to be methodical and sort it out manually.

 

[SEMPERAVANTI41]

I think Hunter wired the Raymarine Seatalk system with a dedicated breaker which is always on. It is not a regular breaker, just one that you can push "on" if it trips.

 

[smokey73]

I think Hunter wired the Raymarine Seatalk system with a dedicated breaker which is always on. It is not a regular breaker, just one that you can push "on" if it trips.

Don't know - that may be correct. Still, if it is that way it would be a good idea to know where the Seatalk System gets its power from. The method I've described should show where the power comes from. If its that type of breaker it should be on either the supply side (not likely) of the Main DC panel breaker or the load side (more likely). Seems odd to have that kind of breaker (push to reset, with no off position) without an upstream on/off breaker but who knows why Hunter decided on that configuration. It would be easy enough to re-wire it to one of the existing breakers or a spare breaker. That way you could turn it completely off if so desired. Mine is an older boat and I have a dedicated breaker for the GPS.

 

[Meriachee]

Don’t necessarily be blaming Hunter. This may be anybody’s doing.

 

[smokey73]

Don’t necessarily be blaming Hunter. This may be anybody’s doing.

Agreed. Most likely the PO if a previous owner is involved or possibly a yard that installed the electrical accessories.

 

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[Joe]

Turn every thing on your DC board off.... that should do the trick.

 

[Slipin Away]

There is a switch on the main panel, not the circuit breaker panel, by the nav station. The one for instruments should turn off GPS.

 

[RWSlater]

There is indeed a push button CB for sea talk. My question is this, if I punch off the breaker and depower seatalk, when I go to move the boat in a few weeks and punch it back on, will everything come back on line and work as it did previous to depowering it? Will there be anything I need to do to tie everything back together? I just don’t know much about this stuff and I’m reluctant to screw with it. I would hate to have to return to Florida without the seatalk stuff working.

 

[RWSlater]

Agreed. Most likely the PO if a previous owner is involved or possibly a yard that installed the electrical accessories.

The P.O. bought the boat new, and I’m pretty sure he did not do any of the installations of anything on the boat.

 

[RoyS]

I kill my sea talk completely whenever I shut off the chart plotter and other instruments. It takes only a few seconds for the gps to find itself when I turn it back on. I am told there is also a battery in the gps antenna but I am sure mine is long dead.

 

[RWSlater]

Steve

Oddly enough, the chart plotter turns off and on just with the power switch on the unit itself.

 

[Brezzin]

But the power to the plotter and the gps are two different things. Look at the GPS as a stand alone item that is simply lacking a screen to view the output. It's powered by a Seatalk connection, not the plotter. By turning off the plotter you simply are no longer displaying the data output by the GPS. The flashing lights could mean the following
From the GPs 130 manual (same I believe for the 125)

Short Red = Power supply with normal voltage
Long Flash Red then Long Orange = Seatalk communication error
Long Red then Long green = no GPS signal
Short Flash Orange = no GPS fix
Short flash Green = Normal operation

I'm assuming you have a short green flash so find the breaker for Seatalk and all is well.

 

[RWSlater]

But the power to the plotter and the gps are two different things. Look at the GPS as a stand alone item that is simply lacking a screen to view the output. It's powered by a Seatalk connection, not the plotter. By turning off the plotter you simply are no longer displaying the data output by the GPS. The flashing lights could mean the following
From the GPs 130 manual (same I believe for the 125)

Short Red = Power supply with normal voltage
Long Flash Red then Long Orange = Seatalk communication error
Long Red then Long green = no GPS signal
Short Flash Orange = no GPS fix
Short flash Green = Normal operation

I'm assuming you have a short green flash so find the breaker for Seatalk and all is well.

Yep I believe it’s green. I’ll check it later today when I’m back on board
Thanks

 

[RWSlater]

Well punched out the sea talk and the green light is still flashing.

 

[Meriachee]

As mentioned in the original reply, the NETWORK is getting power. The thing that looks like a button on the panel may, and likely is not, the power for the network. It's a simple matter of elimination. Start turning switches off, one by one and checking in between to see if the network powers down. If it goes off, then you've found where it's wired to. A simple rule of thumb, do not believe what your eyers are telling you. The thing could be tied to the Refrigeration switch - you don't know, so don't rule anything out. The feed could be coming from ANY of the switches on that panel, and if it's still on after everything is off, then it's likely tied directly to the battery somehow.

It doesn't matter what lights are on or the state that they are in on the gps. Any activity in this case shows the unit is powered and that's the issue. Connectivity is something else entirely.