Need help with a B&G Zeus and wind instrument and other issues

[SoSound]

I've been having problems with the wind sensor/transducer on my B&G system for some time now. My apparent wind is always almost always something at about 0 - 2 degrees. When I first noticed the problem, I thought that we had something restricting the movement of the wind vane. But I can see that the wind vane is moving freely. The wind speed seems to work just fine, varying with changes in velocity. Also (maybe or maybe not) coincidentally, our paddle wheel knot meter is consistently below the GPS SOG, by as much as 40%, no matter what direction the current is. The system was installed new on our boat when it was built. We had nothing but problems with our original Zeus T8, and it was eventually replaced under warranty. I have not found anything in terms of documentation on the wind instrument installation, beyond installing the sensor unit on the mast. I'm looking for any help that I can get on troubleshooting my network and its components?

 

[Davidasailor26]

If the wind vane is able to rotate but the apparent wind angle doesn't change it's probably an issue with the electronics of the sensor itself. Especially if you get apparent wind angles other than 0.0.

For the water speed, the most likely problem is growth in the transducer. You should be able to take it out of the through hull to clean it and make sure it spins freely. There should be a little flap that closes the through hull when you take the transducer, so that only a cup or so of water comes in before you get the dummy plug in. If the flap fails you'll have a little more water but still manageable.

 

[SoSound]

The boat speed transducer is cleaned on a regular basis. No growth at all the last time I pulled it, a week or so ago, before I started asking questions about why it's always slow. The documentation on the transducer indicates that the paddlewheel should be replaced as a regular maintenance item every couple of years. When two local dealers had no idea what the part number for the replacement was, I started thinking that not too many people follow this advice.

 

[Davidasailor26]

There is a way in the MFD to calibrate the transducer. I don't remember exactly where but it's somewhere in the settings. You could check that to see if it somehow got set to something strange.

 

[SG]

The documentation on the transducer indicates that the paddlewheel should be replaced as a regular maintenance item every couple of years.

The comment on the paddle wheel getting "worn-out" in couple of years can't be so!
There is a compensation adjustment in the set-up. Also, depending on where you placed the transducer, you can get hull flow affects on the speed.

With respect to the wind sensor: There is a microprocessor on the B&G wind sensor that is in the masthead unit. I suspect you have a bad or damaged board (really more of a chip). The apparent wind angle should match your Windex and changes should be immediately noticeable.

I trust you're using the B&G (Simrad) sensors which match this unit? The old sensors from prior B&G units may not be compatible.

 

[Jackdaw]

Boat speed in NOT needed to calculate apparent wind. It is for true wind.

 

[SoSound]

Jackdaw, two different symptoms. Maybe I should have framed my question differently? Asking if the two issues could be related?

I am seeing that my AWA is always 'indicated' as head on (0 - 2 degrees). I am also seeing that my boat speed is always shown as significantly slower than it should be. Two different bits of data, but with the similar symptoms (one data value about "0", the other consistently and significantly lower than expected), I was wondering if it pointed to a common problem or if it's just coincidence? I hate 'system' coincidences.

I can look up each piece of 'data' through the individual devices on the network. But, to me, that's isolated data but maybe not raw data. Do I just trust that it's being properly parsed and/or formatted by the Zeus, and move on to possibly replacing two different components on the network? I also hate throwing expensive parts at a problem which might eventually end up being caused by something simple, even if that simple cause is difficult to identify.

 

[SG]

I don't have the Zeus, but I have a H5000 - Hercules setup. I had the Hydra before (which was simpler, but less finicky -- however that's spelled ;^))).

My guess, you have either a bad cable, or connectors, or more likely a bad sensor at the masthead unit. You might try to bring the unit down and plug it in closer to the CPU. It might be the wiring or connectors in your backbone?

The analog speed indicator COULD be simply a calibration issue. A lot of things affect that: How clean the hull is, where on the hull the sensor is placed, what speed range you're using it at (e.g., it's accuracy will vary, even when calibrated, depending on the speed range|). I'd try that first. I'd adjust the calibration factor so that you're close to what you estimate your actual speed through the water should be. If you're in flat water and not being affected by current, then I'd try to increase SOG by a knot or two -- you should see a commensurate change. Secondly, try an reduce it from the original ("Calibrated") speed by a knot, then another knot. See what happens.

Now a few questions: What did you have in the boat before? Did they work? Are you reusing any equipment? Was the thru-hull in the same location? etc., etc.

If you have the new Speedo from B&G, I think it has seawater temp. If it's supposed to have it, is it working?

 

[Jackdaw]

Jackdaw, two different symptoms. Maybe I should have framed my question differently? Asking if the two issues could be related?

I am seeing that my AWA is always 'indicated' as head on (0 - 2 degrees). I am also seeing that my boat speed is always shown as significantly slower than it should be. Two different bits of data, but with the similar symptoms (one data value about "0", the other consistently and significantly lower than expected), I was wondering if it pointed to a common problem or if it's just coincidence? I hate 'system' coincidences.

I can look up each piece of 'data' through the individual devices on the network. But, to me, that's isolated data but maybe not raw data. Do I just trust that it's being properly parsed and/or formatted by the Zeus, and move on to possibly replacing two different components on the network? I also hate throwing expensive parts at a problem which might eventually end up being caused by something simple, even if that simple cause is difficult to identify.

Ah gotcha. The likelyhood that the two are related due to some nmea2k data scaling issue is incredibly unlikely. The senders create their own nmea packets and push the onto the net. Totally independently.

The wind sender I would assume it broken and always sending 0 as a wind angle.

The paddle wheel might just need a cleaning or a calibration.

 

[SG]

On the Sailing Anarchy site , under Gear Anarchy, there a bunch of experienced B&G types.

Also, call B&G/Simrad's service support help line. They've been helpful. Eventually I got help on a matter from England -- they were very good.

There are glitches with their systems, especial their top end, very sophisticated ones. Just keep in mind that most of the around the world racers -- single and Volvo crews depend on B&G.

Their is a little Jaguar in them, though :^)))

I've got mine pretty sorted-out (it was a lot of network and CanBus/connector issues, and a few bad control display units on the autopilot. They fixed them all and took pains to mitigate the inconvenience. I really love the system now.

There is no one that is more sail oriented than B&G. I lament that Simrad took over. I still have two Northstar 6100i's on my boat (one at the helm; and, one at the nav station). They don't take NEMA 2000 (just 183) -- but they are Northstar engineered. I wish I could download charts to them -- but alas, since Window's 7 and Nobletec was bought and absorbed by MaxSea...the World moves on.