Reattaching Raymarine C70 Chartplotter Outer Bezel

[VT Fitz]

The OE Raymarine C70 on our ’07 Hunter 27-3 was having a problem – fairly common, from what I read – where the screen would go fritzy and unreadable. Intermittent and greatly annoying when it happens, and totally unpredictable.

After consulting Mr Google for some advice, I opened it up, and the ribbon strip looked fine (1st step), but I had read that the screw attaching the interface going into the screen is too long and can cause the problem, so I cut it down and reassembled everything. I plugged it back in, fired it up, and the screen looked fine. Woohoo! So far, so good, and time will tell if it’s really fixed…

After I pat myself on the back for my brilliance (and thrift), I realized that a couple of the buttons below the screen didn’t work. Urrghh! I popped off the outer bezel (cover), and all the buttons worked. OK… Snapped it back on, problem back… Double urrghh!!

Has anyone encountered this problem and/or know the trick/technique to reattach the bezel correctly?

Thanks for any advice. (Trashing it isn’t an option!)

 

[DougM]

Encountered the same thing on my C70 after the same symptoms. What was causing the buttons not to work was simply the edges of the holes in the bezel binding on the buttons. Wiggling the bezel slightly to provide better clearance took care of it.
The screen issue was solved, and lasted a couple of years. The display started gettting tempramental again so I am in the process of replacing it. I figured that after 12 seasons of use I had gotten my money's worth out of it.

 

[VT Fitz]

Thanks, Doug. That makes abundant sense.

I tried again and carefully snapped it down making sure it came down plumb, not at an angle, and that seemed to do the trick.

Now I have a new problem. I spliced in a 12vdc "cigarette lighter" receptical for the nav pod... and now have no power at all! Doh!!! The depth & speed instruments still work, so power is coming from the panel. I must have pulled something loose between the upper section of the pedestal where the plotter lives and the next section down where those other instruments are.

I just got so frustrated with it by lunch that I walked away from it to enjoy the Mystic Seaport Annual Wooden Boat Show instead!

 

[DougM]

You very likely pulled a connection apart feeding the power to the MFD.
Hope it wasn't buried somewhere.
There should also be a fuse in the line to the MFD. Did you check it?
Further, I hope you didn't splice the 12 volt recepticle into the MFD power. That should be

 

[VT Fitz]

Didn't see an inline fuse in the nav pod. I'll start to trace it back tomorrow.

Also, you didn't finish your last sentence. I guess your telling me the MFD should have a dedicated line? However, all the instruments are on a single circuit, so I just assumed it went to the depth & speed instruments first, then continued on to the MFD. So even if they are both on the same circuit, are you suggesting that there are probably 2 separate leads coming from that circuit in the panel?

Thanks for your mentoring here.

 

[VT Fitz]

Also, assuming you are right -- which I do! -- do you think I could piggy back off the speed/depth power supply to feed the receptacle? All I'm trying to power is a handheld GPS. (I'm a little nutty about maintaining redundant systems, especially if I have a potentially flakey MFD.)

If I have to run an entirely new circuit to the panel and wire into the open/expansion slot, I'll do it. I won't be happy about it... but I'll do it.

 

[DougM]

Fitz, my unfinished sentance should have indicated that the MFD should be on a dedicated circuit.
(Having just run a backbone and a radar cable to the pedestal, I can tell you its no fun.)
According to the wiring diagram for my boat there was supposed to be a wire and a junction block already in the pod on the pedestal for accessory use. Evidently the person doing the rough in wiring went out to lunch before finishing. Its not there.

 

[VT Fitz]

Progress... The MFD isn't on the instruments breaker. It's wired directly from the hot side of the panel to the pedestal. There's an in-line 10 amp fuse just off the hot connection.

So back to a prior question, do you think I could wire the receptacle off the power going to depth/speed instruments?

 

[DougM]

[QUOTE="VT Fitz, post: 1384528, member: 77886"
So back to a prior question, do you think I could wire the receptacle off the power going to depth/speed instruments?[/QUOTE]

As a matter of personal preference, I would not . Even though your intent is to use the receptacle for an auxiliary GPS, I would be concerned about what someone else would connect to it which would compromise something else on that circuit

 

[VT Fitz]

Even though your intent is to use the receptacle for an auxiliary GPS, I would be concerned about what someone else would connect to it which would compromise something else on that circuit

You are so right about that. I agree with your whole line of thinking on this topic.

However, I will confess -- only to you, so let's keep it between us -- that, since I was so eager to get in my first sail of the season, I went ahead and wired it according to the original plan. I ran the handheld on the same circuit and there were no problems.

Rest assured, I don't intend to leave it that way and plan to implement your advice. Thanks again for the input.