Wireless Conversion
- Thread starter FlyorSail
- Start date
There are several wireless wind transducers to choose from. They use a built in solar panel for charging. The only way to get wireless depth and speed is to buy NMEA2000 wired transducers and connect them to an NMEA2000 to wireless converter. These also need power, and solar won't work. Maybe this can also be done with NMEA0183 transducers. There are several choices for these too. Keep in mind that this isn't totally "wireless" - the speed/depth is still hardwired into the NMEA network and available to other instruments on that network, but the data from that network is also put out on wifi.
If all you want is wireless data, then you can just add a NMEA to wifi converter on your existing network.
Mark
If all you want is wireless data, then you can just add a NMEA to wifi converter on your existing network.
Mark
I have an old Tac Tic (now Raymarine) wireless wind device. I love the fact that it is wireless, and up until this week, I have not had any issue with it. There are a few caveats though…this one doesn’t really connector anything else. I have a Micronet display at the helm and the wireless transducer on the mast. A few years ago, someone on the forum told me about a wireless interface, that reads the wind data and pushes it out on mnea0183. That solved a lot of problems for me, as I then able to see the wind data on my Garmin CP, and more importantly, I could push wind info to the auto pilot, so it could hold a wind angle!
This week, the transducer “died” and all I get are dashes on the wind display. I climbed the mast and brought the transducer home. The solar panel covers were cracked (self-inflicted the last time I took it down and tried to fix it). There was moisture in the housing. I cleaned it all out and put it back together. It took it to the boat today, but no joy. The device also has a small lith-ion battery, which can be replaced. I ordered the battery and will replace this week and see. If it still doesn’t work, I will have a decision to make.
One option is to buy another transducer, about $750
I have been looking on eBay and not much available used (and maybe not worth the risk).
Another option is to look at Garmin or some other brand. A Garmin wireless gWind with a display unit is in the $850 range. I think that this device will connect to my N2K network. But I don’t know if this will send data to my Raymarine 6001 auto pilot (NMEA0183/seatalk only).
There are some other “2nd tier” devices out there…not that the quality is necessarily bad, but we haven’t heard of the companies before….like Sailtimer….. Home - SailTimer Inc.. I am intrigued by this one, for about $350. it can talk directly to iOS or Android devices via their app. Or there is an “Airlink” device that takes the wireless data and pushed it out over NMEA2K. Unfortunately, they don’t offer a display unit. I like having a wind display always on, and still be able to use my CP to show charts, or a wind screen.
I did just the write the manufacturer to see if their wireless signal could be displayed on a Raymarine or Tac Tic wireless display. That would be really cool.
I will be following for other options…
Greg
This week, the transducer “died” and all I get are dashes on the wind display. I climbed the mast and brought the transducer home. The solar panel covers were cracked (self-inflicted the last time I took it down and tried to fix it). There was moisture in the housing. I cleaned it all out and put it back together. It took it to the boat today, but no joy. The device also has a small lith-ion battery, which can be replaced. I ordered the battery and will replace this week and see. If it still doesn’t work, I will have a decision to make.
One option is to buy another transducer, about $750
I have been looking on eBay and not much available used (and maybe not worth the risk).
Another option is to look at Garmin or some other brand. A Garmin wireless gWind with a display unit is in the $850 range. I think that this device will connect to my N2K network. But I don’t know if this will send data to my Raymarine 6001 auto pilot (NMEA0183/seatalk only).
There are some other “2nd tier” devices out there…not that the quality is necessarily bad, but we haven’t heard of the companies before….like Sailtimer….. Home - SailTimer Inc.. I am intrigued by this one, for about $350. it can talk directly to iOS or Android devices via their app. Or there is an “Airlink” device that takes the wireless data and pushed it out over NMEA2K. Unfortunately, they don’t offer a display unit. I like having a wind display always on, and still be able to use my CP to show charts, or a wind screen.
I did just the write the manufacturer to see if their wireless signal could be displayed on a Raymarine or Tac Tic wireless display. That would be really cool.
I will be following for other options…
Greg
I think I seen some interesting differences between the Garmin product & B&G or Raymarine. The wind instrument display appears to be exclusive to wind data and the GNX 20 display would be used for DST exclusively, I suppose. B&G & Raymarine multifunction displays can be used in any configuration. B&G displays seem to have more window options & more customization. However, I am not familiar at all with the Garmin products so these are questions that I can't answer with any certainty. I prefer the options that B&G provides because I have one instrument display at the helm (with the chartplotter) and 2 more mounted over the companionway because I want displays viewable from the cockpit without having to climb around the helm to see. Plus, I don't want the wind display to be fixed at just one location. In my opinion, the more options I have with B&G is worth the extra money spent.
Wireless wind transducers are still a bit of a gamble in my opinion. Mine is wireless and I have a bluetooth antennae mounted on my bimini top that has to be wired into the NMEA 2000 network. There is a small solar charger on the ducer with a battery that I had to replace after just the first season. Also, my transducer failed and had to be replaced via warranty. But now I've gone 2 seasons on the next battery and the ducer seems to be fine. I don't know why the 1st battery & ducer failed so quickly. I've heard various stories that they last anywhere from 1 to 5 years. After the first season, I took the antennae off the boat for the winter and I suspect that had something to do with the battery &/or ducer failure. I've left the antennae on for 3 winters now and hopefully this spring, the everything will still be good.
My transducer is airmar. Garmin seems to have a funky design with the paddles instead of cups. Interesting ... plus the 2 fins instead of 1 makes it possibly more stable? Or is it just for racy looks? It does look kind of cool, but maybe just gimmicky? It looks as if the transducer is connected directly to the instrument via bluetooth? That is different than the B&G product that requires a blue tooth antennae set up. More streamlined I suppose. With my external GPS antennae and blue tooth antennae mounted on the top of my bimini, they look a little like an inverted ball sac!
I'm not clear how to answer you question about NMEA 2000 networking difficulty. It's basically very easy plug & play. The only difficulty is routing the cables thru the boat. If all your electronics are NMEA 2000 (N2K), it is very easy and intuitive. It's when you try to mix and match NMEA 2000 and NMEA 0183 or Raymarine seatalk models that everything gets dicey. Even Raymarine is all NMEA 2000 now except their plugs are physically different. But, now there are plug adaptors to connect RM to the standard N2K network fittings. The language is still N2K.
Wireless wind transducers are still a bit of a gamble in my opinion. Mine is wireless and I have a bluetooth antennae mounted on my bimini top that has to be wired into the NMEA 2000 network. There is a small solar charger on the ducer with a battery that I had to replace after just the first season. Also, my transducer failed and had to be replaced via warranty. But now I've gone 2 seasons on the next battery and the ducer seems to be fine. I don't know why the 1st battery & ducer failed so quickly. I've heard various stories that they last anywhere from 1 to 5 years. After the first season, I took the antennae off the boat for the winter and I suspect that had something to do with the battery &/or ducer failure. I've left the antennae on for 3 winters now and hopefully this spring, the everything will still be good.
My transducer is airmar. Garmin seems to have a funky design with the paddles instead of cups. Interesting ... plus the 2 fins instead of 1 makes it possibly more stable? Or is it just for racy looks? It does look kind of cool, but maybe just gimmicky? It looks as if the transducer is connected directly to the instrument via bluetooth? That is different than the B&G product that requires a blue tooth antennae set up. More streamlined I suppose. With my external GPS antennae and blue tooth antennae mounted on the top of my bimini, they look a little like an inverted ball sac!
I'm not clear how to answer you question about NMEA 2000 networking difficulty. It's basically very easy plug & play. The only difficulty is routing the cables thru the boat. If all your electronics are NMEA 2000 (N2K), it is very easy and intuitive. It's when you try to mix and match NMEA 2000 and NMEA 0183 or Raymarine seatalk models that everything gets dicey. Even Raymarine is all NMEA 2000 now except their plugs are physically different. But, now there are plug adaptors to connect RM to the standard N2K network fittings. The language is still N2K.
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