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17-07-2011, 12:32
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: North Carolina, USA
Boat: Big brick box and a '62 Airstream Ambassador. Formerly Pacific Seacraft
Posts: 1,017
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Help with NMEA Connection ?
I'm out cruising and installed an x-5 autopilot. Ive tried getting my garmin 492 chartplotter to send the autopilot data but alas, I cannot. The blue wire from garmin does send signal to matrix AIS VHF and is supposed to be the NMEA + wire but doesn't work on autopilot. Garmin configured to 4800 baud NMEA out. Searched manuals and forum, no luck. Thx. Chase
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17-07-2011, 12:46
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#2
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cruiser
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Tampa to New York
Boat: Morgan 33 OutIsland, Magic and 33' offshore scott design "Cutting Edge"
Posts: 1,594
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Re: Help with NMEA connection?
I had to assign a port in the garmin with the proper version nmea. There was no paperwork as it was furuno to garmin. Same chartplotter to Navpilot autopilot.
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17-07-2011, 15:17
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: North Carolina, USA
Boat: Big brick box and a '62 Airstream Ambassador. Formerly Pacific Seacraft
Posts: 1,017
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Thanks FSBO, but I cannot find a place to do what you are describing. My only choices are network type, like NMEA or Garmin, two baud rates once NMEA is selected - 4800 or 38500 iirc, and a page with a bunch of protocols I think might be sentences, and I checked all of them. Reboot on everything, still no talkin'.
Are others running this pilot without GPS in? Does it matter?
Going to weigh anchor and try sea calibration mañana. The compass is off by 170 degrees or something and that's after multiple mounting locations so I'm pretty sure it is in a good location, just has no native sense of direction.
There might be an update for my chartplotter, could try that. Anyone know best way to update a chartplotter? Not sure how to connect computer to it.
Thanks for any other input on getting them to talk or whether I need to worry about it.
Chase
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17-07-2011, 21:49
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#4
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 4,663
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Re: Help with NMEA connection?
The latest Raymarine X-5 autopilot accepts several NMEA input messages, and at least most of them are pretty generic NMEA-0183 (4800 Baud), so the NMEA version # shouldn't matter. To start, I would set up your Garmin to put out RMB (for the autopilot) and RMC (for the Matrix VHF). Trying to send all the available NMEA sentence types may cause an overrun on the slow 4800 baud link.
If I recall correctly, the NMEA input to the Matrix is single-ended, so you will connect the NMEA "+" output and a ground wire to the Matrix input. I could be wrong about this, but since this is working you obviously have it right.
The X-5 probably takes a balanced NMEA input, so if your Garmin provides a balanced output things should be OK. It's easy to get the NMEA wires crossed, since manufacturers are very inconsistant when it comes to defining the + and - connections. You might try swapping the NMEA inputs at the X-5 and see if that works. You won't break anything if you get it backwards, it just won't work.
If the Garmin only delivers a single-ended NMEA output, you will need to connecyt a ground wire to the X-5 NMEA - input, and the blue wire to the + input (or the other way around!)
As for the fluxgate compass reading 170 degrees off, it sounds like you have it mounted backwards. These usually are pretty accurate right out of the box, and do know which end is north. If you can't re-orient it, you can still calibrate it to read properly.
You may not need the NMEA input to the X-5. I personally haven't bothered on my boat, the AP is just controlled by the fluxgate and steers to a heading (not a waypoint). There are good reasons to steer to a waypoint, but I can live with heading only.
__________________
Paul Elliott, S/V VALIS - Pacific Seacraft 44 #16 - Friday Harbor, WA
www.sailvalis.com
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17-07-2011, 22:27
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Charleston SC
Boat: 34 Irwin
Posts: 175
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Chase, swap the wires on your compass at the brain. Raymarine suggest that on my manual. I had the same problem and switching the two wires put my compass with in 5 degrees
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18-07-2011, 13:58
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: North Carolina, USA
Boat: Big brick box and a '62 Airstream Ambassador. Formerly Pacific Seacraft
Posts: 1,017
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Hi guys thanks for replies. I swung the compass this morning and it shows 2 degrees deviation. It is accurate now. As far as NMEA connections, I have tried all configurations at the raymarine controller and do have the garmin manual showing blue out/ brown in. Still no luck.
That's not my most pressing issue at this point, as I cannot get the pilot to autolearn or hold a course at all. Weighed anchor and did sea calibration this morning but instead of zig zagging, it just turns left, then appears to compensate by turning harder left? Compass is very accurate, all connections are solid, wiring from AP motor to controller triple checked. Call to raymarine, tried their "new service" which is to leave a message and get a call back by end of business day, no call as of yet. Hopefully tomorrow can dial this in or yank it out, one.
Chase
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19-07-2011, 05:21
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#7
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cruiser
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Tampa to New York
Boat: Morgan 33 OutIsland, Magic and 33' offshore scott design "Cutting Edge"
Posts: 1,594
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Re: Help with NMEA Connection ?
dunno about x5 my autopilot has a smart auto mode that is very handy and worth having but reliant on gps signal. compensates for cross currents etc..
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19-07-2011, 13:03
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 589
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Your autopilot will need a heading to steer to to get you to a waypoint. Can your Garmin do this? Then you need to connect the Garmin nema OUT. I have this working on my boat, but of course my plotter is RM
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20-07-2011, 09:49
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: North Carolina, USA
Boat: Big brick box and a '62 Airstream Ambassador. Formerly Pacific Seacraft
Posts: 1,017
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Still no NEMA, but autopilot working now after switching leads from computer to motor. When i told the guy i had double checked that with manual wiring diagram, he said: "switch it anyway, i dont care andi dont know how yours is wired" meaning it is random best. All i can figure they randomly terminate them at the plug or something. Using now on neuse river, working great! Took two days for tech support to call back, could saved me a bunch or grief weighing anchor each day trying to configure. Had the thing worked I would have gotten more practice sailing my new boat out in the ocean. Anyway I'm pumped it works, makes things easier singlehanding. Anyway, when you pay big bucks for a raymarine product, be ready for customer service similar or worse to the utility companies. In a previous post someone said their staff was rude. I thought he was just a direct new hampshire dude. I farmed there for a guy for a short while. Live free or die! They just need to hire a few frickin more of em.
I'll keep working on the NEMA- back to the helm.
Chase
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20-07-2011, 14:02
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#10
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Nearly an old salt
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Lefkas Marina ,Greece
Boat: Bavaria 36
Posts: 22,801
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You'll need to connect the blue Garmin wire to the X-5 nmea input + ander the Garmin black wire to x-5 - nmea input.
The 492 has an " advanced nmea output" config page make sure the relevant sentences are on. The data transfer should be 4800,n,8,1 and set for NMEA
Dave
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Interested in smart boat technology, networking and all things tech
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20-07-2011, 16:12
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: North Carolina, USA
Boat: Big brick box and a '62 Airstream Ambassador. Formerly Pacific Seacraft
Posts: 1,017
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Quote:
Originally Posted by goboatingnow
You'll need to connect the blue Garmin wire to the X-5 nmea input + ander the Garmin black wire to x-5 - nmea input.
The 492 has an " advanced nmea output" config page make sure the relevant sentences are on. The data transfer should be 4800,n,8,1 and set for NMEA
Dave
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Dave, I guess the ground is where I'm screwing up? Right now, that black for the garmin is just DC ground to another ground block under cockpit. Currently, the NEMA in (-) to the autopilot controller is connected to common ground at the D panel. Not sure how that'll change things -- but here it goes. Thanks for tip, I'll report back.
Chase
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20-07-2011, 16:33
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#12
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Nearly an old salt
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Lefkas Marina ,Greece
Boat: Bavaria 36
Posts: 22,801
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Sorry in case I caused confusion. The DC ground black wire is also left connected to ground.
Dave
__________________
Interested in smart boat technology, networking and all things tech
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20-07-2011, 17:53
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: North Carolina, USA
Boat: Big brick box and a '62 Airstream Ambassador. Formerly Pacific Seacraft
Posts: 1,017
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Quote:
Originally Posted by goboatingnow
Sorry in case I caused confusion. The DC ground black wire is also left connected to ground.
Dave
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I caught your drift Dave. Used butt connector and shoved the NEMA ground in there along with the DC ground but still no data. Gonna try updating Garmin -- bout all I got left now.
Chase
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20-07-2011, 18:48
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#14
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Nearly an old salt
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Lefkas Marina ,Greece
Boat: Bavaria 36
Posts: 22,801
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Something off here. Have you checked the advanced Nmea settings. It could be electrically ok but the data is setup wrong
Dave
__________________
Interested in smart boat technology, networking and all things tech
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20-07-2011, 21:06
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: North Carolina, USA
Boat: Big brick box and a '62 Airstream Ambassador. Formerly Pacific Seacraft
Posts: 1,017
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Re: Help with NMEA Connection ?
Hi Dave, under the comm tab, it lets me choose NMEA in/out or Garmin talk or whatever its called. I have NMEA selected and 4800 baud. Under the advanced tab, there are a bunch of selections which by default, most are selected. I selected the rest of them. This outputs data to my VHF from the Garmin, no prob.
In the SOG, COG, etc display fields for the autopilot, it reads ------, indicating no data.
Thanks for trying to help.
Chase
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