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Old 25-03-2017, 23:41   #1
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LCJ Capteurs CV7 Windyplug unbox with Raymarine testing

All—

Ok, I decided to try a different ultrasonic wind sensor other than the Maretron WSO100, enjoyed by numerous other CF members.

The unit selected was the LCJ Capteurs CV7-WINDYPLUG, ordered from Fugawi.com in Canada. The price was about $775 including CanadaPost XpressUSA shipping to Oregon. I was surprised that unit arrived in exactly 6 calendar days from the time I ordered, I figured it would take a bit longer.

The reasons for my choice were:
1. It’s small and weighs almost nothing
2. Comes with a bracket ready to go for masthead mounting
3. Uses good old RS-232 from the sensor to the mast base
4. Come with all the wire needed for the mast
5. Windyplug provides NMEA2K interface … and (wait for it) a baromete.

Not sure I needed a barometer on the N2K bus... but I have one now.

I included pics of the box and unpacking, and wiring it was really straight forward.

You just connect the 4 color coded wires to Windyplug 4 colored spring clips and you are ready for testing. AS you can see in the pics I have a table with all my Raymarine and other NMEA2K stuff on it… and it’s a bit of wiring mess right now. But I would rather have the mess now then trying to debug things 45 feet in the air.

I used a Raymarine A68 to test the unit and it could have not been easier. I just adding selected the “Data sources” menu and clicked “wind” and picked the highlighted menu item (see pic). After that I just created a custom page in the A68 and added a wind instrument and Bingo! … it just worked. If I blew on the unit, the graphic on the A68 would correct track the direction… and risking hyperventilation I managed to push the meter to 9Kts.

So if anyone is wondering if they LCJ Capteurs CV7 works with a Raymarine Lighthouse II Rev 17 MFD… it works just fine.
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Old 26-03-2017, 11:55   #2
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Re: LCJ Capteurs CV7 Windyplug unbox with Raymarine testing

Thanks for posting!
I am also considering to buy the LCJ Capteurs CV7 - but mine needs to be interfaced with B&G equipment.
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Old 26-03-2017, 15:36   #3
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Re: LCJ Capteurs CV7 Windyplug unbox with Raymarine testing

No problem and glad to help. This community has helped me many times and kept me from doing something stupid... and worse case, just less stoopid. ;^)

I noticed when plugging in the Windyplug to the Raymarine MFD, it reported as having two interfaces at the firmware level, a V2 and V3. Looking at the windyplug docs, each interface supports a slightly different set of PGN commands. The MFD would not allow me to change the between them so it seemed to know the correct one to use.

With the B&G stuff, if you try it and it does not work... you get a 2nd chance with the other interface. But the best course would be to just look up the PGNs that the Windyplug supports and see if it maps to the B&G set.
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Old 26-03-2017, 21:57   #4
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Re: LCJ Capteurs CV7 Windyplug unbox with Raymarine testing

Thanks Ron.
Clearly you have some serious knowledge about these things - unfortunately, I do not. I will have to get a specialist to do the work for me. But it is good to know that there is a alternative to the existing wind instrument which fails every couple of years - quite expensive and frustrating to keep buying new wind instruments.
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Old 28-03-2017, 03:22   #5
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Re: LCJ Capteurs CV7 Windyplug unbox with Raymarine testing

Thanks for posting ........... Never seen one of these before and most intrigued ...... eliminates so many of the issues of the "old" style anemometer and gives you a whole lot of bonus features thrown in If the barometer feature offers a graphical chart option that would be awesome ...... could not tell from the website though.

Revelations - checked out the website it does interface to B&G ...... does not mention Garmin which is surprising ...... well to me

Lastly the pricing you paid Ronstory seems a little high as the website offers pricing of 155 Euros .... is the difference shipping and taxes
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Old 28-03-2017, 07:37   #6
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Re: LCJ Capteurs CV7 Windyplug unbox with Raymarine testing

I haven't played with the barometer yet but I expect curiosity to soon take it's hold.

As for the price of 155 Euros, that is just for the Windyplug gizmo that takes the NMEA0183 data stream from the Cv7 and converts it to NMEA2K. The retail price for the CV7 is 530 Euros, so 685 Euros total.
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Old 28-03-2017, 08:00   #7
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Re: LCJ Capteurs CV7 Windyplug unbox with Raymarine testing

Quote:
Originally Posted by ronstory View Post
I haven't played with the barometer yet but I expect curiosity to soon take it's hold.

As for the price of 155 Euros, that is just for the Windyplug gizmo that takes the NMEA0183 data stream from the Cv7 and converts it to NMEA2K. The retail price for the CV7 is 530 Euros, so 685 Euros total.
Thanks for clarifying that I could not figure out for someone who really knows there stuff on this system that you would get the pricing wrong

If you can keep me (us) updated on the barometer feature it would really be appreciated as I am (really !!) hoping it will be able to chart the output like a barograph ..... so useful for weather and wind forecasting

Also great that it runs on 24V

Any idea why it does not sell in the USA? ...... just intrigued even though not relevant for me. I will source it from the UK
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Old 28-03-2017, 08:36   #8
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Re: LCJ Capteurs CV7 Windyplug unbox with Raymarine testing

Ok, just got the barometer function working. Apparently it's 1017 mbar in Oregon now.

Raymarine's Lighthouse SW does not seem to have a logging function for barometric pressure, but just choices for a numeric display and graphical gauge.

As for not having a supplier in the US, LCJ Capteurs website seemed a bit out of date on distributors and resellers. If you dig through their list they had Defender listed but I could not find it on the website. I gave Defender a call and they said they not a distributor, nor had been "for a while".

Fugawi was fine to purchase through and no issues at all.
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Old 28-03-2017, 22:03   #9
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Re: LCJ Capteurs CV7 Windyplug unbox with Raymarine testing

A quick picture of the data page created for the wind instrument and the barometer. I added both the graphic and the numeric version of the barometer using Lighthouse R17.
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Old 23-04-2018, 12:27   #10
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Re: LCJ Capteurs CV7 Windyplug unbox with Raymarine testing

Quote:
Originally Posted by ronstory View Post
A quick picture of the data page created for the wind instrument and the barometer. I added both the graphic and the numeric version of the barometer using Lighthouse R17.
Does this CV7 has a compass built in? from where it takes the North?
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Old 23-04-2018, 14:22   #11
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Re: LCJ Capteurs CV7 Windyplug unbox with Raymarine testing

no compass, I have the Raymarine EV-1 for that.
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Old 23-04-2018, 16:02   #12
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Re: LCJ Capteurs CV7 Windyplug unbox with Raymarine testing

Ronstory, how has the CV7 been for you? Do you believe it’s performance matches a good “cups and feather” sensor? Responsive enough?
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Old 23-04-2018, 16:45   #13
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Re: LCJ Capteurs CV7 Windyplug unbox with Raymarine testing

It *might* be slightly slower on direction when anchored, but when moving it seems "more accurate", less variation in direction in 'dynamic' conditions. The puck is not affected by a swinging masthead like the old cup and feathers.

I have a Raymarine C97 at nav station and a A68 at the binnacle, both display the wind app perfectly and with both true and apparent direction.

No complaints with LCJ Capteurs CV7 performance and Raymarine compatibility... it just worked. That has been a rare statement on our boat to date.
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Old 23-04-2018, 16:56   #14
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Re: LCJ Capteurs CV7 Windyplug unbox with Raymarine testing

Actually I'd like to say a bit more about older Raymarine C97 chartplotter. I got it from Hodges Marine as a refurb for some thing like $670.

I was worried that it was an older model (now almost 5 years old) and only have the dated 800x480 display. I didn't truly appreciate all the ports on the back for the two Raynet (Ethernet) and SeatalkNG (Nmea2K). I was able to connect the wired quantum radar to the C97 direct with the radar data cable and then bridge another Ethernet cable to A68 at the binnacle. No router needed. I didn't expect it to work, at least not easily... but everything just connected and worked.

Having radar at the binnacle is rockin'.
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Old 18-03-2019, 03:20   #15
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Re: LCJ Capteurs CV7 Windyplug unbox with Raymarine testing

Ronstroy - I’m trying to use an Raymarine a65 as a wind display, just like you are doing. Does Lighthouse have any way to calibrate the wind direction or speed from the CJ7? Have you found this is needed? I just say you post in another thread about the wind sensor so hopefully you will see this old thread!
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