raymarine c80

[Jacana]

Have just installed my c80 which was repaired by authorised agent due to not being able to be turned on,guess what it now comes on for about 15 seconds showing the first page ,raymarine etc.then it seems to try to go to next step where you answer via ok button ,instead it flickers off for a few seconds then repeats doing same .HELP.thanks Geoff.

[Microship]

Geoff - how is the power? That sounds a little like the way some devices react to sagging DC in. Can you measure at a point close to the unit while it is being powered? How long is the wire from the distribution panel, and what size?

(I had a C80 on my Corsair 36, and really liked it.)

Steve

[Jacana]

Thanks for reply,first thing i did was remove power cable and checked supply as i expected wiring fault causing power to come on and off however am getting a constant supply .Also thought it my be a fault with the c map card inserted though whether in or out same thing occurs.When i inquired as to what they fixed was told they replaced the main board inside the unit only cost me $780.00 to fix am now so happy i could knock a carton over F#%ke#s.Apart from that being relatively new to this forum think its amazing i can post from Queensland Australia and get advice from U.S.A Regards Geoff.

[Microship]

Geoff... with power issues, it's worth it to see if the voltage is still within spec when the unit is turned on. If there is too much resistance in the line, the application of a load will pull a normal-looking level down to something marginal. I'm not saying that's what it is, but it's a good first thing to check.

It does seem a bit strange, given the new board. My bet is that it's OK and that something local is amiss. Try unplugging the GPS (NMEA) input and any other devices you may have... a ground loop can make a mess. If all else fails, try it "on the bench" with a known good power supply (direct from a car battery or similar). I'm sure that's a bit of a pain since you probably have the power cable nicely installed, so try the in situ experiments first. Can you get to the power at a point not too far from the unit? In a pinch, you can probe into insulation with a pin or needle, clipping your multimeter to them securely... then seal it with goop to make sure they don't wick in salt water over time.

Hopefully it will be something simple and that kick, well placed, might locate an intermittent connection!

One question: is the symptom you are seeing now the same as the one that prompted you to send it in for service? (Man, $780... that is NUTS... even with falling US dollars. Did they tell you that the old one was actually defective?)

Cheers,
Steve

[Jacana]

Steve, Was given quote to fix unit $780 versus $3000 for new one and was told its not unusual for it to stuff up .Have used mine constantly 10 months on boat last year without problems ,figured as unit is 3 years old and spend more time on than off boat cant complain about product so far.UNLESS its not fixed.Taking your advice on board am about to go to a mates boat to unplug his c80 and replace with mine to see if its a power supply problem if so ill either just take his unit or if he is watching me least ill have positive answer and ill bring mine back thanks for info ill let you know in an hour how i went.Psst.is $780 expensive to repair or should i have bought new unit guess have spent at least 2 years sailing on boat out of last three and use c80 all the time? Regards.Geoff.

[Microship]

Ah, perfect - swapping into his boat will answer all those questions without poking and prodding. I hope it works fine over there; the fix is then pretty simple compared to having to ship it back for more service. Given that it was out of warranty, if the $780 really fixed it I guess it's way better than a new one, but still... I feel your pain.

Oh, one other thing to try - fire it up without your chart card. If the basemap works fine, then you've isolated the problem.

I was delighted with my C80, and last year on a trip to Desolation Sound it served me well. My new boat has old electronics and I may get another one (not sure yet). The new version of the C80 software supports AIS.

The best blog I've found for discussion of new whiz-bang marine gizmology, by the way, is Panbo.

Looking forward to hearing the results of your test; I may not be back for 8-9 hours (it's sleepytime here at 48N 122W).

Cheers,
Steve

[Jacana]

Steve,Already tried with and without card ,just back from trying in a mates boat exactly the same as in mine,guess its back to workshop ,cause its sunday in Australia thought id give forum a try so i could tell the doctor whats wrong ,dont they love that .Would have got my mates c80 but he was watching me like a hawk ,jees if you cant trust your neighbours there is something wrong.Dont have a local repairer here only an agent out at Riviera Marine so i cant even talk to repairer face to face though i do trust whatever they tell me and just send a signed blank cheque for them to fill in the correct amount of the repair,bet his boats bigger than mine.Thanks again Geoff.

[Microship]

Gak, sorry to hear that... hopefully they will cover the problem and not charge you again; that's pretty strange. I have heard a few less-than-complimentary comments about Raymarine service, but have no experience myself as my unit worked perfecdtly. Good luck; sorry it wasn't an easy fix!

Steve

[Jacana]

Hi Steve ,Just an update had unit fired up by local agent same thing happens they are sending unit back for repair and were doing all they can to get it fixed pronto cant complain about the service .Regards Geoff.

[Microship]

Great, Geoff, glad to hear they're handling it for you. There is certainly no way you should have to pay again; I hope the turnaround is quick and that it's reliable from now on!

Cheers,
Steve