Raymarine C80

[Jacana]

Need advice please,have a Raymarine C80 about 8 yers old.I use my boat daily and for some unknown reason my C80 beeps and I lose satelite gps, screen and power still work but i cannot find where the fault is.Anyone had a similar problem and a fix.Thanks Geoff.

[GeoPowers]

Yes, I had that problem. My troubleshooting procedures were to first make sure the GPS receiver had good sat reception. When you start it up, it probably has a light that blinks. When it doesn't have a fix and is still acquiring its position, it is yellow. When it has a good fix it is green. Check to see if it is green when you loose fix position at your plotter. If it isn't, it isn't an erroneous error, and the GPS actually has lost its fix position. It could be due to your new grill blocking coverage, a bad gps, or a govt conspiracy. If you are like me, it will be green.

My next step was to trace out the line for breaks, damage, etc. I found none. I traced the wire to the pedestal.

Next was to check connections at the pedestal where the plotter was mounted. I found some evidence of corrosion, so I cleaned up the connections with some alcohol to remove the verdigris. I hooked all back up, same problem. Opened the pedestal back up, and this time used electronics cleaner and cleaned connections very thoroughly and has been working trouble-free ever since (touch wood).

Good luck in your troubleshooting, I promise I found no gremlins hiding along the way!

Frank

[Steve Thompson]

Geoff
I had a similar problem a while ago where the gps would sometimes not find satalites .After trying all connections I tried a different antenna and found the problem
cheers Steve

[goboatingnow]

If the gps is connected vis seatalk check all the connections the silly little pushfit seatalk connectors are the source of more issues.


Dave

[Opie91]

The C80 is a display. You connect an external GPS, most likely a Raystar(GPS/Antenna all in one unit). Check out the connection for the antenna/gps. Other than that it is most likely the antenna. They are not cheap though. If it is the antenna and you were thinking about upgrading your C80 now might be the time.

Here is a link to one:

Raymarine Raystar 120 SeaTalk

Good luck.

[Pete7]

Janaca,

The problem isn't in the cables but the GPS 125 ariel. Are you aware there are a pair of watch batteries inside which eventually start to run down and then only occasionally lock on until they completely fail, resulting in a "no GPS" error on the C80.

Carefully take the GPS ariel apart and a couple of the screws were hidden under a Raymarine label on mine then remove the batteries. The early versions had the batteries soldered in but later versions had a more normal little plastic holder like a watch to secure them.

Regards

Peter

[PamlicoTraveler]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Are you aware there are a pair of watch batteries inside which eventually start to run down and then only occasionally lock on until they completely fail, resulting in a "no GPS" error on the C80.

He may be, but I sure didn't. Thanks!

[Pete7]

You don't want to know how long it took two of us swopping components between two boats to find this.

However, isn't this one of the great strengths of CF. Someone in Oz probably miles from the nearest Raymarine dealer (who would sell him a new one) posts a question and goes to bed. Whilst he gets his head down half a dozen people around the world who are complete strangers and unlikely to ever meet, work on the problem thinking up solutions for him ready for the next day.

If it is the batteries at least it's a $3 repair rather than $300.

Pete

[motion30]

Do all the antennas have batteries the 120 and the 125?

[Pete7]

Hmm, don't know, I have only opened up a 125 unit.

Pete

[richardhula]

Many GPS receivers use similar internal battery which is not always designed with user replacement in mind, although generally it can be done. This battery allows storage of Almanac data when unit is switched off allowing quick fix on next startup. The results of a dead internal battery are that unit has to search & find satellites before it can even start to calculate position. This can take over 30 minutes.

Note that Garmin GPS12 (almost certainly others) when run on slightly lower voltage re-chargeable AA batteries causes internal battery to discharge prematurely after as little as one year, due to small back current. Garmin pointed this out when they replaced mine twice for free.

[nigel1]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Janaca,

Are you aware there are a pair of watch batteries inside which eventually start to run down and then only occasionally lock on until they completely fail, resulting in a "no GPS" error on the C80.

Hi Pete, thanks for that piece of info, now, would you be able to recall the battery type/number, might be useful to have a couple in the spares bin.

[Pete7]

Nigel hi,

Wish I could, but it was 3 years ago we changed mine and then a friends. Unfortunately the scanned photo copy above isn't quite clear enough to read the Varta label. The batteries are about the size of our 10p piece (that's one inch diameter for our US friends) and a local watch repair shop recognised them straight away so they are obviously a standard item.

However, I agree with your idea especially if you were prepping for an offshore trip.

Perhaps Janaca can come back to us when he replaces his with the model number as a permanent record on CF. The 125s were very popular and now they have been around for a few years there are going to be more slowly failing.

Pete

[nigel1]

Looks like it could be CR2032, which is a vlid number. I'm on the boat Monday prepping for a few days sail, I'll open it up and check.

[Jacana]

Thanks for info.so far my antenna is a seatalk raymarine 120 I cannot unbolt from vessel looks like bolts maybe glassed over, can I open the antenna housing without unbolting from base and also whats the best glass cleaner for the C180 after 10 years its blotchy and scratchy.
Cheers Geoff.