Replacing/Upgrading Raymarine ST50

[Tenedos]

Ahoy sailors,

My electronics have aged quite a bit. I have a Raymarine ST50 set. I recently damaged my wind wane, finding parts was a pain. So I fixed it with a DIY project, now need to go up the mast again to install it. Apart from that everything is working (knocking on wood).

But independent of that, it is time for me to add a chart plotter and maybe a radar. I already have a AIS transceiver (AMEC) that I use on my iPad with iSailor and iNavX but I would like to get a dedicated chart plotter. I was thinking of using this opportunity to upgrade everything and I got a quote for installing a B&G system, including a radar: $16k (yikes!). So I went back to drawing board

So here is what I am thinking and I would like to get a sense of whether this is sane at all:

I would like to get a Raymarine SeaTalk 1 to SeaTalk ng Converter Kit (E22158), Raymarine Axiom 7 Multifunction Display (E70363-00-NAG) and NavPod GP1500-33 Pre-Cut SystemPod (GP1500-33 and A80498). Theory is that I can connect this to my existing instruments by using the E22158 and to AIS by using NMEA 2000, and then have the option to install a Raymarine radar later on. This would cost me a mere $1,300 and I think I can do the installation myself. That being said, I have no idea if this will work at all and what I need to pay attention to.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

Many thanks in advance.

[smac999]

if the existing stuff is all working. then yes it'll fine. as long as everything gets hooked up right. the converters are a little tricky, you need to make sure it's not powered from both sides.

[muttnik]

IIRC ST50s aren't officially supported by the seatalk1 to seatalkng converter but this is exactly the set-up I have and it it works with one exception: the off-track indicator on the heading display doesn't work with the autopilot engaged. Other than that everything is fine.

[Tenedos]

Originally Posted by smac999

you need to make sure it's not powered from both sides.

Thanks smac999, can you elaborate on this? I will have both seatalkng and seatalk 1 in the new setup. seatalk 1 side is already powered. Does this mean I don't need to power the setalkng?

[svmobert]

Originally Posted by Tenedos

Thanks smac999, can you elaborate on this? I will have both seatalkng and seatalk 1 in the new setup. seatalk 1 side is already powered. Does this mean I don't need to power the setalkng?

If the SeaTalk1 network is powered and you are adding a small amount of SeaTalkNG through the Raymarine ST1-to-STNG adapter, then the NMEA2000/SeaTalkNG network will be powered through the converter.

You can alternatively power the SeaTalkNG network and NOT power the SeaTalk1 network.

I have this same converter on our boat which I used to add a SeatalkNG Raystar GPS to my existing SeaTalk1 network. The GPS and Converter are both powered from the SeaTalk1 bus. I also have the SeaTalkNG to NMEA0183 converter (which is really just the same converter running in a different mode, it's also powered by same setup and feeds my SSB's GPS input.

[smac999]

you can also power both and just cut a power wire on one side before the converter. if you have a large network of both that is best. for redundancy incase one side has an issue.

the problem here is if the seatalk converter is powered up before the seatalk bus is. it will not work. so the seatalk needs to be turned on before the seatalk ng. (if no seatalk is found on start up it becomes a nmea183 converter) so it's best to cut the seatalk ng power wire to avoid this issue, so the converter is always powered at the same time as seatalk. but this is hard since the converter is part of the bus... you end up cutting power wire in the backbone cable and then not using the seatalk ng ports in the seatalk converter. it's a tricky unit. took a lot of playing with to learn how it really works. I have installed lots and they are all wired differently depending on boat setup.

but to the question. you don't want to power both sides as power just flows through it, and you'll end up basicly double feeding both. or back feeding. and either breaker / fuse will power both sides.

[smac999]

like this..
on this boat power was split so at anchor existing seatalk autopilot could be turned off (powers seatalk) but new vhf and ais could be left on, and vhf could keep getting gps pos from ais since n2k bus was still powered. generally systems need overall total design and planning...

[Tenedos]

Thank you smac999, really appreciate the detailed information and drawing!

[smac999]

the easiest is if you just add it to your seatalk and power off there. but depends on what everything else is.