E-Series chart plotter

[Pitchondesign]

Here is the picture of the E80 bulbs.....

[travellerw]

Originally Posted by Pitchondesign

Here is the picture of the E80 bulbs.....

Oh man, that is completely different the my C80. My C80 had 2 straight bulbs on the top an bottom like a modern monitor. That image looks like a throwback from the 90s. I bet that one has a brighter screen (than the C80) though.

Check the LCD parts link I posted earlier. I bet they will have an exact replacement (usually brighter bulbs).

[rancher44]

So let me get this straight in my mind .
The unit has a bulb that will cause failure in 5-7 years [or in my case 4 months]. And this all could be avoided by using LED bulbs.
Am I understanding this correctly?
And maybe the life of the unit could be prolonged by dimming the unit when possible.
This sounds to me like poor design--I am really mad!!!!

[travellerw]

Originally Posted by rancher44

So let me get this straight in my mind .
The unit has a bulb that will cause failure in 5-7 years [or in my case 4 months]. And this all could be avoided by using LED bulbs.
Am I understanding this correctly?
And maybe the life of the unit could be prolonged by dimming the unit when possible.
This sounds to me like poor design--I am really mad!!!!

I doubt your failure was due to a bulb. Although not impossible, it would be ver rare to have a failure at 4 months. CCFL technology has been around a very long time and is very mature. Your failure is most likely something else, and if you have had multiple failures, I would look at the install (power supply, location, ect).

You do have to remember that these units were designed and entered service LONG before LED technology was mainstream. The E80 went into service in 2003, which means it began its design around 2001 or so! You can be mad and think its a design flaw, but its not. Its a design constraint that the engineers were forced to compromise on in the early 2000s. Chartplotters should actually have a longer life than a TV or computer monitor as they are not turn on as often. Although this may be cancelled out since they usually run at a higher brightness level.

Again, I would suggest you look closely at your install if you are having multiple failures. These plotters are well designed and using quality components, although failures can happen, it would be super rare to have multiple failures. 1000s of these plotters were installed on boats around the world that gave YEARS of service. My C80 was installed in 2004 and operated till this year before I needed to change the bulbs.

[rancher44]

This forum is so great . Thanks for the post . I really am novice when it comes to electronic's. I do know how to turn on my computer and that ends the techno level. My daughter is amazed that I can text on my phone.
Anyway I had the unit installed by a tech and I also just had a galvanic isolator installed Could be that I had a power surge or got hit by lighting.
Any way thanks for alll the help and tolerance.

[rancher44]

UPDATE !!
Got the unit back and it went out the first trip trip Ray marine has offered to replace the unit with a newer model. I have checked every thing from install to every thing else.plus a raymarine cert tech.
So the saga goes on