Bizarre Problems with Maretron/ Navico Electronics

[Dockhead]

I have posted about various problems I have had with my mostly Navico (B&G, Simrad) network.

Now I have one which really takes the cake.

It all started last summer when we had a horizontal rain storm which drowned my Maretron WSO100 wind instrument. After some time, this started to work again, but I found it difficult to calibrate.

I eventually got it to give more or less accurate apparent wind, but this required quite a large installation offset -- something like 80 degrees.

Now I have totally irrational TRUE wind, as the system is unable to digest the installation offset of apparent wind, or is even doing true wind backwards -- as it seems to me -- as if we were sailing backwards.

So for example I may be close hauled on a port tack, but the instruments show true wind coming from STARBOARD, which is obviously impossible.

It is as if whatever instrument on the system which computes true wind (and I can choose between one of the plotters or the AC42 autopilot computer), has not received or accepted the installation offset, or has made up its own.

Has anyone experienced anything like this?


My first thought was that there is some conflict between installation offset of the Navico gear (set via a Triton) and the installation offset set via the Maretron DSM-250, which is able to talk to the WSO100 in its proprietary language.

I had originally set the offset according to the Maretron instructions -- motor fast directly into very light wind and press "Set" in in the installation offset menu. Then I fine tuned it, as I have done in the past, using a Triton.

When I started to get this bizarre true wind result, I cancelled the DSM-250 setup by resetting to factory, and tried to do the offset purely via a Triton, which allows you to manually put in the degrees of offset -- the DSM-250 doesn't let you do that; you can only set it automatically by motoring into the wind.

But it didn't change anything.


I'm now thinking about doing a full system reset of the Navico gear, but this is a PITA. The reason for this would be to eliminate a rogue offset setting somewhere. I have had different faults in the system where not all instruments get the memo -- e.g. cancellation of alarms.



Another think I thought about trying was to try to get the Maretron N2K Analyzer software to connect so that I can see whether there are better configuration options. I have a copy of it somewhere, which came with the USB100 adapter I bought by mistake when I was doing the original installation.


I thought I would see if anyone else had any insights before doing so. Grateful for any such insights.

[lamadriver]

Its the WSO, id bet a paycheck on it . I had a very similar issue. sent it back and they repaired .

they said it was one of the following:

- ultrasonic sensors coupled to the sensor housing due to shifting or structural damage sustained to the unit.
- Excess moisture ingress into upper housing of unit.
- Ultrasonic Seal damage between upper and lower half of the unit.
- Unit out of tune with existing sensor set.


If you have access to a n2k meter, youll see crazy buss errors amongst other things.


LD

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by lamadriver

Its the WSO, id bet a paycheck on it . I had a very similar issue. sent it back and they repaired .

they said it was one of the following:

- ultrasonic sensors coupled to the sensor housing due to shifting or structural damage sustained to the unit.
- Excess moisture ingress into upper housing of unit.
- Ultrasonic Seal damage between upper and lower half of the unit.
- Unit out of tune with existing sensor set.


If you have access to a n2k meter, youll see crazy buss errors amongst other things.


LD

Now that's useful information. Thank you very much. I'll try to get N2K Analyzer working and see what it shows.

If what you say turns out to be the cause (and it makes sense), then I will need to get my backup wind instrument working -- I left the old Raymarine whirlygig. I'll need to get up the mast to put new cups on it, and then I'll need to figure out how to get the data into my network. Then I can take off the WSO100 and send it in.

[tanglewood]

I too would bet it's the WSO100. I haven't had good luck with them. The humidity in my first failed and I got it repaired by Maretron. It's since been about 3 months and it has failed again. And I don't really trust the wind anymore either.

I have an Airmar WX100 on hand ready to install, but that involves pulling a different cable through my stack which is a pain in the butt, so I haven't done it yet.

[Dauntlessny]

While it probably is the WSO100, I would first try to calibrate it using the Analyzer. IF that doesn't work, then yes, it's the WSO.

By the way, I use just N2K View and must use both the IPG and the USB modules.

[tanglewood]

Originally Posted by Dauntlessny

While it probably is the WSO100, I would first try to calibrate it using the Analyzer. IF that doesn't work, then yes, it's the WSO.

By the way, I use just N2K View and must use both the IPG and the USB modules.

Where/why do you need both modules? I use N2KView and N2KAnalyze via the IPG, both at the same time. Multiple clients is one of the advantages of the IPG.