B&G WS310 wind sensor claims to be ok, but no wind data

[MathiasW]

Hi all,

I have a B&G installation throughout, which has been working great until recently. Whilst all instruments were running, the wind sensor WS310 stopped working all of a sudden and showed not data ever since. It was raining heavily then, but not sure this had anything to do with it.

When I look in the Network screen on my Zeus3 plotter, I can see the WS310 and it claims as status 'ok'.

I upgraded to the latest B&G SW, version 20, to make sure I am not having any issues there.

I bought a complete new set of WS310, meaning the wind sensor at the top, some cable to connect it to its interface, and the NMEA interface itself. So, this is a complete new kit.

I located the old wind sensor interface and where it is hooked into the NMEA network, disconnected it, and connected the new kit. (Whilst all was powered down.)

Upon powering up the system I can see the new kit displayed in the Network screen on my plotter, it has a new #ID, a different SW version, so it is definitely the new kit.

But still, I have no wind data on my displays...

Do I need to tell the system somewhere in a hidden config window that it should please also use these wind data? (And if so, why would it have stopped doing that in the first place.)

I now suspect that my old unit is, in fact, still ok, but something else has happened. But I am at a loss as to what that might be.

Any help is much appreciated.

Cheers

Mathias

[smac999]

you need to select it as the source in the network data sources. I can't remember exact term off hand.

[MathiasW]

Originally Posted by smac999

you need to select it as the source in the network data sources. I can't remember exact term off hand.

Oh! Great! I just searched for it and found indeed in the screen Network a sub window ...Sources... In this I could select the new sensor and then that one started to work.

So, tomorrow I will switch over all components part by part to see which one is faulty.

Thanks again!

[jbchrist]

Hi all

I have exactly the same problem as Mathias had. A ws310 and Zeus3 on a N2k net. The Zeus3 (and a Maretron display agree) says the unit is active on the N2k net.

You can click into the config page and for example change a setup angle. But the data page is empty as is the fields where wind info used to show up (I stripped the boat of Raymarine sensors and screens, and boy, that was no good idea!)

I have tried to drill into all submenus in order to activate something, but find nowhere to click a box of similar.

[MathiasW]

In the end, it turned out my wind sensor at the top was faulty and I had to replace it...

Cheers, Mathias

[CAVOK]

I have had a similar problem on my B&G WS310 unit.
With all the problems people are experiencing is it just a bad design or construction.
Have B&G admitted any fault in their units. They just shouldn’t be failing in 12 months.

[MathiasW]

Of course B&G did not admit to anything! But they did harass me to show proof of having destroyed the old unit for fulfilling the warranty claim. Which was odd, since they did send me a new one under warranty, and asked for a photo proof of having destroyed the old unit only many weeks later. By that time that unit had become a DIY mixing tool...

[s/v Jedi]

The confusion is caused by having a NMEA0183 sensor, connected using a cable down the mast to a NMEA0183->NMEA2000 converter which is then connected to the NMEA2000 network.

Your instruments see the converter and it reports as being fine, but it may not receive NMEA0183 data from the masthead sensor because of a problem with that sensor or the mast cable.

I don’t think it’s a bad design, but birds and lightning can wreak havoc up there. I saw a hawk flying off with my sensor in its talons

[CAVOK]

The mast head unit seems undamaged and moving freely. I’m not quite sure about your statement about the various nmea interfaces. Does that mean it is trying to tie older technology with newer systems. It’s above my pay scale unfortunately. Just a PITA for full time cruisers who are moving continually.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by CAVOK

The mast head unit seems undamaged and moving freely. I’m not quite sure about your statement about the various nmea interfaces. Does that mean it is trying to tie older technology with newer systems. It’s above my pay scale unfortunately. Just a PITA for full time cruisers who are moving continually.

No, they use NMEA0183 to get the signal down the mast without needing to extend an NMEA2000 backbone uo to the masthead with terminators etc. It’s a good setup.

Sensor moving freely has nothing to do with it’s internal circuitry. I believe you determined it was the masthead sensor, so without evidence of external damage, it must be the electronics that failed. A lightning induced transient surge in the cable or emp from a near strike can all do that, as well as a component failure.

NMEA is not a PITA when you remember how it was before we got that. I remember reading depth by looking into a tube with a spinning disc and lights dancing around a rough printed scale. That was a PITA.

[CAVOK]

Hi Jedi
You mentioned that nearby lightning strikes could have caused the problem. In that case, would it be a masthead unit replacement ( because of internal damage) or is it a reprogram/ reset of the system?

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by CAVOK

Hi Jedi
You mentioned that nearby lightning strikes could have caused the problem. In that case, would it be a masthead unit replacement ( because of internal damage) or is it a reprogram/ reset of the system?

I see you are not the OP. It turned out that the masthead sensor was causing the fault, I don’t know what is wrong with your installation…

[jbchrist]

Originally Posted by jbchrist

Hi all

I have exactly the same problem as Mathias had. A ws310 and Zeus3 on a N2k net. The Zeus3 (and a Maretron display agree) says the unit is active on the N2k net.

You can click into the config page and for example change a setup angle. But the data page is empty as is the fields where wind info used to show up (I stripped the boat of Raymarine sensors and screens, and boy, that was no good idea!)

I have tried to drill into all submenus in order to activate something, but find nowhere to click a box of similar.

I all fairness, I can now report that the sensor is working without faults. Cannot really say why it gave such problems at the time of installation.
Jorgen

[rapiti]

Same issues here. I get that network sees converter and reads ok even without wind data. Our failure came one hour after departing St Augustine over the sandbar with some waves. Up the rig inspection shows my wire suspension scheme had failed, and the wire was under load, so this may be my source of trouble. I think I will go back with my old 508 unit.

[Bucket]

Same problem here. Original WS310 which came with new Vision 444 (Dec 2022 launch) failed around June. Purchased a new one and sent back the original for warranty replacement. I only replaced the wind sensor (not the cable, nor the Wind Interface) and immediately got wind data. The new one just failed today after around 3 months. Same symptoms as the first time. The Zeus 3S sees the Wind Interface on the NMEA2K bus, but no NMEA0183 data from the wind instrument. Very frustrating, but at least its an easy fix for those not afraid of heights.
I was worried that maybe the mast cable was damaged, which is taking out the wind sensor, but can't see how that could happen if it's been working 100% until today. Makes me think there is just a design issue, especially seeing that others have had the same issue.
As an aside, when replaced, you must go into the Settings->Network->Sources->Apparent Wind and select the new wind sensor as the new source as it will have a new serial number and the MFD locks onto the selected sources by that identifier.