B&G Zeus3/Navico trouble

[Maia]

Dear Cruisers,
I have problems with new chart plotters B&G Zeus³
After a short period of operation, the plotter reboots or turns off.
Sometimes the touchscreen function fails and you can only operate using the buttons, but only for a few minutes until the next random reboot.

This is the second plotter that Navico has delivered within a few weeks, but we have the same problems.
Who has had similar experiences with the stuff?
Cheers:
Maia

[Neptune's Gear]

The B&G gear is normally reliable. To me this sounds like a power supply issue, either in the MFD power supply, or on the bus, or both.
The MFD can display voltage if you select it in one of the data tabs/columns/or pages.
Otherwise check with a multimeter when the unit (and everything else) is powered on. It is no good to check while disconnected, voltage drop only shows under load.
It is very unlikely you have had 2 faulty units....

[Maia]

Thank you for your reply.
But unfortunately it is not that easy.
The voltage supply is very stable. The device is connected to a DC-DC converter. The voltage on the MFD never drops below 13Volt!
There is a volt-meter connected to display the voltage continuously.
After a somewhat longer operating time, the MFD suddenly reboots.
Sometimes the touchscreen does not work.
I am currently waiting for competent support from Navico.
But I wonder if other customers may have had similar experiences with Zeus³ or earlier with Zeus²
Cheers:
Maia

[PeterSailor]

Try removing your DC-DC converter. Zeus MDF can operate as low as 10 volts. Modern converters are switched power supply, the Zeus might not like it.

[Davo1404]

Originally Posted by PeterSailor

Try removing your DC-DC converter. Zeus MDF can operate as low as 10 volts. Modern converters are switched power supply, the Zeus might not like it.

Good point. That's what I would be doing.

[Neptune's Gear]

Agreed, either log the voltage properly or remove the DC-DC converter. It still sounds like a power issue.
i'm a navico certified tech....

[Maia]

Thank you all for the info!
I am currently not on board, but will try it out soon.

[snowbird.at]

My zeus have the same problem. When zoom it freeze and reboot. And the voltage is gold, 12.2 AS minimum

[sailjumanji]

Originally Posted by Maia

Dear Cruisers,
I have problems with new chart plotters B&G Zeus³
After a short period of operation, the plotter reboots or turns off.
Sometimes the touchscreen function fails and you can only operate using the buttons, but only for a few minutes until the next random reboot.

This is the second plotter that Navico has delivered within a few weeks, but we have the same problems.
Who has had similar experiences with the stuff?
Cheers:
Maia

Had the same problem in February last year, brand new Zeus 3, 16 inch chartplotter. Unit would turn itself off and restart. Immediately after we took delivery of new boat, and first day motoring for 12 hours, it probably did this 20 times. Called B&G and they sent me a replacement received in three days. Second unit had a different issue - you had to press the power button twice in succession to get it to power up. We swapped that one out for another unit, that did the same thing. A B&G tech said definitely we had a power issue. Every time we measured, our voltage was over 12.5. What we found was the power line had unsoldered banana connector in line behind the bulkhead, that was restricting the amperage. Apparently the unit would pull amps, not get enough, shut down because of it, and restart. Taking the connectors out of the system alleviated the issue. Turns out it was not a B&G unit problem. Frustrating as heck, and B&G told me to check it after returning the first unit, but I didn't have a way to measure. Oh, and how did we get to this wiring issue? Seawind put a Vulcan unit on the boat so I could do commissioning when it arrived in US, and we agreed to return the unit to them after. What I didn't know was they wanted us to return the wiring harness as well, and so they put banana plugs on the power wires to make it easy (I guess). No one told us. I pulled a cabinet panel to find it, after B&G insisted it was a wiring problem. The plugs didn't have good contact, and that was causing the problem.

[snowbird.at]

plotter has a menu that measures voltage and you can set alarm limit.I have set this to 12v min and 14.5v max.No alarm when plotter reboot. the last time it turned off was when i chose radar overlay
An other time when change menu

[sailjumanji]

From my experience, get a section of new, decent-guage wire and wire the chartplotter power direct to the battery. That will at least confirm it is not a wiring or amperage issue. Next, get a new harness from B&G to make sure that is not an issue. B&G also started with us doing a hard reset, and making sure software up to date.

[PeterSailor]

I bought my Zeus3 during winter and made a test bench at home to get used to it. I have a 12V 1Amp bench power supply, and the Amp needle was going to the max frequently during booting of the unit, display was going dark during those current peak and it would start to reboot until I managed to reduce screen brightness. I had to hookup a car battery to get a good boot. With the battery setup, I measured current peak of up to 3 Amp.

Any bad connection to the feed of it will definitely cause reboot.

[sailjumanji]

Originally Posted by PeterSailor

I bought my Zeus3 during winter and made a test bench at home to get used to it. I have a 12V 1Amp bench power supply, and the Amp needle was going to the max frequently during booting of the unit, display was going dark during those current peak and it would start to reboot until I managed to reduce screen brightness. I had to hookup a car battery to get a good boot. With the battery setup, I measured current peak of up to 3 Amp.

Any bad connection to the feed of it will definitely cause reboot.

Excellent info. Thanks Pete. That explains the issues i was seeing as well, and B&G tech expert expectation too.

[contrail]

I have had a Zeus 2, 7 inch display, for several years with no problems, so far.

[slug]

Originally Posted by Maia

Dear Cruisers,
I have problems with new chart plotters B&G Zeus³
After a short period of operation, the plotter reboots or turns off.
Sometimes the touchscreen function fails and you can only operate using the buttons, but only for a few minutes until the next random reboot.

This is the second plotter that Navico has delivered within a few weeks, but we have the same problems.
Who has had similar experiences with the stuff?
Cheers:
Maia

Yup ... I’m on my third B&g. plotter. Same problems as yours

None of them made it past warranty period

Cause of failure unknown

Shame, b & g normally produces good stuff