Seatalk Fail Error

[CptJ-GS50]

Seatalk Fail Error
Equipment: Smart Pilot ST7001 & ST-50 Tri-Data
Blindly running new rubber fuel line under the floor I would have crossed over two cables.
I suspect the Fluxgate cabling would be the damaged cable as it snaked under the floor in I assume the same path as I ran the fuel line. The computer to sea talk ran pretty much parallel and not under the floor.
After running the last leg of the fuel line I received a Seatalk Fail error. Everything was in perfect running order prior to the fuel line installation so it sounds like it should be pretty simple. ((Yeah…complex electrical is not my strong suit))
Trouble shooting guides say to check cables and connections. Of course I can’t see beneath the floor so I have been checking the voltage at each end of the cables. The voltages all match from the course computer to the Controller and the Fluxgate. However, the blue FLUXGATE has no of very little voltage at the Smartpilot terminal hence the same reading at the FLUXGATE.
What should this reading be? I’m concerned that something may have shorted back to the computer?
I have not yet performed the Fluxgate Compass ohm Test or the Power Checks on the main board. Can you tell me what the voltage reading should be at the terminal on the blue fluxgate connection. The red green & yellow test out at around 4.5V if I remember correctly and the blue is negligible.
Once I have verified all of this I will probably seek return for mfg service

I need to resolve this issue as I am looking to upgrade from the ST-50 to es9-Series equipment.

[ErikFinn]

Sorry I can't help you much but my friend is going through the same battle with exactly same symptoms. He had a Raymarine tech look at the unit who after few hours said he will come back next day but never did. My friend took the computer to Raymarine for checking and it is supposed to be ok. So we do reckon its the cable/cables.. But so far no joy.. Anyone experienced this before please help..

[smac999]

the flux gate is not on the seatalk bus. the voltage wouldn't be the same and I doubt it would give you a seatalk error.

the seatalk cable will only be between your pilot brain, screen, and the st50. if the pilot screen and st50 power up. then the red and sheild cables are fine. the seatalk error will be from the yellow cable.

[CptJ-GS50]

I guess I am not doing a good job explaining what I want to know. Attatched are two images of the smartpilot computer. There are 4 color wires terminals plus the screen on the left side clearly marked FLUXGATE.
This is what I want to know. I am trying to find out what the voltage reading is at the BLUE terminal connection, if there is one.

I really appreciate it if anyone can give me that reading. Seems Raymarine is unable to figure out my request either.

[CptJ-GS50]

Originally Posted by smac999

the flux gate is not on the seatalk bus. the voltage wouldn't be the same and I doubt it would give you a seatalk error.

the seatalk cable will only be between your pilot brain, screen, and the st50. if the pilot screen and st50 power up. then the red and sheild cables are fine. the seatalk error will be from the yellow cable.

Thank you for this info. The instruments all power up so this is helping me to isolate the problem ... All indications are pointing to the fluxgate cable which is why I am seeking the voltage on the blue cable. Testing voltages from the Computer terminals to the fluxgate unit itself they are identical. I am just trying to verify what the voltage is at the BLUE terminal on the smartpilot wire connection.

[CptJ-GS50]

Originally Posted by ErikFinn

Sorry I can't help you much but my friend is going through the same battle with exactly same symptoms. He had a Raymarine tech look at the unit who after few hours said he will come back next day but never did. My friend took the computer to Raymarine for checking and it is supposed to be ok. So we do reckon its the cable/cables.. But so far no joy.. Anyone experienced this before please help..

I feel your friends pain. When I had "Magic" in Alameda it seemed everyone I delt with was the consummate professional. I paid the price in many ways from 800 miles away. Up here in Portland I have found only one that I feel I can trust and a shopping list of flakes.
I'm doing my best to diagnose the issues before I make a call. At around $115 per hour plus travel time you can burn up $700 in an afternoon really quick. I can buy another SmartPilot computer and fluxgate for less than a service call and this is sad.

[CptJ-GS50]

Checking my Raymarine forum responses I got this one just now from the moderator:
Testing the course computer's rudder terminals in the manner which has been suggested is not valid and as such, has not been included within the fluxgate transducer test. The voltage across the red and green terminals should be approximately 5V and the voltage measured on the other terminals will vary with the sensing of the fluxgate. Accordingly, a voltage cannot be specified for the blue terminal. That said, it is highly unlikely that a damaged fluxgate cable would result in a SeaTalk failure.

[jamhass]

I damaged my Flux gate cable when running a new wire. Didn't get an error per se but pilot went a bit crazy. Found the damage visually and repaired. Hard to diagnose with the cable connected to the fluxgate, but obvious once removed from the boat.

[boatbod]

Fluxgate compass is tested with an ohm meter according to procedure specified in raymarine knowledge base. Seatalk is a three wire bus that you could disconnect from equipment and test with an ohm meter too. Alternatively you can unhook the equipment and add it back in one device at a time until you find the failure.

[transmitterdan]

Flux gate does not use sea talk. Sea talk error is most likely due to a short or open on the yellow wire of the sea talk bus. It is the only wire besides + and gnd power wires.

[boatbod]

Originally Posted by transmitterdan

Flux gate does not use sea talk. Sea talk error is most likely due to a short or open on the yellow wire of the sea talk bus. It is the only wire besides + and gnd power wires.

An open on the yellow wire won't cause a "seatalk fail" error but a short to ground or +supply certainly will. A failed seatalk device can also cause the same error, which is why unplugging everything and reconnecting one device at a time can pinpoint the problem.

[CptJ-GS50]

Originally Posted by jamhass

I damaged my Flux gate cable when running a new wire. Didn't get an error per se but pilot went a bit crazy. Found the damage visually and repaired. Hard to diagnose with the cable connected to the fluxgate, but obvious once removed from the boat.

I'm getting my info together and heading towards the boat shortly. I is a rather short run of cable from the computer to the Fluxgate and I have ((I think)) the extra long coil of cable at the computer. I think I can gently pull thru new cable from the coil and do a visual inspection from there. Good info, thanks.

[CptJ-GS50]

Originally Posted by boatbod

An open on the yellow wire won't cause a "seatalk fail" error but a short to ground or +supply certainly will. A failed seatalk device can also cause the same error, which is why unplugging everything and reconnecting one device at a time can pinpoint the problem.

Great, I'm pulling all this information into a troubleshooting document for easy point by point following. You guys are giving me more info that the Raymarine forum ppl. I guess it is the "Sailor" can do McGyver attitude we have.

[transmitterdan]

Originally Posted by boatbod

An open on the yellow wire won't cause a "seatalk fail" error but a short to ground or +supply certainly will. A failed seatalk device can also cause the same error, which is why unplugging everything and reconnecting one device at a time can pinpoint the problem.

If the yellow data wire connected to a device (e.g. Pilot control head) is open (connects to nothing) you should get an error message. It may be the "no pilot" or "seatalk error" message.

[ErikFinn]

Originally Posted by boatbod

An open on the yellow wire won't cause a "seatalk fail" error but a short to ground or +supply certainly will. A failed seatalk device can also cause the same error, which is why unplugging everything and reconnecting one device at a time can pinpoint the problem.

I don't want to hijack this thread from the OP and cause confusion, just wanted to clarify that my friend with the identical problem changed all the display units one by one as he had unused spares but the "Seatalk Fail" error prevailed. Only one cable wasn't changed which is a long one from indoor cockpit to the transom outside cockpit and its a fairly long cable as the boat is a 50 footer. In my opinion evidence points to that cable. (I don't have more details at the moment)