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02-08-2018, 00:20
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Hobart
Boat: Alloy Peterson 40
Posts: 3,919
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Simrad 4g radar full of water
Just pulled our faulty radar off the workboat.
It had about 3 inches of water inside it with no obvious sources for the water. And we had to undo the unit to drain it. Dome nit cracked, base clear, seal good etc. Tech guy said condensation, but I find it hard to believe that quality of water got in just from condensation. The unit is about 4 years old, but has only been installed for a couple of years.
I see no obvious drain hole, just some weird bungs at the bottom of the unit that didn't let the water out.
So this is both a warning, and a question. If you have one it might be worth checking, and even drilling a small hole.
Seems they don't make radars like they used to..
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02-08-2018, 01:38
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#2
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Moderator and Certifiable Refitter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: South of 43 S, Australia
Boat: C.L.O.D.
Posts: 20,461
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Re: Simrad 4g radar full of water
3" of water???? Crikey, that's a lot! I don't buy the condensation explanation, no way.
Maybe the radome seal isn't as good as it looks. Could the radome deform slightly in heavy winds or violent motion (heavy weather) and make the seal faulty.
Driving rain (or spray)???
Was the water fresh?
How high is it mounted?
Still working OK?
Some units do have small drain holes to allow condensation to escape but 3" is a lot.
__________________
All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangereous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible. T.E. Lawrence
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02-08-2018, 03:46
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Hobart
Boat: Alloy Peterson 40
Posts: 3,919
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Re: Simrad 4g radar full of water
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wotname
3" of water???? Crikey, that's a lot! I don't buy the condensation explanation, no way.
Maybe the radome seal isn't as good as it looks. Could the radome deform slightly in heavy winds or violent motion (heavy weather) and make the seal faulty.
Driving rain (or spray)???
Was the water fresh?
How high is it mounted?
Still working OK?
Some units do have small drain holes to allow condensation to escape but 3" is a lot.
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I didn't taste it, but it seemed like fresh water.
The unit is toast.
It was about 2.5 meters above the water.
I guess its possible that water got driven under and then up the seal in strong winds, but It seems unlikely, as the seal is good and it's designed with about 10mm overlap so gravity should keep even driving rain out. I guess water could get in the plug, but the water level seemed to be well above the plug level.
Even shaking it, and turning it on its side I couldn't get any the water out of the unit until I opened it up. Odd...
Anyway not my unit, so I am not wearing the cost, but it does worry me that many other units may have the same issue. The tech guy seemed to think it was pretty normal for these Simrads.
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02-08-2018, 04:42
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#4
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Palmetto, FL
Boat: "Wanderlust" -- 1999 Jefferson Rivanna 52'
Posts: 874
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Re: Simrad 4g radar full of water
Three inches of water that didn't even drip when you shook it or turned it? That's not normal for any brand.
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02-08-2018, 04:58
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Caribbean live aboard
Boat: Camper & Nicholson58 Ketch - ROXY Traverse City, Michigan No.668283
Posts: 6,372
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Re: Simrad 4g radar full of water
Let’s postulate daytime heating expands the air inside which finds a way to escape. Night cooling causes the reverse. So would rain. If there was liquid water present, it might get sucked in. Sounds like proper drains and vents should be part of the design. I have an early 2G not working. I will check when we return to Trinidad.
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02-08-2018, 05:20
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Hobart
Boat: Alloy Peterson 40
Posts: 3,919
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Re: Simrad 4g radar full of water
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nicholson58
Let’s postulate daytime heating expands the air inside which finds a way to escape. Night cooling causes the reverse. So would rain. If there was liquid water present, it might get sucked in. Sounds like proper drains and vents should be part of the design. I have an early 2G not working. I will check when we return to Trinidad.
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That makes a lot of sense, I hadn't thought of the warming/cooling cycle sucking water up almost by capillary action/wicking. I suspect the llugs in the bottom are supposed to stop this happening or drain it somehow, but I can't see how they work, and obviously they didn't..
The inside has a substantial aluminum case and scanner. It felt very cold and would act as a big heatsink.
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02-08-2018, 05:39
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#7
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Marine Service Provider
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Northern Caribbean
Boat: Cheoy Lee, 44 Cutter. Dolce Far Niente
Posts: 564
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Re: Simrad 4g radar full of water
I had the same unit and it also filled with water after one year. I called Simrad customer support and after a discussion they had me return the unit. They told me they were having problems with the seals, and sent me a brand new unit. The new unit went through hurricanes Irma and Maria in St Maarten and again filled with water. I guess they have not fixed the seal problem. Not sure what to do now as I doubt they are going to send me another replacement dome.
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02-08-2018, 07:37
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: La Honda, California
Boat: Beneteau Oceanis 50
Posts: 364
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Re: Simrad 4g radar full of water
I
Water in a radar is not limited to Simrad. My Raymarine unit also collected water. The seals looked OK, and the water was fresh, not salt. I drill some small drain holes at the lowest point in the case, when mounted, problem solved.
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02-08-2018, 09:57
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: SC
Boat: None,build the one shown of glass, had many from 6' to 48'.
Posts: 10,208
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Re: Simrad 4g radar full of water
Seems to me having a J trap drain, similar to what an AC condensation pan has, would solve the problem.
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02-08-2018, 10:28
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Bay of Fundy,Grand Manan,N.B.,Canada N44.40 W66.50
Boat: Mascot 28 pilothouse motorsailer 28ft
Posts: 3,317
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Re: Simrad 4g radar full of water
From personal experience with various brands of radomes over many years:
If your dome did not come with a drain,drill a 3/16 (4mm) hole clear thru the aluminum cast base & mounting bracket. A good place for this hole is close to the cable gland (rear of dome) at lowest spot.
Driving rain & seawater, during high winds, can leak up by the cover gasket of the flimsy plastic domes used today.
The early domes were of GRP,had a reinforced rim design & rarely leaked. Not so anymore.
The most condensate that I ever saw in a radar was about a tablespoon.That was in an open scanner cast aluminum housing that had been installed on a platform without drilling a hole in the platform fot the rubber drain tube. Temps varied from -10F to + 80F.
My experience / Len
__________________
My personal experience & humble opinions-feel free to ignore both
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02-08-2018, 11:40
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: San Rafael, Ca.
Boat: Gaff rigged Ketch[Spray]37' on deck
Posts: 602
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Re: Simrad 4g radar full of water
So is the warranty going to be voided if one drills a drain hole ?, probably .
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02-08-2018, 11:43
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: San Rafael, Ca.
Boat: Gaff rigged Ketch[Spray]37' on deck
Posts: 602
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Re: Simrad 4g radar full of water
So, if i drill a drain hole in my new 4 G radar, is my warranty going to be voided, probably.
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02-08-2018, 11:54
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 27
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Re: Simrad 4g radar full of water
Same problem. Resolved two years ago. The vent and drain , two openings on the bottom, were reversed so that condensate couldn’t drain. Got three units from them before I finally opened the last one before mounting and fixed.
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02-08-2018, 11:58
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 27
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Re: Simrad 4g radar full of water
BTW. The vent is the one with the stand pipe, the drain is flush to the case. It breathes when hot and cold.
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02-08-2018, 15:33
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Hobart
Boat: Alloy Peterson 40
Posts: 3,919
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Re: Simrad 4g radar full of water
Thanks For the replies. Seems this definitely isn't an odd one out. The incorrectly installed drains/vents sound like a likely cause. I'll have a look and take some pics. But it seems like a small hole is the best bet if you have a working example of one of these radomes.
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