ST60 Depth vs. ST60+ Depth

[Ex-Calif]

Looking at my Christmas wish list.

The glass on my ST60 Depth gauge has really clouded up and is illegible although the underlying numbers are clear and it is otherwise working fine.

Question 1 - Has anyone taken one of these apart and polished the glass?

Question 2 - The ST60 gauge is discontinued. Will the current transducer work with a new ST60+ gauge? It is only 60 bucks or so to get the guage with a new trasnducer but it will also require a haul out.

Thanks in advance

[bewitched]

Q1 - I have the opposite problem with mine - glass is clear but display is stuffed!!

Q2 - ST60 speaks Seatalk, so does ST60+, so should be compatible in all respects

[Ex-Calif]

Thanks bewitched - we should get my guts together with your glass...

I anticipated the transducer should work but the only dumb questions are those not asked.

The bad news is I was drooling over the keyboard this afternoon getting scope creep.

"Gee. Speed would be nice to have... And while I am at it why not wind? Oh, heck let's just get it all..." <sigh>

[Blue Stocking]

Ex-Calif,

Best wind info.

Rail in the water, reduce sail,
Rail not in the water, add sail.
Sometimes ya jus can't win

[Delezynski]

Ex-Calif,

have you tried polishing the clear covering?

Try using tooth paste to polish out all the fogging. It worked for a couple of gauges we have.


Greg

[rustypirate]

Airmar transducer part numbers for ST60 instruments do not specify any difference for the + models.

You can verify by going to the Airmar website:
Form Response

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by Delezynski

Ex-Calif,

have you tried polishing the clear covering?

Try using tooth paste to polish out all the fogging. It worked for a couple of gauges we have.


Greg

Thanks Greg. I don't know what happened but it looks as if the instrument ran with the cover on and the glass overheated. I don'[t know if that is possible or what happened - I have a partner on the boat. But the "blackening" is on the inside surface. Weird...

Originally Posted by Blue Stocking

Ex-Calif,

Best wind info.

Rail in the water, reduce sail,
Rail not in the water, add sail.
Sometimes ya jus can't win

Currently I use a wetted finger with a piece of yarn tied around it.

Originally Posted by rustypirate

Airmar transducer part numbers for ST60 instruments do not specify any difference for the + models.

You can verify by going to the Airmar website:
Form Response

Thanks - I will stick my head in the locker this weekend and see if I can read a part number...

[rustypirate]

The part number will be on a label attached to the transducer cable. The point I was making is that if the transducer works for the ST-60, then it should be fine for the ST-60+.

[chuckr]

i just got done installing an updated radar as we are upgrading our electronics - we wanted the radar but not the chartplotter yet - so i called the raymarine customer service and they were extremely helpful - as the told me i did not have to change out the cable and the new radar would work well with rl70c we are using -
try calling them or sending them an email -
just our thought
chuck patty and svsoulmates
in a slip in brunswick ga for repairs

[bewitched]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

The bad news is I was drooling over the keyboard this afternoon getting scope creep.

"Gee. Speed would be nice to have... And while I am at it why not wind? Oh, heck let's just get it all..." <sigh>

Ha Ha Ha - doing the same myself - have you seen the solar powered wireless stuff from TackTick? - very nice .......and expensive

[Ex-Calif]

Yes - I have looked at the tackTick stuff. Several of the boats here have the compass. When I look at the numbers compared to equal functionality with a "basic" wired system I can't get there in my head.

My little boat has depth, which I consider essential around here and I would like to have speed to take some of the guess work out. Wind ends up being a nice to have for my current purposes.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

.......
The glass on my ST60 Depth gauge has really clouded up and is illegible although the underlying numbers are clear ........

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

......I don't know what happened but it looks as if the instrument ran with the cover on and the glass overheated. I don'[t know if that is possible or what happened - I have a partner on the boat. But the "blackening" is on the inside surface. Weird...

Ex-C, is it cloudy or darkened? Cloudy (on the inside) could suggest moisture build up - you are in a humid area and the seals aren't always perfect while darkening could be the LCD has overheated (or even aged).
Assuming neither of the above is true and the inside surface of the glass itself is compromised (and that the "glass" is plastic), it may need polishing
in the same way aircraft windows are polished - you will be familiar with that process I am sure.

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

.......
Currently I use a wetted finger with a piece of yarn tied around it.

OK, now add a small weight to the same yarn and toss over the side while keeping the finger dry.......perhaps you could use the dud ST60 as the weight.

[Ex-Calif]

Yes it's darkened - Positive it's not moisture. What is strange is the underlying numbers are fine. That is if a get an angle on the viewing area I can see the numbers underneath.

[Wotname]

If it has darkened and yet at some angles you can see the numbers (or part of the numbers) I strongly suggest (but could still be wrong ) that the LCD itself has failed rather than the inside of the "glass".

Excess heat will almost always kill a LCD and some just age and fail. You will get a similar effect if you leave your LCD multimeter (or any other LCD) inside say your car on a very hot day (40+ C). Sometimes they come good when they cool down but if left for many hours they can stay dark.