Opinions on Garmin wireless wind?

[Rumrace]

The solar panel in the garman has a 3 year half life. The battery was probably fine just reset itself to charge up low. The silica breaks up and the trickle is down to a drip.
I have been building some remote electronics with the identical panel. It’s a half the price of a decent panel. I only bought 50 and they were $19.00. My sensors are passive so not much consumption. In another version with a sensor running every 30 seconds drew the battery down in a few days dead.
On such a key instrument wires are safe. I communicate miles by running them in a mesh. I can look at a sensor 17kilometers away by blue tooth 4 or wifi because they are linked in a mesh.
A wired instrument which communicates vs blue tooth or wifi great idea. Cheap solar panel and exploding batteries nada

[j.g.evans]

I replaced all my instruments after a lightning strike with Garmin. The installation was easy and I like the Garmin NEMA 2000 cables and connectors better than the proprietary Raymarine equivalents. I like the Garming instruments too. I did install a wireless wind system which I think Garmin gets from a 3rd party. The mast head transducer talks to a box which outputs a NEMA 2000 signal. I found the wireless connection unreliable to the top of my 63' mast. The masthead transducer failed after 2 years, but, within Garmin's 3 year warranty. Garmin replaced it at no cost. The wind transducer is quite delicate and the plastic suffers in the Florida sun. It did not survive a storm with 50 knot winds. The small solar panel powering the transducer was cloudy. This may be why Garmin replaced the entire unit.
After this experience I recommend a wired unit with beefy plastic vanes and cups or none at all as in the new transducer from Airmar.

[bppleas]

I had the Garmin wireless at the top of a 37 foot mast and it worked well. The only thing I didn't like about it is the battery would only last about 3 hours after dark.

[LoudMusic]

Originally Posted by moseriw

As a systems administrator I would not use wireless for anything that is not require to move. Wires are always more reliable and require less maintenance.


Hmm, did you ever had corrosion at your wireless connection? Or a broken terminal due to shaky movements of the boat?

Yes, between the antenna and the transmitter. Also between the battery and the circuit board. Also between the solar panel and the circuit board.