How Old Are Your Electronics

[Exile]

Originally Posted by wingssail

The main component of our instrument systems is the B&G Hercules system which dates from 1979. It is functionally excellent and we keep it because to replace it with a new system having all the functions we rely on would be at least $8000, probably more. It does however require a lot of repairing and servicing, which I do with scarce used parts I scrounge for. The Lowrance unit has suffered a burned out LCD which I have replaced with used. If I couldn't work on these units myself we'd probably have newer stuff, since few shops will work on them now and new parts don't exist. The rest of our instrument system is basically problem free.

BTW, anyone willing to sell used B&G Hercules components, please PM me.

Oh, And I am building a used Hercules 2000 system for future use, and have it about 50%, so I'm, interested in those parts too.

I've had similarly good luck with my old B&G Hydra 2000 system, but mine dates to year 2000. Sounds like it may have come after your Hercules system. Like you, I've had to replace bits & pieces over the years, and have found Myles Electronics to be a good resource. I recently had to take my AP ram (the blue one) to a local hydraulic shop for seal replacements, but that only cost $240. I have built in quite a bit of redundancy over the years, and am inclined not to replace unless/until it gets overly burdensome. Overall the system -- and especially the AP -- has provided excellent service. It's all NMEA 0183, of course, so any replacement would require the installation of NMEA 2000 which would increase the cost.

Not sure what influences longevity of electronics, whether the "old stuff" was made better or perhaps just having a "dry" boat. The main CPU is installed in a cedar paneled hanging locker so maybe that helps. I've never seen evidence of corrosion when troubleshooting, but we all know it can never be ruled out on a boat in saltwater.

[hasse_A]

I have renovated older B&G instruments from the beginning of the 1980's.
Today there is nothing like it. No plastic.


/Hans

[Briggers]

Originally Posted by Donald Bryden

My VHF and autopilot are now that way but have not been replaced.

You can inject now life into these old instruments for not a lot of money. My Autohelm 4000 instruments were impossible to read, so while I had a bit of time on my hands I did some research on LCD screens.
There are two polarising screens, one in front and one behind the actual LCD screen. I bought a sheet of this screen cut it to size and just replaced the original. It was a bit of a job to get the old screen of the front as the sun had fused it to the surface, but a bit of judicious work with a razor blade did the trick. Be careful about the polarisation though - if you get it wrong, you still won’t see the screen.
I seem to recall watching a YouTube video on the subject.
Good luck

[geoffa]

Most electronic equipment life follows the bathtub curve, high rate of failure early then flat until the end of life. Trouble is you never know long the flat is!
Heat and electro mechanical devices are usually the most problematic.
If it ain't broke don't fix it!

[Flextron]

I have to state I was the ops Dir at Raymarine 6 years ago. First of all all electronics have a hockey stick failure curve, if they are going to fail it will be in early life. If you get over that period they will last for an exstended period. Designe has improved over the years keeping out water and the quality of both components and manufacturing has improved. If you help by keeping them dry and out of direct sun. Put on the covers religiously you will have a long life. I don’t expect my car to rust and I expect 180k of trouble free engine life. Often getting 250k. Things have got better.

[guitarrich]

I was a Quality Assurance engineer at Raymarine for four years. I joined just as they were starting to close the production facility in Portsmouth, UK. This was a bad period. Hitherto, everyone involved in design and manufacture had worked by the sea, with an innate understanding of the sea, and if they didn’t have a boat of their own, they probably had friends or family with a boat. Then manufacture was moved to a mega production facility in the middle of Europe, far from the sea, with workers who might one day be building a/v entertainment, another day a radar scanner. Just following plans, no built-in empathy for the product. Quality hit an all time low.
Happily, the company has got past this, and is once more producing very high quality kit, and the design is once more dynamic. They seem to care again!
I collect old marine electronics and attempt to build systems which I then pass on to people with low budgets. It’s just a hobby, and I mostly do this because I’m passionate about electronics generally, and hate to see stuff thrown away, or abandoned in garages and lofts. Do PM me if you have any old stuff which needs love, care and a new home!

[Briggers]

Originally Posted by guitarrich

I collect old marine electronics and attempt to build systems which I then pass on to people with low budgets. It’s just a hobby, and I mostly do this because I’m passionate about electronics generally, and hate to see stuff thrown away, or abandoned in garages and lofts. Do PM me if you have any old stuff which needs love, care and a new home!

I have whole bunch of mainly Autohelm stuff, I was going to take it to a boat jumble but it’s yours if you want it. Ping me your address.

[Exile]

Originally Posted by Flextron

I have to state I was the ops Dir at Raymarine 6 years ago. First of all all electronics have a hockey stick failure curve, if they are going to fail it will be in early life. If you get over that period they will last for an exstended period. Designe has improved over the years keeping out water and the quality of both components and manufacturing has improved. If you help by keeping them dry and out of direct sun. Put on the covers religiously you will have a long life. I don’t expect my car to rust and I expect 180k of trouble free engine life. Often getting 250k. Things have got better.

I hear that things improved significantly for Raymarine when Flir bought them a few years ago.

[Pat_D]

My LORAN does not seem to be picking up signal, but having a hard time finding a replacement.

[Flextron]

I can lend you my Decca. It was working when I took it out!!!!

[Shaneesprit]

Honestly I don’t know how old but they are not recent
Accept the tiller pilot, so I went out sailing for the weekend and
Had a few issues with the boat the other weekend 1) speed Log not working ( had a new sensor and screen went in for service in the winter ) 2)wind gauge stopped - screen failed ( was also serviced last winter ) 3) Depth gauge failed, 4) Radio has lost signal 5) Sea water pump to toilet leak found, 6) fuel gauge has been on the blink for a while 7) Engine cut out in the estuary after taking the sails down 8) used the electric priming pump and another filter to get it going again then used it to empty the tank ( before that failed too ) 9) the NAV decided to only show position on a yellow background rather than a map 10) the Auto tiller pilot failed all in all a good weekends sailing ⛵️

[Jammer]

The electronics in my 1975 Morgan are either original or were installed when the boat was quite new. None of them work, and I've decided not to fuss with them.


I use an Android smartphone and a Vexilar SP100 self-contained WIFI sonar transducer and figure that's good enough for what I'm doing.

[sailorchic34]

Originally Posted by SoonerSailor

Is that the old one with Nixie tube readout? I built one for my Dad’s ski boat back then.

Yes it is. Still going strong and I have the assembly manual and the pc board silk screen as well.

[Shaneesprit]

On the back of this - speed log - new sensor but now replacing the screen that also does the depth - both with new sensors / wind new screen and new Mast head ( just got the mast head on and my first time up the mast - VHF replacing the antenna next ( purchased today ) Raymarine Tiller Pilot - i am Not buying Raymarine anymore so I have started to buy pattern parts that are better than the originals