New B&G DST800 not showing depth

[phantomracer]

Just received a replacement DST800 from Navico to replace a defective unit.

Boat is still on the hard.

The speed and temp show up on the displays and plotter on the boat just fine.

The depth, however, does not show up. I cleared the devices and re-scanned. When I select the data for depth in settings, it says 'no devices'. When I select speed and temp, they show up just fine.

I do hear the unit clicking, so something is happening. I don't expect to see depth numbers in air, but the displays/plotters, should at least SEE the device on the network.

When I installed the original unit, it did show up but showed " --- " for depth until it was in the water.

I put a terminator on the end of the network instead of the masthead unit, as the mast is not in the boat.

Any thoughts why the depth device on the DST800 is not showing up?

I contacted Navico, but haven't got an email or call back yet (shocking) .

[smac999]

put it in the water

simrad will not let you select a depth device unless it is getting a depth vaule

the dst will show up in the nmea 2000 device list.

[phantomracer]

Originally Posted by smac999

put it in the water

simrad will not let you select a depth device unless it is getting a depth vaule

the dst will show up in the nmea 2000 device list.

Thanks, so there might be a problem, as the depth is not showing up as a device on the network? It is going in Friday, so will see what happens.

[billknny]

Originally Posted by smac999

put it in the water

simrad will not let you select a depth device unless it is getting a depth value

Errrrr.... I beg to disagree. It most certainly should show up as a device, but with an invalid value. "-----"

Let's a have a bit more information before we draw a conclusion. Is this a "smart" transducer connected to the NMEA 2k bus, or is it connected to a BSM either standalone or in a chartplotter?

Why was it replaced? What was the symptom of the old unit's failure?

[phantomracer]

Originally Posted by billknny

Errrrr.... I beg to disagree. It most certainly should show up as a device, but with an invalid value. "-----"

Let's a have a bit more information before we draw a conclusion. Is this a "smart" transducer connected to the NMEA 2k bus, or is it connected to a BSM either standalone or in a chartplotter?

Why was it replaced? What was the symptom of the old unit's failure?

It is connected to the backbone of the nmea 2000 system.

The last unit was giving erratic boat speed.. sometimes no speed, sometimes half of actual speed.. navico replaced it for free for me. (No the paddle wheel was not fouled)

I could swear I remember the unit showing up on the network with the old one when I was on the hard, just showing ---

if I go on a setup I don't see a depth device on the network it just says no device. It shows the speed and temp no problem though

[smac999]

if you find the nmea 2000 device list it will show up there as the dst800. it if wasn't there, you would not have temp and speed in your source list. I can't recall where that is on the simard / bng off hand.

it will not show up in the source selection list. it will once the transducer has depth.

souce setup and device list is 2 different things

[billknny]

I still disagree with SMAC, something is wrong.

Since it is a NMEA 2k device, and you can see speed and temperature data, we know that the network connection is OK, and the symptoms appear unrelated to you former problem.

I do agree that the DST800 must be in your device list, because the system does know it is there, since it is seeing the speed and temperature parts of the device.

HOWEVER>>>> under source listings it SHOULD list the DST800 as a potential source of depth data even if there is no valid depth being found.

A depth data source does not doesn't "disappear" or "turn off" or "get booted off" the network if it loses track of the bottom. If just reports the data as "Not Available" or "Not Valid".

Let's imagine for the moment we have our boat in the water, and maybe we power hard in reverse, or it is raining very hard, or we are in 12,000 feet of water. All these can cause the sonar to lose track of where the bottom is. Very much like your sonar should be right now. Does the source then disappear from the network? No! Of course not.

All the devices on the network still should know there is a source of depth data available.

I think your replacement unit is unwell...

Hopefully you'll hear back from Navico and can ask them. I have always had good luck with the tech service group there, even on complex problems. I hope what you are seeing is not a trend with their support.

[phantomracer]

Here is a pic of when I first installed the original one. Boat is on the hard in this pic.

It shows " --- " for depth.

The only other thing, I can't imagine it would be a problem, is I did put a 3' extension on the drop cable on the unit, to make it more manageable when I clean the unit when I pull it out to clean.

The only other thing that is different, is I put a terminator in place of where I would normally have the wind unit, which has a built in terminator.

I lied, the only other change, is, I have another plotter in the network that is currently not attached to the network. I can't imagine not having the second plotter in the n2k network would make any difference.

When I go into sources, I see temp=DST200 (dont know why it doesnt say dst800, but same as the original unit), speed = DST200, Depth=No device.

Again, I DO hear it clicking, which I guess is a good thing!

I have to call Navico tomorrow, been a couple weeks without a call back. Was on hold over an hour the other day without anyone picking up.

[billknny]

I agree, none of your changes should matter.

If you don’t get a call back by the next day, their system has lost you. Call again.

[smac999]

Originally Posted by billknny

I still disagree with SMAC, something is wrong.

HOWEVER>>>> under source listings it SHOULD list the DST800 as a potential source of depth data even if there is no valid depth being found.

.

I have seen it many times on simrad / bng, I install nav systems for a living.

get someone to hold a bucket of water or a long capped pvc pipe under the transducer and see if you'll get a depth reading. then it'll come up in the source list.

[phantomracer]

Originally Posted by smac999

I have seen it many times on simrad / bng, I install nav systems for a living.

get someone to hold a bucket of water or a long capped pvc pipe under the transducer and see if you'll get a depth reading. then it'll come up in the source list.

Thanks

The boat should be in the water friday, will check it then

I am just confused why it showed up when I installed the old sending unit and not the new one. Hence my opening question.

If it works, it is a moot point.

still don't know why it shows dst200 and not dst800 on the network. Both old and new showed the same.

[tanglewood]

Isn't the cable on the DST800 already max allowed length, i.e. 6m? You really shouldn't add more length. It might work or, or seem to work OK, but it's asking for odd problems. Maybe even problems like what you are seeing....


For what it's worth, I've found the whole DST800 series to be supremely unreliable. I really wish someone else made an alternative, but Airmar seems to have the whole market.

[phantomracer]

Originally Posted by tanglewood

Isn't the cable on the DST800 already max allowed length, i.e. 6m? You really shouldn't add more length. It might work or, or seem to work OK, but it's asking for odd problems. Maybe even problems like what you are seeing....


For what it's worth, I've found the whole DST800 series to be supremely unreliable. I really wish someone else made an alternative, but Airmar seems to have the whole market.

max length of a drop cable is 6m (18') The cable on the DST is 6' . It is 9 now with the extension.

When it was working, it was great. It went south pretty fast IMO, and suddenly. My old 30+ year old Autohelm that it replaced still worked well when I sold it!

[Bycrick]

I had this same “problem.” With the DST 800 connected to the N2K network, when you go to the Device List, you should see it. If you then go to the Data page for the DST 800, you should see a list of specific data items (speed, temperature, ....). If the transducer isn’t in the water, you will NOT see an item in the Data List for depth. If I remember correctly, you will see the Depth Offset data item in either case.

[deluxe68]

I have the same issue with mine when the boat is in the water. The system will randomly lose the depth reading, or show a shallow depth alarm. The system also shows DST200 instead of 800 but I thought it was not important when I saw it. Twice the wind data has dropped out and returned without any intervention.