Raymarine Unicontrol Dial fix?

[goeasy123]

The flexible membrane on my Raymarine C120w's rotary track pad dial has failed. The section in the middle has come adrift. Anyone got ideas on how to repair it? Raymarine does not support it anymore. There is an aftermarket supplier, but they're expensive.


The thing that looks like this..

.

[George_SD]

You can try to take it apart and use some contact cleaner. It's possible it's just bad contact. If that's not it - you may need to replace the unit.

[goeasy123]

Originally Posted by George_SD

You can try to take it apart and use some contact cleaner. It's possible it's just bad contact. If that's not it - you may need to replace the unit.

It's a purely mechanical problem. The plastic button thingy has come adrift from its mount, I need to find some way to replace the flexible rubberized membrane that holds it in place. See pic

[apexio]

Of course, Raymarine does not make or sell them anymore - there was a canadian fellow making replacements - - but they have been closed for a year or so?

I took mine apart (I suggest making an L-shaped levering device to get the bezel off or it will break) and basically applied a small bead of butyl tape where the membrane was broken (all around). It's working for now and probably decently waterproof.

[SkipperJer]

I printed a fix on a 3d printer using TPU, a flexible plastic. It works but a few refinements are required to get the action smoother. Here is a picture of the fix.

[Peter Hunt]

I can tell you from experience that you don't want to lose that! I had to use mine with just the transparent buttons, and when I was heeled the wrong way, I had to take them all out and put the centre one in to press OK every time.

I just taped it in, never found a solution, all of them were more money than I liked.

It's why I hate Raymarine, even though everything I have is Raymarine... I am currently today cutting up my new Quantum2 radar cable so I can use it with my two Axioms, and still steaming that they won't control my autopilot properly, simply because Raymarine chose to remove that SOFTWARE feature - it is software after all...

Anyhoo... Rant over... Sorry, got carried away.

Good Luck!

[SkipperJer]

Originally Posted by Peter Hunt

I can tell you from experience that you don't want to lose that! I had to use mine with just the transparent buttons, and when I was heeled the wrong way, I had to take them all out and put the centre one in to press OK every time.

I just taped it in, never found a solution, all of them were more money than I liked.

It's why I hate Raymarine, even though everything I have is Raymarine... I am currently today cutting up my new Quantum2 radar cable so I can use it with my two Axioms, and still steaming that they won't control my autopilot properly, simply because Raymarine chose to remove that SOFTWARE feature - it is software after all...

Anyhoo... Rant over... Sorry, got carried away.

Good Luck!

One of the upgrades/refinements is a tighter fit over the rotary dial. I'm think of cutting a grove on the side of the dial then add a matching ridge on the inside of the cap. The ridge would fit in the grove to "lock" the cap in place. Also need to order additional TPU material to find one a bit more flexible than the 90A version I used.

[Jammer]

I have the expensive aftermarket replacement from ebay and while it works it is stiff and difficult to use. I'm hoping to get another year or two out of the chartplotter before I replace it, and it should be good enough for that.

[SkipperJer]

Originally Posted by Jammer

I have the expensive aftermarket replacement from ebay and while it works it is stiff and difficult to use. I'm hoping to get another year or two out of the chartplotter before I replace it, and it should be good enough for that.

The current version can select two directions with one press. I think reducing the width of the buttons that press the direction switches will reduce the number of times that occurs. I'm also going to reduce the thickness of the cap surrounding the selection buttons. That will reduce the stiffness. The rotary action is just fine as well as the OK selection. If all works out thinking of putting it on Ebay for a few dollars.

[Solaris44]

Hello, here you have the 3D printed spare part:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/295817075528
https://www.ebay.com/itm/295639203593

[JanH]

I repaired the dial using Permatex windshield and glass sealant, a flowable silicone adhesive/sealant. Remove the outer rotary dial from the unit, and clean out the remnants of the old membrane from the groove in the dial; trim back the bits of old membrane on the edge of centre disc (leaving the centre membrane holding the 'OK' button in place). Fill the groove in the rotary dial with sealant (via a 1/32" hole in the end of the applicator nozzle). Stick the centre dial to a 2" piece of 2" clear gorilla tape and visually center this over the rotary dial, and stick in place. Then turn upside down and inject some more sealant from the back side, prodding with a toothpick to remove any air bubbles, to halfway up the lip on the rotary dial (~2mm).

[SkipperJer]

Originally Posted by Solaris44

Hello, here you have the 3D printed spare part:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/295817075528
https://www.ebay.com/itm/295639203593

I saw those dials on Ebay. I've been side tracked and haven't done the refinements I mentioned.

[SkipperJer]

Originally Posted by Jan Huissoon

I repaired the dial using Permatex windshield and glass sealant, a flowable silicone adhesive/sealant. Remove the outer rotary dial from the unit, and clean out the remnants of the old membrane from the groove in the dial; trim back the bits of old membrane on the edge of centre disc (leaving the centre membrane holding the 'OK' button in place). Fill the groove in the rotary dial with sealant (via a 1/32" hole in the end of the applicator nozzle). Stick the centre dial to a 2" piece of 2" clear gorilla tape and visually center this over the rotary dial, and stick in place. Then turn upside down and inject some more sealant from the back side, prodding with a toothpick to remove any air bubbles, to halfway up the lip on the rotary dial (~2mm).

When the dial first failed I did fix it using a silicone adhesive. That held together for a few years.