NMEA 2000 - Help Please

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Squanderbucks

The OP states that the Raymarine AP is not visible on the network as a device. I suspect that the Raymarine Seatalk NG connection may be an issue. Raymarine requires an adapter to interconnect to a "standard" NMEA 2000 backbone and they do not sell one except in certain situations and equipment purchases. My solution was to "splice" a segment of Seatalk NG backbone onto my Garmin Backbone allowing both types of "T" adapters to be used on my system.
I made up one to connect a short Raymarine Seatalk NG backbone segment with a Regular 2000 backbone plug. This allowed the Raymarine NG to connect directly to the other backbone. Raymarine connectors are not the same so a dropcable from say a Garmin or Simrad version of NMEA 2000 wont plug in to the Ray network either.
I think I bought the extra Male or Female connector from Airmar or one from Raymarine and the other from Garmin I don't remember. Strip one back and wire it to the corresponding wire one the other system and plug the two backbones together. Then need a Raymarine "T" for it's dropcable and their Terminator on the NG end.

This is more or less what I did. I had an old Seatalk (not NG) speed/depth/temp display and didn't want to change the transducers but wanted the info, especially depth, to show on the Garmin display at the helm. Raymarine makes a converter box to translate Seatalk to Seatalk NG and also an adapter cable to connect SeatalkNG to a standard NMEA2000 network.

I didn't buy their cable since I already had cables, just installed a Maretron connector onto the SeatalkNG cable that connected to the Raymarine converter and through that to the speed/depth.

The trick is as you mentioned, the SeatalkNG backbone has to connect to the end of the standard NMEA backbone NOT to a T. THEN connect the Raymarine parts to a Raymarine T on the Raymarine part of the backbone. You cannot T the SeatalkNG backbone onto the existing backbone.

[mikedefieslife]

Originally Posted by skipmac

I can perfectly with my Garmin. I have a Garmin plotter and a Simrad/B&G autopilot. I can set a waypoint on the Garmin and the Simrad AP will steer to that waypoint. I also use the Simrad compass to supply the heading information to the Garmin plotter. All very seamless.

Which is exactly what you can do with the Raymarine as I mentioned in my very first post in this thread.

That is a long way from controlling the autopilot from the MFD though. Controlling from the MFD uses the MFD as a replacement/additional head unit. Enabling the user to change autopilot settings, trun the pilot on/off standby, change modes etc.. The Simrad MFDs cannot control a Raymarine autopilot in this way. If you open the autopilot controls on the MFD it will say just as the OP has told us "no autopilot detected"

Originally Posted by Squanderbucks

The OP states that the Raymarine AP is not visible on the network as a device. I suspect that the Raymarine Seatalk NG connection may be an issue. Raymarine requires an adapter to interconnect to a "standard" NMEA 2000 backbone and they do not sell one except in certain situations and equipment purchases. My solution was to "splice" a segment of Seatalk NG backbone onto my Garmin Backbone allowing both types of "T" adapters to be used on my system.
I made up one to connect a short Raymarine Seatalk NG backbone segment with a Regular 2000 backbone plug. This allowed the Raymarine NG to connect directly to the other backbone. Raymarine connectors are not the same so a dropcable from say a Garmin or Simrad version of NMEA 2000 wont plug in to the Ray network either.
I think I bought the extra Male or Female connector from Airmar or one from Raymarine and the other from Garmin I don't remember. Strip one back and wire it to the corresponding wire one the other system and plug the two backbones together. Then need a Raymarine "T" for it's dropcable and their Terminator on the NG end.

Raymarine have always made SeatalkNG to DeviceNet male and female cables, and last year they even started making adapters so you just add one on the end rather than buying a new cable.

Simrad has been DeviceNet for a good 5 years or more. The old Simnet was abandoned

[rthompsona]

Please let us know which Raymarine AP you have. I suspect it is an older Smart Pilot

I used to have a Smart Pilot x5. It connected to Seatalk NG / Nema 2000 to received sensor input, but it did not support the full standard. All of the commands only worked over the older seatalk protocol..

I installed a new Raymarine Axiom MFD which only has NG and it could not command the Smart Pilot.

I upgraded to an EV autopilot and it worked great.

[s/v Jedi]

What some not realize is that a B&G plotter can act as a B&G autopilot control unit. Same for a B&G Triton display. This is what the message comes from. Following B&G plotter routes with the Raymarine pilot is not a problem, works just fine.

For many brands you need to buy an actual autopilot control head unit instead of use any other display/plotter from the same brand to control the pilot.

[Soup]

Thanks for all the tasty info everyone...

Raymarine Auto pilot is working fine with the B&g MDF...(other then not being blessed to directly control it, not an issue as it is in arms reach..)

BUT,

On raymarine auto pilot unit,

When a rout is set on the MFD... I hit "auto" and the auto pilot stays on a steady course...?

So I hit "track" and it follows the rout perfectly, *except* I must confirm "yes" or "no" at every waypoint? Why won't it just follow the path on its own? (Vessel is a sailboat and settings are set to "sail")

Thanks!

[mikedefieslife]

Originally Posted by Soup

Thanks for all the tasty info everyone...

Raymarine Auto pilot is working fine with the B&g MDF...(other then not being blessed to directly control it, not an issue as it is in arms reach..)

BUT,

On raymarine auto pilot unit,

When a rout is set on the MFD... I hit "auto" and the auto pilot stays on a steady course...?

So I hit "track" and it follows the rout perfectly, *except* I must confirm "yes" or "no" at every waypoint? Why won't it just follow the path on its own? (Vessel is a sailboat and settings are set to "sail")

Thanks!

Track is the right button to hit when you’ve set a route on the MFD.

In their infinite wisdom Raymarine thought it a good idea if users manually accept every new waypoint. It’s a “safety” feature. It would be nice to disable it. Afterall most of use have alarms for XTE so we’d know if something wrong.

There is software out there in the form of a signalk plugin that works with the WilhelmSK app. This can act as a P70 control head and auto accept waypoints.