Help with Vintage Raymarine Electronics

[LongStoryGB36]

I’m hoping someone might have an answer or at least a starting point to debug an issue I’m having.

On our 1977 Grandbanks we have some older electionics. We have the RC 530 Plus plotter at the lower station and the RL 70 C Plus radar at the upper. Until recently we could overlay both for full functionality at both stations. Our last trip out, they must have had a fight and are not talking to one another? Everything is connected via Seatalk through the course computer gray box. I see a number of fuses in that box and terminal points.

Anyone have a suggestion on where I start to restore communication between the two units? Independently they function perfect for their age, so not ready to chuck the system.

Help would be appreciated, Raymarine said they no longer support tech service on these units.

Thanks in advance

Russ

Russ & Kerry Wende
m/v Long Story
1977 Grand Banks 36 Classic
Started Loop from Sturgeon Bay WI. Aug 2018

 

[C lectric]

I don't know your system at all but have had something to do with industrial electronics systems. It often does not take much oxidation on the pins and sockets of cables/harnesses to foul up the operation.

I call it oxidation although in reality it is the start of corrosion. The oxidation may only dull the metal slightly but the signal voltages are on the order of 5V or a bit higher.
Take apart any plug/sockets and clean them. Unplug/plug a few times as the action will abrade the oxide and often be enough to clean sufficiently. Don't be hamhanded with the connections as repairs can be a bit pain, doable but expensive and a pain.

Use something like Corrosion X spray to help maintain the connections and the crimps. Don't be shy but protect other thing around from the spray.

If there are terminal block connections then undoing the screws and retightening may help. Use the spray there too. Make sure the connections are tight as you redo them. Even just retightening screws may help. More than a few times I fixed something just by going over connections with a screwdriver. If the pads look dull then clean them properly.

Any threaded connections such as the usual PL259 VHF type or similar can have the same troubles over time from oxidation.

Even the crimps where lugs are attached to the wire can be sprayed.

 

[boomerang]

Russ I think I tried to answer your question on the MTOA site yesterday. about the only thing it could be is a loose HSB cable connection, provided both units are operation correctly.

 

[tiltrider1]

Loose Seatalk cable, broken Seatalk cable, or corrosion on Seatalk terminal. These are your most likely places to start.

 

[boomerang]

Loose Seatalk cable, broken Seatalk cable, or corrosion on Seatalk terminal. These are your most likely places to start.

The way I understood his issue (it's a little vague and on another forum I asked him to elaborate on "not overlaying" a bit more) but it seemed like his seatalk data was ok and he wasn't seeing the video data being shared between his RC & RL displays which would be in the HSB department and not Seatalk.

 

[LongStoryGB36]

I wanted to thank everyone for their responses via the forum and in private messages. Thanks Tom for guiding me away from the SeaTalk and to the direct connections. Thanks also to Jim for his advice on connectors shrinking with age. A little contact cleaner and some shrink tube to make the connector tight again, and everyone is talking happily again

Boaters are a great group.

Russ

Russ & Kerry Wende
m/v Long Story
1977 Grand Banks 36 Classic
Started Loop from Sturgeon Bay WI. Aug 2018

 

[Crusty Chief]

See there! A couple of old Farts have saved the day once again! Old Guys Rule!