EMI shielding

I am installing a new radar this weekend and Da' book say's. I can't run the radar cable alongside power cables or radio antenna cables.

It would be best for me to run all this stuff through the same race.

Looking for a good shield other than metal conduit.

Any suggestions?

SD

Is this a concern to anybody?
Does every one run the radar cable seperate from all other power supply lines.
SD

skipperdude said:

Is this a concern to anybody?
Does every one run the radar cable seperate from all other power supply lines.
SD

Click to expand...

It's not a concern for me, I don't have radar and don't anticipate installing it anytime soon.

Are you familiar with shielded cables where the shield is a metal braid? I can't tell you where to buy it, but just the braid is available and you could slip your cable inside the braid, pull it tight, and then ground one end of the braid. That would provide a shielding of about 90% or so.

Greetings,
I have used flexible metal shielding similar to what's around BX cable and it's usually available in several sizes.

Here's a thought:
Braided-shield flexible conduit

Greetings,
Aw rats Mr. rwidman I was just 2 minutes too slow on the keyboard.....

RT Firefly said:

Greetings,
I have used flexible metal shielding similar to what's around BX cable and it's usually available in several sizes.

Click to expand...

That would be "Greenfield flexible conduit".

Your radar cabling that came with the unit should already be shielded.

RFI and EMI protection in electronics is not an exact science so manufactures always protect themselves with all the warnings.

That said, I am not an "expert" but I am an Extra Class Licensed amateur radio operator. WO0S. (Whiskey Oscar Zero Sierra). I do radios not radar.
I just installed my Garmin 18HD on my 30 foot boat and ran into the same manufactures verbiage and space concerns. Radar frequencies and VHF radio frequencies are so far apart that RFI should not be a problem. EMI should not be a problem unless you have some old faulty appliances or an electric fence charger on board. You can always add ferrite beads if you find problems later on.
Advice from an amateur. The experts will soon follow.

My last fishing boat had radar, lights, vhf and stereo wires all in the same aluminum pipe on the t top. No problems with the reception and clear picture.

What folks seem to be suggesting is that you ignore the manufacturer's warning, install all the cables together, and then see if you have a problem.

That's one way of doing it but I wouldn't make anything permanent until it's well tested.

What you want to avoid is the temptation of bundling all these cables tightly together with wire ties. Just leave them loose for the least coupling between the cables.

skipperdude said:

Is this a concern to anybody?
Does every one run the radar cable seperate from all other power supply lines.
SD

Click to expand...

It's not an issue with our Furuno NanNet VX2. Antenna cables and power cables for various electronics run parallel together.

Everything from our fly bridge (except the HF radio) goes through one trace: AP, radar, 7 antennas, weather instruments, bridge engine instruments/gauges, HD depth finder and bridge power cables. We have never had any problems other than the trace is small.

Well I have talked to a lot of people and did a lot of reading.
I think I am going to just run the cable the way I need to and be done with it.

In a Perfect world or on a million dollar yacht perhaps I would do it differently.

If I have issues I will let everyone know and then look at different options.

Thanks for all the responses.

SD

Having installed probably a hundred radar units and run over a hundred more boats with the same setup...most recreational boats have all the radio and radar (plus GPS, etc) wiring all in close proximity to each other.

Yes maybe it's better to separate them or install extr shielding...but it's rarely done in the rec boat world.