Nothing complicated, more of a heads up. Basically the Raymarine documentation appears to indicate pretty clearly that the SPX-5 can be connected directly to ST60 instruments using the Seatalk ( 1 ) cabling and protocol. A comment on the page states:
SeaTalk cable, carries: - 12V power from Course computer - Data to and from Course computer The document is the "SmartPilot X5 Installation and Setup 87076-3 EN' found at http://www.raymarine.com/manualsearch, reference page 3. Although the SPX-5 does have a port marked SeaTalk, and can be wired to the ST60 ( ST50 ) instruments it does not function as a SeaTalk / SeaTalk NG bridge. The following link contains the response from Raymarine: http://raymarine.ning.com/forum/topics/connecting-spx-5-p70-wheel-pilot-with-st50-instruments-seatalk-to A separate Raymarine product, SeaTalk1 to SeaTalkNg converter kit, Raymarine Part Number# E22158, is required and it does not wire in as documented in the SPX-5 manual. The post does cover the installation. A further issue came up as I wanted to power up the Aurohelm and instruments separately. There are times, such as course racing, were I have no need to use the Autohelm. I noted the following cautions: 1) Note: It is important to disconnect the +12Vdc power feeding the existing SeaTalk1 bus, thus allowing the +12Vdc power to the Seatalk1 to SeatalkNG converter (or SeaTalkNg bus) to power the existing SeaTalk1 instruments and not back feeding the power into the converter (SeaTalkNg bus) via SeaTalk1. 2) The X-5 and the SeaTalkNg bus need to be directly powered +12Vdc as the X-5 doesn’t supply power to the SeaTalkNg bus. As a work around, the Autohelm and SeaTalk NG bus are powered from one switch, the power lead from the SeaTalkNG converter to the SeaTalk network is _not_ connected, and the SeaTalk network is powered separately. The diagram shows a GPS being connected directly to the course computer as NEMA or SeaTalk. I tried a SeaTalk GPS and it did not work. Also I noted that the SPX-5 is advertised as "bridging NEMA and SeaTalk", though if the unit does not talk directly with SeaTalk I wonder what it is doing. The take away from this is I spent three days installing the SPX-5, which is working perfectly, instead of one day due to information misunderstood or misinterpreted from the manual. I think it is well summed up by the Raymarine tech: The documentation can be confusing and in some cases is outdated. The main confusion I have is why nearly a year later has the manual not been updated? Michael Brown Windburn C&C 30-1 PS: Very happy to answer questions or post more details. Date: Thu, 16 Jan 2014 18:16:48 -0800 From: Russ & Melody <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Stus-List Setting GPS Waypoints -> Seatalk Message-ID: <[email protected]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; Format="flowed" Hi Michael, Please post the Seatalk talk info. I don't need it right now but I save these kinds of posts for when I do need it. Cheers, Russ Sweet 35 mk-1 At 04:55 PM 16/01/2014, you wrote: >Short answer is yes. >..... > >Michael Brown >Windburn >C&C 30-1 > >PS: I can post more information about the installation and getting the >Seatalk NG working with ST50 instruments on Seatalk 1 if anyone is >interested.
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