[jetdrvr393]

Hey All,

Does anyone know the best way to connect Raymarine devices on SeaTalkNG to a NMEA2000 backbone? My boat has a NMEA2000 network but I am looking at adding a Raymarine autopilot. I know they make a connector but I can't tell from looking at pics exactly how it would work. Do they make an adaptor that will be a Seatalk female on one end (for the end of the spur) and then a NMEA2000 to connect to the T on the other? I'm trying to figure out if I would have to run the backbone all the way to the device since the adaptors are only 16" long or if I can plug the male end of the Seatalk spur into the adapter. The pictures/part numbers are ambiguous on the sites I've found them on.

Thanks,

Joe

 

[knuterikt]

Hey All,

Does anyone know the best way to connect Raymarine devices on SeaTalkNG to a NMEA2000 backbone? My boat has a NMEA2000 network but I am looking at adding a Raymarine autopilot. I know they make a connector but I can't tell from looking at pics exactly how it would work. Do they make an adaptor that will be a Seatalk female on one end (for the end of the spur) and then a NMEA2000 to connect to the T on the other? I'm trying to figure out if I would have to run the backbone all the way to the device since the adaptors are only 16" long or if I can plug the male end of the Seatalk spur into the adapter. The pictures/part numbers are ambiguous on the sites I've found them on.

Thanks,

Joe

Assuming you will only connect one seatalk ng you cold
Attach a DeviceNet adaptor cables (female / male) to the Raymarine equipment and use a NMEA drop cable of suitable length to connect to your backbone.

Read more here https://raymarine.app.box.com/s/2ulwt6ye4394g6yk3m0t/1/1787214721/23388950831/1

 

[jetdrvr393]

Thanks for that manual. I will actually need to attach 3 sea talk devices for the autopilot. So I can use NMEA2000 spurs and the devicenet adaptor cables will go in between the NMEA spurs and the Ray device right? Thanks for the help.

 

[knuterikt]

Thanks for that manual. I will actually need to attach 3 sea talk devices for the autopilot. So I can use NMEA2000 spurs and the devicenet adaptor cables will go in between the NMEA spurs and the Ray device right? Thanks for the help.

That's one option, I would do this if you have free "slots" in your backbone.

But since you are installing 3 seatalkNG devices.
I would consider other options also.
Can you daisy chain these components (some or all)?

Or check if you can extend your backbone with one of these (5 Way Connector)

You would need a Raymarine "Backbone Terminator" and a cable between this device and your existing NMEA 2000 backbone.
This way you could use seatalkNG spurs all the way.

 

[jetdrvr393]

I think all the kits come with that 5 way connector. I was discussing this on another site and asked about joining the 2 backbones and was told you couldn't do it that way. That would be the best as it would require me to purchase the lease amount of extra stuff that wouldn't already come with the autopilot.

 

[knuterikt]

I think all the kits come with that 5 way connector. I was discussing this on another site and asked about joining the 2 backbones and was told you couldn't do it that way. That would be the best as it would require me to purchase the lease amount of extra stuff that wouldn't already come with the autopilot.

Think you are being mislead.
You can read more on SeatlkNG and NMEA 2000 here Raymarine SeaTalk NG Networking

The difference is the plugs and the fact that SeatalkNG has got one extra wire for backward compatibility.

Technically joining and extending is two different things.

A NMEA 2000 backbone has got two ends that are terminated with a Backbone Terminator (a resistor) the seatalkNG looks like this

You can connect several of these together with backbone cables, and terminators to form a complete backbone.

Backbone cable

To extend the existing backbone you must remove one of the existing terminators and connect you backbone extension with a terminator in the other end of the extension.

I dont know if the Raymarine adaptor cable can be used on a backbone cable , if not you can use a field installable nmea plug.

Have you tried to ask over at Panbo: The Marine Electronics Hub ?

It would help with some more information about your current install.

 

[jetdrvr393]

This is great advice, thanks. According to RayMarine, the adaptor won't work to add a backbone cable. Only to adapt a spur. The do say you can splice an NG cable to a NMEA cable with 2 marathon field connectors but I would rather not do that. I will check at Panbo.

Thanks again for all the help, this is my first excursion with a network like this.....

 

[Triumphant]

Good to hear that the major marine electronics firms are still trying to ignore the industry standard communications protocols to try and protect their shrinking markets by introducing incompatibility problems like what we are reading about in this thread.

The big IT companies tried this 30 years ago and where are they now??????

 

[knuterikt]

I did a post over at Panbo with your question..
NMEA 2000 Backbone SeatalkNG and other cabling - Panbo Forum

 

[knuterikt]

Good to hear that the major marine electronics firms are still trying to ignore the industry standard communications protocols to try and protect their shrinking markets by introducing incompatibility problems like what we are reading about in this thread.

The big IT companies tried this 30 years ago and where are they now??????

If you where a Raymarine customer you would have appreciated that they chose to implement compatibility with that stuff.

My electronics are from (all NMEA 2000 / SeatalkNG)
Furuno (MFD,Radar,GPS)
Raymarine (Wind, Speed, depth)
Em-trak (AIS B)

In fact Raymarine is better at implementing the standards and updating SW than Furuno.

 

[MarkSF]

I have a Simnet network, as a drop from my NMEA 2000 one, using the adapter cable Simnet supply. Simrad says you can't do this. It works perfectly, 100% reliable over 3 years. Just saying.