David, I think you'll like the Zeus. It's very useful and I love being able to configure custom screens. I have one for racing that's a split of the chart and numerical stuff like VMG on wind, VMG on mark, Estimated time to mark, Total race time, SOG, etc.
Sailsteer needs the following to work correctly: 1) Waypoints (Racing markers) 2) Windspeed (Tacktick? ) 3) Wind Direction (Tacktick? ) 4) Heading (Can come from either a flux gate or the Zeus built-in GPS. I believe your EV-100 has a sophisticated flux gate / should be NMEA2000 compliant and easily network into the Zeus) 5) SOG (can come from either the paddle transducers or the ZEUS GPS) Needed for TWS and TWD With that in mind, here are my answers: Q1) Yes, Zeus needs separate "Straight" power lead and networks. It it is not designed to get power from either the NMEA 0183 or 2000 connections, the documentation is a bit fuzzy on that. I don't think a converter plug exist. it's pretty simple: 1) Figure out your + and - 12 volt supply (You should be able to trace the wire) 2) Splice-in the NMEA 0183 talker / listener wires. This guy here has some pretty good examples: http://www.boat-project.com/tutorials/nmea0183xcon.htm 3) You'll have to configure the Zeus 0183 interface via the setup menus. Read the instruction book, you can configure the sentences it listens for or transmits. It can talk NMEA2000 to your autopilot. NOTE: It appears you will not be able to have both the AIS and the wind working with the 0183 interface simultaneously.. According to the Zeus docs (Page 32 in the install guide) The AIS transponder needs the baud rate to be set at 38,400 while most instruments operate at 4,800 bauds.. ZEUS cannot transmit on one rate and receive on the other so you'll l have to pick one. It appears that the T908 TackTick only outputs 4.800 bauds: See here: http://raymarine.ning.com/forum/topics/tack-tick-gps-hookup?commentId=6492755%3AComment%3A5405 Q2) Based on the Raymarine Forum for the answer above, It looks like the Tacktick T908 / T106 has the NMEA 0183 built-in and you may not need a converter at all. If you can get all the wind info out of the one TackTick unit you're good to go. Else, you'll need a multiplexer. NMEA 0183 is a 'Single talker / Multiple listener' network. Here's more info on 0183: http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/pdf/gmdss/taskForce/NMEA_7.pdf Q3) See prior answer.. You should be OK unless you can't get it all out of one TackTick unit. If you need one> Here's a description for the Actisense multiplexer http://www.actisense.com/products/nmea-0183/ndc-4/ndc-4.html RayMarine has one too ( Not sure if it's still sold) http://www.raymarine.com/view/?id=5534&collectionid=23&col=4530 Q4) You can use the Zeus SOG values. It will be slightly off with currents / tides but it'll work. Else you (Really) need a NMEA2000 transducer. The 'Echo transducer" is the input for the "StructureScan" and "ForwardScan" http://navmarinestore.com/products/44783?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=googlepla&variant=398102081&gclid=CjwKEAjw0q2pBRC3jrb24JjE8VgSJAAyIzAdRsWMamLxN1hNL6OmKJQPW-IvZF_6JO6OF4W_PjtlxxoCfZHw_wcB The nice thing about the 1st gen Zeus units like yours is that I believe you don't need the "structureScan" module, you can plug the transducer straight in. Q5) It looks like the Tacktick T908 / T106 has the NMEA 0183 built-in and you may not need a converter at all. If you need one, the Actisense converter mentioned above should work. Also, Raymarine has (had?) one too http://www.raymarine.com/view/?id=5534&collectionid=23&col=4530 Finally, unfortunately the refresh rate of the typical NMEA 0183 is very slow at 4800 bauds vs 250,000 bauds for NMEA2000.. So the setup is going look pretty "Laggy" no matter what you do, especially if you multiplex. I did a lot of research on all that before my decision to jump into an all new Triton / Zeus package last year. Please PM me / feel free to call me if you want to discuss in more details Good Luck, Best regards, -Francois Rivard 1990 34+ 'Take five" Lake Lanier, GA Mobile Phone: to 770-639-0429 Message: 1 Date: Sun, 12 Apr 2015 18:23:35 -0400 From: David Knecht <davidakne...@gmail.com> To: CnC CnC discussion list <CnC-List@cnc-list.com> Subject: Stus-List Networking electronics Message-ID: <59c1190c-20f4-4f01-ae76-156387772...@gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252" Hi all- I need some help and advice on electronics interfacing. Today I finished installing a Raymarine wheel pilot EV-100 today, so I now have a Seatalk bus that interconnects that system (which might be irrelevant). When I bought the boat, it had not wind instruments so I installed a Tacktick Sensor on the mast and a dual display at the helm, thinking that wireless was a good idea. I still think it is, but the whole concept seems to be lagging. I had a Lowrance HD7 at the helm station and I never liked it. In order to get Sailsteer function for racing, I purchased a Zeus T8 at the recent Defender sale. Now I am trying to figure out how to put it all together. I am not concerned at this point about getting the autopilot to talk to the chart plotter. Perhaps a future project, but I doubt it. I am more concerned about getting the wind data into the Zeus T8 which apparently I need for Sailsteer. I might also want to get the hull speed sensor into the Zeus at some point (old B&G running currently into an old Focus display). I also have a Standard Horizon GX2150 radio that has AIS functionality. So right now there is a double cable (power and 0183) to a single connector coming through the Edson pedestal that ran into a single connector on the Lowrance. So what to do? The Zeus has separate inputs for Echo transducer?, power, video (NMEA 0183), NMEA 2000 and network. 1. Do I need to cut those cables and run new 0183 and power to the Zeus? Is there any such thing as a converter plug so I can use the existing runs of wire? 2. How do I get the wind data from Tacktick to the Zeus. Presumably, I need a Raymarine T122. But the guy at defender said I also needed a Actisense converter. 3. Can I send multiple 0183 inputs into the Zeus? If I wanted to have the AIS data, but also add a Raymarine T122 how would those be wired to both go to the Zeus? Is there such a thing as a hub or multiplexer for 0183 or is that not needed? 4. If I wanted to get speed through the water to the Zeus (do I need this?), I presume I would have to replace my sensor. The T8 manual shows a "Echo Transducer? going into the first input, but I am having trouble finding something called that for sale? 5. I don?t understand the difference, if any, between the B&G NMEA2K and the Raymarine Seatalk. Are they different or interchangeable? I hope I have provided enough information for the experts to understand the issues. Any advice appreciated. Thanks- Dave Aries 1990 C&C 34+ New London, C Regards
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