Raymarine smart controller

[grahamdouglass]

I have a Raymarine smart controller connected to my autopilot circa 2010. The part number of the controller is A18105. It is starting to loose connection to the network. Do these controllers have a lifespan. My autopilot is at the lower helm but I drive the boat from the fly bridge with my portable smart controller. When it disconnects I have to go to the lower helm to put the autopilot in standby to take control.

Has anyone else had this problem? Time to get new electronics? Time to sell the boat? [emoji53][emoji53]

 

[STB]

These units have recharable batteries that wear out from time, heat, recharge cycles, and relatively simple chargers.

It sometimes changes the voltage discharge curve enough to cause surprising problems. And of course low voltage may impact the display less than the transmit function, etc


I'd pull it apart and check voltage at the batter over time while in use and see how it does.

The battery can easily be replaced. It is a common configuration, except for the connector, so most people splice the old connector on to the new battery's wires (welding/brazing/soldering to batteries is harder than it seems without the right equipment).

There are a ton of YouTube videos, web tutorials? Forum posts, etc. Just search for that model number and battery replacement.

 

[fgarriso]

Have you contacted Raymarine customer support?

 

[grahamdouglass]

The problem has happened in the past but has recently gotten worse. I pilot the vessel by my self so chief mate Otto is very important.

 

[boomerang]

I would first locate the wireless box itself and verify that the seatalk connections are good. Also verify the antenna is intact. You could try repairing *as in RE PAIR the Bluetooth, not repair!*the controller handset with the box (in the controller menu). Does it work reliably when plugged into the charging plug and not when it's used wirelessly? If your internal battery is good it could be radio interference between the wireless control and the box if it only disconnects when it's unplugged. Have you added any electrical equipment lately?

 

[tpbrady]

By wireless controller are you referring to the controller that communicates with the Seatalk 1 base station? If so I see essentially the same thing every few days when the controller can no longer see the autopilot and the message "No Pilot" shows up in LCD window. The only way I can correct this to power my NMEA2000 network off and back on. This cuts power to the base station and forces a restart. I have a newer autopilot but the problem appears to be in the network interface between the base station and the Seatalk 1 network. Strangely even with "No Pilot" on the display, if I hit standby the autopilot will go into standby.

I think this wireless setup is the only Seatalk 1 device they still sell as new other than the Seatalk 1 to Seatalk NG interface I had to buy in order to make the wireless setup work. It doesn't do anything but interface the two networks. Raymarine in this respect is being a horse's ass by not updating the entire wireless autopilot control architecture. It's archaic and unreliable. Their legal staff won't let me use a wireless interface from their MFD to an Ipad/Iphone to control my autopilot because it is isn't reliable. Well neither is the approved solution.

Tom