Raymarine i70

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Camino
Posts: 358
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2016 4:51 pm
Location: Stockton, CA

Raymarine i70

Post by Camino »

Hello - anyone using the Raymarine i70 display instead on having three displays for wind, speed, depth? For my deck crazing work I removed my three original Autohelm wind, depth, speed displays. Looking to add new and fewer displays if possible...

Thanks
Tom and Stephanie
Good Way II F 35 (P)
1999. Wing Keel 5’
3GM30F, 3-blade maxi prop
Emery Cove, CA

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RadioZephyr
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Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2016 10:04 am
Location: Boston, MA

Re: Raymarine i70

Post by RadioZephyr »

I'm also thinking about installing the i70s (I assume that's what you meant, since it's replaced the i70) to replace my "vintage" Datamarine Corinthian Series instruments from 1985. I'd love to take what was once on 3 giant displays and have it all on one small screen. It seems like a simpler install than going with the i50/i60 system, and it's actually a fair amount cheaper. Plus, only a single thru-hull sensor to install.

Am I missing some downside to this setup?
Josh
Sunset Spy
F38, Hull #152
Boston, MA

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Camino
Posts: 358
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2016 4:51 pm
Location: Stockton, CA

Re: Raymarine i70

Post by Camino »

Josh - I don't think so

The combo raymarine transducer - boat speed, temp, depth with an earlier production run with box labels "v3.020 firmware" should be avoided as they may not communicate with the sea talk ng network. Although if you buy one of those it can be sent into raymarine for warranty upgrading.

Otherwise I believe that's how I'm going too

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RadioZephyr
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Location: Boston, MA

Re: Raymarine i70

Post by RadioZephyr »

Just to be crystal clear, this is the product we're talking about, right?: http://www.defender.com/product3.jsp?pa ... id=3480639
Josh
Sunset Spy
F38, Hull #152
Boston, MA

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Camino
Posts: 358
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2016 4:51 pm
Location: Stockton, CA

Re: Raymarine i70

Post by Camino »

Exactly Josh - I spoke with Raymarine about the dst800 combo transducer - all the new ones have the software upgrade for communicating with sea talk ng - but version 3.020 - with markings on the box and the transducer would need to shipped back to raymarine for upgrading the firmware.

Also try looking at northern marine (on eBay) for a new price of around $1180 I think (although can't go wrong with Defender!)
Tom and Stephanie
Good Way II F 35 (P)
1999. Wing Keel 5’
3GM30F, 3-blade maxi prop
Emery Cove, CA

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RadioZephyr
Posts: 259
Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2016 10:04 am
Location: Boston, MA

Re: Raymarine i70

Post by RadioZephyr »

Oh man, that's a great price, thanks! You're making it quite a bit harder to put off this purchase until next year...
Josh
Sunset Spy
F38, Hull #152
Boston, MA

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mike cunningham
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Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2008 11:21 am
Location: Jacqueline, F30 #3, Discovery Bay, California

Re: Raymarine i70

Post by mike cunningham »

I am in a related situation and scratching my head on some compatibility issues. Maybe you guys know the answer.

I currently have both the i70 (not s) and ST 60+ instruments installed. The i70 was installed recently in a supplemental panel and is located inside the cabin so I can keep an eye on conditions from my berth or wherever I happen to be below decks. I retained two ST 60+ installed in rotating pods on either side of the helm. I have a rotating panel mounted on the pedestal guard which houses i60 wind, i70 AP control head and an older (but stng compatible) "a" series chart plotter. The plotter and the AP head both display depth and speed which has been placed on the stng using a ST to stng converter.

I have two transducers a stand alone depth and a speed/temp. These are wired directly to the ST60+ master on deck. The related ST network is interfaced to the stng by the aforementioned st to stng converter.

Finally, I have an ITC 5 converter which currently takes wind only and places it on the STNG network. The ITC 5 is located in the fwd cabin "basement" below the vberth cushions.

Recently the depth transducer has failed. The speed/temp has been acting up for awhile. I am replacing them both as a result.

What I had planned to do is interface the replacement analog depth and speed directly to the ITC5 vs running the transducer cables all the way aft to the pedestal. The question I have is if the st to stng converter will pass the converted depth and speed messages to the ST60+ instruments without having to connect the transducers directly to the instruments. They should, but i have not seen any comments in the tech forums where this has been explicitly stated. Do you guys know the answer?

My lack of knowledge has made me reluctant to go with with the smart transducer for fear of obsoleting the two ST 60+. In addition, I already have the through hulls and the ITC5 so there does not seem to be a big advantage going to the smart transducer. It is cheaper for me to replace both analogs. Worst case I will have to re-run the cables to the helm but would prefer to avoid it.

Second question. You guys are apparently looking at a system which includes i70s, the wind transducer and other stuff. With regard to wind in particular, does the i70s offer all the functionality of a dedicated wind instrument like the i60 wind? I have reviewed the i70s manual but it is still not clear to me if the i70s is a full replacement.

FYI, I live an sail on the California Delta and having multiple depth displays helps me stay out of the mud.
Mike Cunningham
Freedom 30 (Mull) Hull #3
Build date...June, 1986 . Freedom Yachts USA, sloop, shoal keel
Gun Mount and pole retrofitted (purchased from a Hoyt Freedom 32)
Yanmar 2gm20F , 1600 hrs fixed two blade prop
e-rud and ocean racing equipment

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Camino
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Location: Stockton, CA

Re: Raymarine i70

Post by Camino »

Mike - my f35 P is on the hard in Stockton - estimating 1-2 months for this work (providing it stops raining). Interesting voyage getting her down to Stockton.

Regarding the raymarine i70s vs the i70 the following is directly from Raymarine "The feature set supported by the i70 and i70S are identical and are functional equivalents. Consistent with the NMEA 2000 standard prohibiting daisy chained devices within a single spur, the i70S features a single SeaTalkng/NMEA 2000 port, whereas the i70 had featured a pair SeaTalkng/NMEA 2000 ports to support them being daisy chained to other device having a SeaTalkng communications interface. The physical appearance of the i70S also differs from the i70 to be more consistent with the physical appearance of the eS/gS-Series MFDs and future MFD designs."

I may go with the i70 with 2 seatalkng backbone ports in case I need to daisy chain displays together. The i70s has a single port (connecting to the network - hmm either way it's good. ( edit: I got the system pack with the i70S- I figured I needed only one spur from it to my backbone as I'm not running other displays with the exception of the already configured chartplotter)

I like the idea of not running those transducer cables all the way to the binnacle - just stick them in the itc5 and run a spur cable to the i70 - which will also show on the chartplotter display or my iPad below deck because all are on the ng network.

The itc5 will also take all three transducer cables - your wind, speed, depth (if you replace those that are faulty) -


Also Mike - my wind and boat speed transducers are bad. Depth is good. My point would be to remove the wind at masthead and replace, and remove the entire boat speed transducer and replace with the combo dst800, and leave the depth transducer in the hull but not use it( cable tie the cable to it there at the bilge) - all three transducers going to the i70s (or i70) mounted near the companion steps forward of the binnacle would provide good info - at the wheel I could see the e7 chartplotter with all the data and below I could see the iPad with all the data.
Tom and Stephanie
Good Way II F 35 (P)
1999. Wing Keel 5’
3GM30F, 3-blade maxi prop
Emery Cove, CA

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mike cunningham
Posts: 489
Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2008 11:21 am
Location: Jacqueline, F30 #3, Discovery Bay, California

Re: Raymarine i70

Post by mike cunningham »

I took a bit of a chance and ordered new analog depth and speed/temp transducers to replace questionable units in the boat. Its difficult to test the depth transducer which was all dashes on the ST60+ display and the speed was intermittent. I just took a leap and bought replacement for both. I have an existing itc5 to support the wind transducer. So I interfaced the new transducers to the itc5 and verified the ST to STNG converter would deliver the speed/depth messages to the ST only ST 60+ instruments. Yea! the converter did its thing and I am all good. This saves me having to replace the ST60+ instruments. Good thing cause I only use them for speed and depth.

The hardest part of the whole thing was getting the old transducer wiring out of the wheel pedestal and the rest of the run forward to the transducers, what a pain. With the new set up the wires run one foot to the itc5, no snaking required. Big improvement! I really really like this STNG single backbone approach.

The other cool thing about this arrangement is all transducer calibration and alarm setup is done from the single i70 instrument on the network. Alarms can be acknowledged from the ST 60 or the chartplotter in the cockpit.
Mike Cunningham
Freedom 30 (Mull) Hull #3
Build date...June, 1986 . Freedom Yachts USA, sloop, shoal keel
Gun Mount and pole retrofitted (purchased from a Hoyt Freedom 32)
Yanmar 2gm20F , 1600 hrs fixed two blade prop
e-rud and ocean racing equipment

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Camino
Posts: 358
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2016 4:51 pm
Location: Stockton, CA

Re: Raymarine i70

Post by Camino »

I bit and got the i70s system pack (one i70s display, itc-5 converter, depth-speed-temp transducer, and wind transducer with cable). Removed the three Autohelm instruments and glassed over the holes. I left the cables inside, hanging down by the stbd hull side until I can locate them by my control panel- the cables all had "Autohelm" written on them but I can't locate them in my electrical panel area!

. I ran a single ST ng spur cable back over and will drill and install the i70s in the spot where the three displays were. I'll go to the mast in a couple of weeks for that work. I removed my old boat speed paddle transducer and installed the combo-transducer and ran that cable to my panel where the new itc-5 is and wired those 7 leads to it (wind leads to follow). That cable too had "Autohelm" written on it but when I trace to the panel I can't locate it! I disconnected the red from the circuit breaker to those iliminated instruments and as I can't locate the black lead to remove it, that'll have to remain - hopefully without a voltage drain anywhere.

Deck crazing work continues too
Tom and Stephanie
Good Way II F 35 (P)
1999. Wing Keel 5’
3GM30F, 3-blade maxi prop
Emery Cove, CA

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