RRRC? - Replacing Raymarine Radar Cable how?

[Vince_nj1]

My radar stopped working last year. My 2006 320 it was a repo that was shipped from its previous owners location to a dealer in Maryland where I found it. To prepare for shipping the radome was removed from the radar arch and the shipping company/trucker cut the radar cable up at the radome. I reinstalled the radome back in 2008 after purchasing radar cable plug kit. The kit contained a small plug a about the size of and SD memory card and 8 little wire ends that needed to be crimped onto the ends of the wires and slid into the card. One of the wires was actually a fiber optic cable. (The white one in the picture) Needless to say, it was delicate work and I am surprised that ever worked.

I decided to call in a Raymarine repair tech. After speaking to him briefly on the phone he explained that his first step in diagnosing the problem will be replace the cable. I asked if the stupid plug needed to be reattached up at the radome and he explained the plug comes attached to the cable and that it is difficult to get that plug installed correctly in the field. (yeah no kidding) So I decided that I could purchase the cable from him and install it my self. Or so I thought. He was OK with my plan is waiting for me to confirm the model of my unit.

I just got off the boat after poking around and discovered that the radar cable snakes from the back of my C80 into a larger group of wires and then it appears that it drops DOWN into the bilge or Cabin. I looked in the bilge to see if I could find it and can't. I removed my side speaker next the driver’s seat and don't see the cable running through that compartment.

Does anyone know the path that this cable takes? It looks like a pretty tough job to replace it. Any help is appreciated.

 

[docofthebay]

Since you are replacing the entire cable from dome to monitor, you don't have to run the new cable in the same place as the old. So unless there is an electromagnetic reason not to, pick your own path of least resistance and run it an easier way

 

[Alex F]

Vince,

Are you saying that you're planning to replace the entire cable just b/c you can't reattach the connecting plug to the wire? If the cable is fine otherwise, I wouldn't do it. There must be an easier way to do this. The plug should have connecting pins that might come out of the plug by releasing a locking (usually there's one). Then, you should be able to reattach each wire to it's pin and then push the pins back in the plug in locked position.

Another option, if above doesn't work, is to get different plug (maybe just individual plugs for each wire, it's only 3-4 wires there) and replace it instead of the orriginal plug.

Worst case scenario, you can always just splice those 3-4 wires without any plugs, but that will leave you with inconvenience if messing with the splicing if you need to disconnect the radar wire for some reason.

Anyway, I think that replacing the whole cable is the last resort only after you exhaust all other options.

EDITED:
I was on different PC and only now I saw your picture of the plug. I see that most of the wires look ok, except for the white one. The red, black and ground go to the plug with screws, so it shouldn't be an issue. Anyway, if you decide that running new cable is your best option, taking this access pannel off will be your best helper:

 

[Turtlesboat]

I would buy the cable and plug everything up before snaking it to make sure everything works. My cable also drops and runs through a trough and then up the arch. In my boat, I have a carpeted cubby hole next to the captains chair. If I remove the carpet, it covers access holes to help snake the cable. if you have a little cubby hole, feel around the carpeted area and see if it's hiding any holes there.

 

[300SR]

I had the same deal on a 34 I had. Bought a new (bad) cable and ended up sending it to ray. They checked it out and sent me a new one for free. Yes free. Then fedexed it back to me. PITA to change. I don't know how it is on your model but it can't be that bad.

Good luck but I would put a new one on. Ebay has them at a good price.

 

[Vince_nj1]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I have a Raymarine repair tech scheduled to come to the boat this Sat. He is bringing a "light" cable (1 black and 1 red instead of 2 & 2 like I have now, he assured me that I don't need the "heavy" cable with my 18Inch radome.) We are going to test the Radome with the new cable to confirm that the cable is the problem. I am going to ask him to try to use the existing cable and start fresh with the connections. (I played around with the cable again yesterday and got fed up with it) If it is easier and more reliable to replace the entire cable, I will run the new one through a different path. I may just leave the existing one dropped into the radar arch and under the dash. I don't cause a new problem somewhere else by pulling the old one out. Everything is so nicely wire tied, I dont' want to disturb it.

I will report back how things turned out after his visit.

BTW the Raymarine Tech is charging $45.00 fixed travel and $95 an hour. Pretty reasonable.

 

[Kreole Kid]

"they pass through six tubes of silicone and a bulkhead, into the bilge and then up through six more tubes of silicone and into the arch."

Scott are you sure it's NOT seven tubes:grin: