Electronics upgrade from original Raymarine on 330DA

Enrique · Jun 1, 2016

Hello,

I am starting phase one of my electronics upgrade. My newly purchased 1997 330DA still has the original Raymarine CRT chart plotter and radar to go with it. Looks like the largest I can comfortably fit in that panel as a replacement is something in the 9" range so I went with a Raymarine A95, got a great price on it from Defender. I'm also getting a new Raymarine radar unit, for my purposes the Raymarine RD418D looks adequate and affordable. I'm curious if it is possible to reuse any of the cabling in the radar arch that is already present leading to the old analog scanner. Or if I will completely have to rerun new cables. That sounds very tedious although maybe doable through the speaker holes. I'm guessing the new digital radars are completely incompatible with any of the old cables but just wanted to be sure before I spend the next couple days off snaking things through my radar arch!

Thanks!

roberteb · Jun 1, 2016

Don't expect that you can reuse the cable. But if you didn't purchase the radar yet and looking for a long term investment, check the quantum http://www.defender.com/product3.jsp?path=-1|344|2028689|2028797&id=3111571. Is 'slightly' more expensive, but much better specs/picture...

http://www.panbo.com/archives/2016/...raymarine_quantum_solid-state_chirp_pulse_compression_radar_in_radome_form.html

This unit can also used wireless, so no cable needed (except power). But I would suggest to use cable, as good idea to renew also your powercable

Enrique · Jun 1, 2016

Thanks for the tip... I was looking at the quantum as well. I'll see how well this one works out for this season, or if it's too much of a hassle to install, I might even send it back and install the quantum over the winter when I have more time.

Creekwood · Jun 2, 2016

Enrique said:
Thanks for the tip... I was looking at the quantum as well. I'll see how well this one works out for this season, or if it's too much of a hassle to install, I might even send it back and install the quantum over the winter when I have more time.

Snaking the cables from the arch down to the dash is not too bad on your 330. I installed a radome a few years ago to connect to my C80. Buy yourself an electrician's fish tape. It will come in Very handy for this, and for every other wiring job you do.

Enrique · Jun 2, 2016

Well the A95 went in today. Didn't take me more than a couple hours to take out the old Raymarine 11xx and put in the A95. The extra space above and below the new unit leaves a bit to be desired though. I will probably have to make a custom bezel or panel of some sort to cover the small gap above and below the new unit. For now I'll have to put some clear sealant around it while I decide how to finish it off. Radar came today so I'll see how that install goes next week!

Creekwood · Jun 2, 2016

Enrique said:
Well the A95 went in today. Didn't take me more than a couple hours to take out the old Raymarine 11xx and put in the A95. The extra space above and below the new unit leaves a bit to be desired though. I will probably have to make a custom bezel or panel of some sort to cover the small gap above and below the new unit. For now I'll have to put some clear sealant around it while I decide how to finish it off. Radar came today so I'll see how that install goes next week!

Flounder-Pounder (Sea-Ray Parts) sells wood grain OEM looking panels that you can install behind the Raymarine and fills in the gaps etc. It's designed to fit the exact space on the dash.

http://www.searay-parts.com/Sea-ray-dash-instrument-panel-p/fp-panel-1sf-330radar.htm

roberteb · Jun 2, 2016

Enrique said:
Well the A95 went in today. Didn't take me more than a couple hours to take out the old Raymarine 11xx and put in the A95. The extra space above and below the new unit leaves a bit to be desired though. I will probably have to make a custom bezel or panel of some sort to cover the small gap above and below the new unit. For now I'll have to put some clear sealant around it while I decide how to finish it off. Radar came today so I'll see how that install goes next week!

Possible solution? http://www.raymarine.com/view/?id=2863

Enrique · Jun 8, 2016

Update! Installed the radar yesterday. Wiring was a lot easier than I thought it would be. Opened up those access panels on the arch and took out a couple speakers, and luckily my arms were long enough to guide the new digital radar cable through the arch with minimal effort. Radar works like a charm.

To cover the slight gap around the MFD I ordered a large black rectangular plastic panel cut to size. Then I'll use a drill and a saw (maybe even just a dremel) to cut out the hole for the MFD. I'll use it as a frame and the MFD will sit right inside the frame and that will cover the hole. If it doesn't look classy enough for me I might invest in a new wood grain dash panel at that point. If I like the look, I might use the same black plastic to cover the redundant chart plotter unit below my steering wheel when I pull that.

Another question now though - now I'm getting further into stuff I'm not familiar with... anyone know if the original depth sounder can still be used somehow by the new MFD? I'm not going to put in a new transducer until winter when I pull the boat, but it would be nice to have depth on this new display. I have a Raymarine depth/speed instrument on the dash that mysteriously stopped working on our first day (before I started fiddling with this install). The display still powers up but the depth and speed all show dashes. Not sure if it's just a loose wire or something else stopped working. I was going to take a closer look and see if it might be a loose connection, but if that old depth/speed transducer works, is there a way to tie it into the new MFD? I'm not even sure what kind of transducer I have right now, I just know it's probably still an original factory install from 1997.

onthejob · Jun 9, 2016

I know you're not going to want to hear this, but I just went through this. The A95 does not have a built in sounder for depth. I went with an A97 instead because it does a built in sounder (+$150) and so does the A98 but I didn't need the side scan option. Without a built in sounder you have to get a Raymarine CP370 digital sonar module ($600) to connect between you MFD and transducer. I was able to buy an adapter cable (E66066 Transducer Adapter) for $100 and use my exsisting transducer.

For speed the A-series all have built in GPS so you have to find the setting to set the speed to SOG instead of picking it up from a transducer.

I also have a Quantum radar and LOVE it. Smaller, lighter, thin cables. I also hard wired the data cable since I was running power to the unit anyway. Easy install.

roberteb · Jun 9, 2016

@onthejob, is correct, but don't expect to be an issue for Enrique, as looking for depth only.

On the a95 you can connect a DST800 thru-hull transducer (approx. 300USD for Depth/Speed/Temp) using your nmea2000 network, so no need to for additional module.

a97 has a build-in digital sonar and a98 chirp(sonar/downvision)

onthejob · Jun 10, 2016

You are correct but I didn't want to deal with removing and mounting a new transducer. After all the different ways I could have gone, my configuration ended up being easiest and least expensive route. Also, would you have to convert NMEA 2000 to SeaTalkng? There is another hundred. But it's a boat, right?

roberteb said:
@onthejob, is correct, but don't expect to be an issue for Enrique, as looking for depth only.

On the a95 you can connect a DST800 thru-hull transducer (approx. 300USD for Depth/Speed/Temp) using your nmea2000 network, so no need to for additional module.

a97 has a build-in digital sonar and a98 chirp(sonar/downvision)

roberteb · Jun 10, 2016

NMEA2000 = STng, only difference are connectors (and backbone / spur cables) The AIRMAR DST800 will come with STng connectors (or Micro)

Enrique · Jun 11, 2016

cool, thanks for the info. I never really thought I would use sonar, but maybe in retrospect it would have been smart to spend the extra $150 or so on the a97 in case one day I wanted to. As for depth, it sounds like I'll just have to rely on my instrument display for now until I get a new transducer in the off season.

Speaking of my depth, I got my existing instrument transducer to work for a couple minutes for me last night at the dock then it died again. Not sure where the problem is, if it's a bad wire connection, it's not in a spot where I can get it to consistently come on. And the boat's only been in the water a little over a month so I don't think growth on the transducer would be plugging it up yet.

Electronics upgrade from original Raymarine on 330DA

Enrique

roberteb

Enrique

Creekwood

Enrique

Creekwood

roberteb

Enrique

onthejob

roberteb

onthejob

roberteb

Enrique

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