Older B&G network autilot question

jeffsuwanee

jeffsuwanee

Member
Jan 21, 2012
77
Lake Lanier, Ga
Boat Info
1997 420AC
2000 Nautica 11DL Rib
Engines
Cat 3116
I have a 97 420AC and it has the original b&g network quad electronics package on it which is comprised of the autopilot, marine vhf and speed/depth unit. When I use engage the autopilot, it looks for speed from the speed/depth unit. But the paddle wheel broke off of the thru hull unit and now the boat shows no speed while I'm underway. This becomes a problem when I try to engage the autopilot, because the auto reads " no speed" and will not engage. Is there a workaround for this? I also have a garmin 2006c chartplotter. Is there a way for me to wire the garmin chartplotter to the b&g autopilot so that it sees speed? Thanks in advance, Jeff
 
The reason your B&G A/P won't work is because it is speed proportional......i.e. the faster you are going, the smaller the rudder inputs. That keeps your wake from looking like a big zig-zag and is much more efficient. Because the GPS speed lags actual time, to make the system work properly, you really need to fix or replace the B&G speed wheel or transducer.
 
fwebster said:
The reason your B&G A/P won't work is because it is speed proportional......i.e. the faster you are going, the smaller the rudder inputs. That keeps your wake from looking like a big zig-zag and is much more efficient. Because the GPS speed lags actual time, to make the system work properly, you really need to fix or replace the B&G speed wheel or transducer.
Click to expand...

Guess where that speed transducer is mounted on my 420AC? It's alongside the forward bilge pump with the depth transducer at the end of a 3 foot passage under the galley floor. The only way you can get to it is to remove the forward sump and wiggle down under the floor. There are no access panels and no other way to get at it. Considering you should remove the speed transducer when you haul, it is the most ludicrous location. Mine was broken. It looks like it got crushed during a haul as the body of the transducer was split as well as the tip broken off. It really is a very poorly designed installation. I had a smaller framed person than me go in there and we removed it and inserted the plug. At some point I will remove both transducers and plug the hull because I cannot figure out how to get access to them right now. Maybe I can remove the stairs from galley and cut an access panel. For now I have installed a new Airmar smart sensor forward of the starboard engine and have a similar speed log to install at later date somewhere it can be accessed!

BTW For the pilot, I really only use the autopilot at two speeds so I set the speed via the pilot Display panel. Seems to work well enough.
 
KT....there is a better place to access the transducer if you have the 420 with the laundry room. The left storage compartment/cabinet has an access panel in the floor that lives directly over top all of the thru hull transducers. Do you have the B&G a/p? if so, where do you enter a speed?

Frank..since the a/p is speed proportional, wouldn't I be acheiving the same end result by wiring the a/p into the garmin chartplotter via nmea? This way I would be not only be getting speed info (a more accurate speed than the paddle wheel) , but also the ability to have the a/p follow waypoints on the chartplotter.
 
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The default installation for the B&G pilot was to use the speed wheel or speed sensor. The reason is because some GPs systems speed output lags actual by as much as 1/2 minute, but that depends upon what GPS you have. My system is B&G/Furuno and it uses the GPS input with no problems, but both my Furuno plotters have a very short lag. The B&G A/P is one of the best out there, so its worth wading thru a manual that takes an electronics engineer to follow to get it to do what you need.
 
Frank...I completely agree that the B&G a/p is a very accurate and consistent unit. I have no plans of replacing it. But, I'm going to contact B&G and Garmin today in an effort to understand the proper wiring arrangement for the nmea between the two.....As usual thank you so much for your wealth of knowledge, I appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions.

.....and as a side note, I do have a competent tech coming out this week to undo the couplers at the engine/trans to check the alignment. I going to cure that vibration come hell or high water.
 
Update: Spoke with Navico about B&G usage with Garmin chartplotter. Apparently it is possible to hook the two together to achieve speed info through the Garmin. However.....the cable needed to acheive this is obsolete and not available any longer. It is a 3 pin data cable that fits into the back of the network Pilot head. It's part number is: 612-0A-053. It's B&G part number. If anyone locates one...please let me know. As this will alleviate the need for messing with the paddle wheel assembly and give me the ability to follow a course of waypoints of the Garmin charplotter.
 
Jeff,

Try this............

http://www.gsmarine.com/aboutus.html


This is a link to Gulfstream Marine Services in Florida. This is a company owned by Mike Reichmann, who owned B&G USA in the 90's when Sea Ray offered something other than Raytheon/Raymarine in the boats. Basic depth/speed and VHF's were usually done at the factory by Sea Ray personnel, but when GPS,plotters and A/P's were offered, them Mike's company went to Palm Coast, or Merritt Island and did the installation. Phil Baskett rigged most of the boats, did mine and later came to Panama City to handle a change we wanted to make. Phil knows B&G gear backwards and forwards and the last I heard, he was still with the Reichmann companies. I suspect if any one or any company can help with an obscure obsolete part, it would be them.
 
jeffsuwanee said:
KT....there is a better place to access the transducer if you have the 420 with the laundry room. The left storage compartment/cabinet has an access panel in the floor that lives directly over top all of the thru hull transducers. Do you have the B&G a/p? if so, where do you enter a speed?
Click to expand...

I do have the laundry room (How the heck is the washer/dryer fixed in place - I need to remove it?) but the sensors appear to be under the stairs not under the laundry room. I will definitely check though.

There's a calibration page on the B&G Pilot that allows you to enter speed when the transducer is US.
 
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