hds systems with networking questions.

[Why-ting]

Hi guys this is the second time ive typed this and im not the best at typing.

Ive recently added a hds 5 and structure scan to go with my other 2 hds 7's. i have a 5 and 7 at the helm and a 7 on the lecky up the front. all units are ethernet linked through structure. The bow sounder runs a separate transducer and i only have 1 transducer running to my 7 at the helm. i have just received my nmea cables that were on back order but yet to install.

My questions are.

*I want to run both my helm units through the 1 transducer. will my nmea send this info to the other unit or is there some sort of splitter for the transducer?

*My helm transducer is through hull mounted and sometimes doesn’t give a true reading. ive read somewhere that the structure transducer has a temp sensor but i cannot physically see it. Is it built in or is there 2 different transducers? If its built in does the unit automatically read from it or do you have to tell the unit where to take the reading from?

* From what I understand from what I have read about the power up for nmea you can use the power cable supplied with the starter kit or the data lead running from the head unit power lead. but not both. Just wondering if there are any advantages running through the head unit cable or just run with the cable supplied in the nmea kit?

Thanks for any advice in advance.

Cheers Nick

[camw308]

hey mate

i have just been though the same proccess of installing a Lowrance LCX110C with nmea 2000,As far as i can gather you can hook up as many screens as you want and view any thing thats on the network on either screen.

Yes the temp probe in internal and you can not see it,i have a transom mount trasducer with the same setup,mine displayed it automaticly.

No real advantages of running it either way apart from less cables if you run it with the power for the unit,remember to fuse each individually and switch both power supplies because the nmea devices will drain you battery even with your displays off.

Im no expert on this as i have just done my own,it sounds alot harder than in actually is,once i powered mine up it worked first time.

good luck

[honda900]

Nick,

Firstly power, the nmea bus must be powered, this can be done with the starter kit. no other power is needed for the nmea bus. your head units (HDS) cannot power the bus, unlike the earlier L models, in which power for the NMEA network is provided through the head unit.

I dont know if the transducer has the built in temperature sensor, but if it is and you have the correct transducer configured in the "transducer installation" settings then the temperature data will be an option for you to display on the screen.

Regards
Honda.

[aardvarkscotty]

I want to run both my helm units through the 1 transducer. will my nmea send this info to the other unit or is there some sort of splitter for the transducer?

If you connect the units via ethernet you can share the transducer readings. Nmea provides information like fuel usage, waypoints ie. simple pieces of information inside NMEA strings. The sounder readings are large and so ethernet is required to share this information. In the Sonar Settings for the headunit you can select where the sounder reading comes from. The unit with ducer cable connected also needs to have the Network Sonar setting on (so it gets sent over the network). Its in the manual so have a read.

*My helm transducer is through hull mounted and sometimes doesn’t give a true reading. ive read somewhere that the structure transducer has a temp sensor but i cannot physically see it. Is it built in or is there 2 different transducers? If its built in does the unit automatically read from it or do you have to tell the unit where to take the reading from?

As someone else mentioned make sure you select the correct transducer in the sounder setup. There is a silver label on the transducer cable which tells you what it is. Make sure this is transducer you pick from the setup list. Then the temp will become available. I'm not familiar with the structure scan ducer but if you use the screen overlays you can choose what temperature you are seeing...but there shouldnt be any difference between its reading and the normal 83/200 or 50/200 temp reading.

* From what I understand from what I have read about the power up for nmea you can use the power cable supplied with the starter kit or the data lead running from the head unit power lead. but not both. Just wondering if there are any advantages running through the head unit cable or just run with the cable supplied in the nmea kit?

Its recommended to use the power up from the nmea starter kit with an independent switch (so you can turn the network on/off as it does draw power and will flatten your battery over a long period of time). The head units no longer power the nmea bus.