Raymarine Dragonfly keeps going dead?

[joetheis]

I installed a new from West Marine, Raymarine Dragonfly down imaging fishfinder/chartplotter on my fishing boat to tandom to my Hummingbird.
I have the 2 connected to the same blade connectors, positive on a fuse block, neg. to another block with ALL my dash grounds, (that has it's own wire running back to the battery(s) ground block.
There is also a un coated wire on the Raymarine.
Every once in a while the Raymarine will just die????? (the humming bird hasn't miss a beat)
I take the connector off the back, wait a few and reconnect and it'll work???? (Although I knew I had power and ground, I took a multi meter and checked, there was power and ground at the connector)
I attached the un shielded wire to the ground block the other day out on the water, and it worked for the last hour I was out there.
1) where does that un coated wire really go?
2) does your Raymarine top left portion get warm/hot, mine seems to?
Before I call Ray marine or send it back, I want to make sure I've got the wiring all connected right.
It's not rocket science, (well, except for that un coated wire)
I went digging @ for the instructions, you think I can find them?????
Joe
Why does this always happen to me?

 

[Benny67]

Check your crimps on the new unit. Did you just squeeze the spade crimps with pliers or did you use a proper terminal lug crimper?

That bare wire is a shield. It should be at ground potential IF the other end is open. I suggest looking at the schematic it came with to make that decision.

 

[Expidia]

I just installed a dragonfly too. That bare wire raymarine calls a drain wire. I just crimped it to the negative wire and crimped on a spade lug and attached it to the factory installed negative wire block under my dash. Make sure you didn't crimp the insulation when you crimped on a connector.
here is an explantaion of the drain wire from raymarine that I googled for you.

http://raymarine.ning.com/forum/top...ntId=6492755:Comment:63700&xg_source=activity

 

[joetheis]

Thanks!
I used a "official" crimping tool, (being a tool junkie I just GOTTA have al the good toys)!
It's tight on the crimp, (Over the years I've had too many fall off, usually the ones that are most important .... or the ones hardest to get at)!
Winter was lloonngg here in Pa., so I had LOTS of time to make sure all the work was done perfect!
This is a fresh water boat, so I don't have a bonding block, being a old 4 wheel land crusier mechanic, I've learned most people neglect the ground, so I make sure it is a 100% ground. Wire from battery block up to the dash, to a block where everything is connected. All connections have a coating of electrical grease too!
I have the drain wire on a ground crimp now, let's see if it works 24/7 now.
I HAVE to find the box, instructions and more important the receipt in case it is a "motherboard" or ?? problem, it can go back.
Joe

 

[dingbat]

The new electronics are very sensative to voltage variances, "noise" and grounds loops. If the earth ground makes a difference, you have an issue with your primary ground connection.

Units run hot becouse of the backlighting to make the screen visible in sunlight. Backlighting is adjustable on some units.

 

[gm280]

Another idea could be to use the proper crimping tool AND then solder it as well before shrink tube... That way you have everything covered and a great connection. But also after soldering, use alcohol and an acid brush to clean any and all flux residue from the soldered connection. Because over time that flux could corrode the solder connection depending on the type used. That IS the proper way to make great connections.

 

[bruceb58]

If he has the proper crimp tool, no solder needed or wanted.

 

[joetheis]

The tool is an "Honest to God" REAL crimping tool.
I only solder my connections when there is a lot of amps or a moist (er) area.
Thanks for the info on the heat, I was wondering, i THOUGHT at first it was the battery charging, then realized there is no battery back up!
Joe

 

[Benny67]

This description of a "drain" wire is a bit strange... when I hear "drain" my thoughts go to one of the legs on a FET.

And as far as voltage sensitivities goes I highly doubt that's your culprit. In order to loose 12vdc on a deep cycle battery you would have to have a LARGE load pull that battery down... like a starter motor when its initially engaged.

Get the instructions/schematics from raymarine and re connect your power feed to a dedicated power source. The dedicated power source and maybe replacing the crimps with fresh new properly crimped lugs will most likely solve the issue.

 

[Benny67]

Dedicated source= directly to the 12vdc buss (fused of course)

 

[dingbat]

And as far as voltage sensitivities goes I highly doubt that's your culprit. In order to loose 12vdc on a deep cycle battery you would have to have a LARGE load pull that battery down... like a starter motor when its initially engaged.

or a loose / bad connection which "blade" connectors are famous for

 

[Benny67]

and a few other issues...

If the connectors you are connecting the second unit to are directly in parallel with the old connectors you could have a voltage drop if the old crimps are bad and weathered on the spot where they are mating.

I just recently fixed an issue with my port side light that due to the year of being exposed to the elements created a 8V drop across the bulb leads. I was somewhat surprised when I got a 4V reading across the lamp blades. Goes to show you what can happen to a crimp connection,especially over a few seasons.

 

[joetheis]

But, the other (Lowrance) unit is hooked to the same blade connectors!
So, if it was a bad connection, that unit would be dead also.
To date, that one hasn't missed a beat!
I also checked voltage at the plug when it died, I had 12 volts.
Let's see with the drain wire hooked to ground. Before I call Raymarine.
Joe

 

[NYBo]

Is the low voltage cutoff value adjustable? Twelve volts is very low, BTW. That's a severely discharged battery.

 

[joetheis]

That was with us floating @, spouse catching fish, me playing with finders. I had all engines off, cheap multimeter testing, (maybe it was 12.5 or what ever).
I wanted to make sure I had 1). good ground and, 2). voltage going into finder.
Battery(s) were full charged from all night from on board charger, (yes it works), 2 new marine batteries.
'Rude charges well (checked with GOOD multi meter and amp set up), gauges reads good.
I'm sure the problem isn't in the connection or battery(s),as I'm pretty anal and had lots of practice the last few years with marine electrical connections and have gotten pretty good doing them.
Joe

 

[Benny67]

Is the low voltage cutoff value adjustable? Twelve volts is very low, BTW. That's a severely discharged battery.

I don't understand ?

Every storage/wet cell battery for recreational marine useage has been 12 Vdc

How is that too low?

 

[Benny67]

Is the low voltage cutoff value adjustable? Twelve volts is very low, BTW. That's a severely discharged battery.

Also, batteries will drop some voltage when they are discharged...not much...they usually maintain a voltage somewhere above 11.2Vdc when they are discharged or close to it. That is if it's has nothing connected to it.

A discharged battery is not a failure to supply the correct voltage, it's lacking the current required for the equipment you are attempting to power. if you are measuring a "dead battery" when it's hooked up to a load you WILL see a lower voltage because the load is pulling it down due to the fact there is not enough current in the cells to supply the power it needs to operate.


The problem with this equipment is it's connection...hands down. I'll bet the farm on it.

good luck with it...

 

[joetheis]

I took a gel cell battery I had and wired it direct to it.
After 1 hour, the back was hot, off it went.
Would not fire up until I un plugged it and "let it cool"? for a while.
It did this 3 times!
I called Ray Marine and shipped it back to them.
Something inside is F-ed up!
Joe
Just my luck!!
I have 5 days off coming up and no "good" fish finder!!

 

[Benny67]

well,there you go...faulty unit. Chasing down alleged bad crimps when it turns out to be a dud out of the box. I was going to ask for some photos of your connections but no need now.

I would have been curious as to how much current the faulty unit was drawing vs the new unit they will send you...but that's just me.

 

[joetheis]

I have 2 blocks, (power one has fuses),that have blades on them from Auto zone.
Ran the power wire from off the Assessory switch.
Ground is block with wire attached to dash, then another working it's way back to the battery.
I'm pretty anal about neatness and connections, so I was sure it wasn't "pilot error" and a bad unit.
Only stupid part of this is I realized I had sent the Gold Navonics card with the unit!
They should get it today..........................
Joe