MacGregorSailors.com

sailboatmike wrote:On my Lowrance GPS the NEMA socket can also be used for speed and temp fitting, it needs to be setup in the menu to NEMA to send the data to a another device as speed / temp is the default setting for the socket

I figure you are speaking NMEA 0183. NMEA 0183 is one way and format specific to some manufacturers. You have to have the output of your GPS going to an input of your AIS. Then you have to be transmitting in the correct format and correct information. Goint the settings on your GPS and play around with them you will probably find the right combination with trial and error.

I managed to the the Garmin 721xs and Matrix AIS+ talking back and forth now. I was missing the common ground which seemed to make a difference. Can't wait to get out in the the Georgia Strait and see all the things i need to avoid!!! Unfortunately they don't put AIS on the weekend warrior boats, because they are the ones you need to avoid!!.

You know its the weekend in the Georgia Strait because the DSC is always blaring.

Oh if anyone has the same setup I used the Blue(Receive), Grey(Transmit) and Green(Common Ground) Wires with baud rate of 38400 HS to the NEMA 0183 Com port on the Garmin.


GX2150 AIS+ Garmin 721xs
Blue(Receive) NEMA0183 Output (I used the Violet)
Grey(Transmit) NEMA0183 Input (I used the Grey)
Green(Common Ground) NEMA0183 (which in this case was the battery ground, shared wire)

Chinook wrote: ↑Tue May 19, 2015 12:34 pm The original wire used by the factory is white lamp cord wire. When I rewired our boat I replaced all wiring with marine grade wire of appropriate gauge.

What is the appropriate gauge for a Mac25?

LED lights, nav lights and a few USB outlets?

Yes, I brought back a thread from 2014, I've been searching and searching.... to no avail.

It depends on how many of those things are going to be protected by the same fuse.

Decide what you want to protect on each individual circuit first. You wouldn't put your cabin lights and nav lights on the same circuit, usually.

Then, calculate at the amps on each circuit. Do an internet search for "AWG amp chart" and you can find the appropriate wire size for that circuit.

For a light circuit I would use 18 gauge marine wire, but that's overkill. But it's not much extra money for a robust design. Bigger wire is almost always better, because it produces less heat and minimizes voltage drop in the wires.

Just make sure that each circuit you put in is protected, either by an inline fuse or a marine switch panel (that has fuses hidden inside it), or a fuse block like the ones made by Blue Seas.

Thanks, I'll look into that!

Right now everything is using lamp wire and orange extension cord, and not everything is fused, and most things go to battery...

I'm planning on this (which based on what you said, is also overkill): EDIT: the wire isn't marine 'tinned' wire, I'll be changing my cart to ensure it's marine wire!



wired to this, that has the fuses you mentioned, right in it.




Can i run from this panel to the battery (and battery switch) with that 16 gauge wire I'm buying or should I go even bigger? or will I learn that from the chart you linked me to?

I picked up that same panel for my Mac 26D. I like the option of not having the switches lit. (My wife doesn't like the light...)
I'm yet to install the panel. Probably a fall or winter project at this point.
Marty

This is the wire you should use:

It's marine wire and has an exterior protective sheath. Insurance inspectors and surveyors want this kind of wire on a yacht.

I understand the attraction of the panel you selected...price, appearance, but it's a cheap Chinese knockoff and you get what you pay for. Maybe this is a better idea?

I bought some relays on Amazon and quickly found out that the safety markings were falsified.

Your panel should be wired with a short run of no lighter than 10 gauge wire. Not 16 gauge. 16 is fine for most things coming OUT of the panel, but the wire between the battery and the selector switch and from the selector to the panel should be heavy gauge.

Yes you can wire the selector directly to the battery and the directly from the selector to the panel. Some people put a battery terminal-mounted main fuse, and that's not a bad idea. A short upstream of the fuse panel could be disastrous.

Excellent, thanks Starscream for the wiring advice and the note about the bad Chinese panel.

I'll definitely not buy that panel, and I'll plan on at least 20' of 10ga tinned marine wire from battery to switch to panel and from the panel to everything else I'll use the 16ga tinned marine wire.

Much appreciated!

Good luck!

I didn't mean to be too critical of the panel, I know those things are popular. On a "real" boat I wouldn't touch it, but they are probably just fine for typical Mac purposes.
But the price of well built parts from a supplier like Blue Seas won't break most banks and are worth the peace of mind in my opinion. Especially if there is a fire and investigation, imagine the responsibility.

As a side note, beware any panel with a USB port.

I discovered on my over-landing motorcycle setup that a USB port is constantly using power, as it converts 12V to 5.2v.

Replacing the totally dead battery weak actually quite cheap, but actually getting to the battery on that bike, which meant removing the pannier luggage racks, the side panels and seat, was quite a nightmare. Nothing like as bad as trying to get everything to line back up again though...