Airmar CS4500-650 User Manual

INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONSOWNER’S GUIDE &

Thru-Hull, Retractable with Valve

Ultrasonic Speed & Temperature Sensor

Model: CS4500-650

U.S. Patent 6,426,918; 6,671,225; 6,678,208. EP 1 634 087

Follow the precautions below for optimal product
performance and to reduce the risk of property
damage, personal injury, and/or death.

WARNING: Always wear safety goggles and a dust

17-259-01 rev. 02 04/12/11

mask when installing.

WARNING: The power must be ‘OFF’ before proceeding.

WARNING: The power supply voltage must be

WARNING: A safe installation requires a 0.5 amp fast

blow fuse or circuit breaker.

WARNING: The valve is not a watertight seal! Always
install the ultrasonic insert or the long blanking plug
secured with the retaining pin, safety rings, and safety
wire for a watertight seal.

WARNING: The o-rings must be intact and well
lubricated to make a watertight seal.

WARNING: Always attach the safety wire to prevent
the insert or blanking plug from backing out in the
unlikely event that the cap nut fails or is screwed on
incorrectly.

WARNING: Immediately check for leaks when the
boat is placed in the water. Do not leave the boat
unchecked for more than three hours. Even a small
leak may allow considerable water to accumulate.

WARNING: When the valve assembly is removed,
always insert the short emergency plug with the cap
nut secured with the safety wire for a watertight seal.

CAUTION: Never pull, carry, or hold the transducer by
its cable; this may sever internal connections.

CAUTION: Never use a fairing with a plastic housing;
the protruding sensor would be vulnerable to damage
from impact.

10-15VDC

Record the information found on the cable tag for future reference.

Part No._________________Date___________

Applications

• Not recommended for boats designed to pull air under the hull.

• Plastic housing recommended for fiberglass or metal hull only.

Never install a plastic housing in a wood hull since swelling of
the wood may fracture the plastic.

• Bronze housing recommended for fiberglass or wood hull only.

Never install a bronze housing in a metal hull because
electrolytic corrosion will occur.

How the Ultrasonic Speed Sensor Works

The speed sensor uses ultrasonic pulses to collect echoes from
small particles in the water as they pass under two transducers
embedded in the insert (see Figure 1). These transducers monitor
the particles in their respective beams. As the boat travels through
the water, both transducers ‘view’ the same stream of particles.
Because it takes time for particles to travel between the two
transducers, the aft transducer detects the particles later than
does the fore transducer. By measuring this time lapse, the
instrument calculates the boat speed. If the boat is airborne, even
for a short time, or in highly aerated water, the sensor will
measure an incorrect speed.

Tools & Materials

Safety goggles
Dust mask
Water-based anti-fouling paint (mandatory in salt water)
Electric drill with 10mm (3/8") or larger chuck capacity
Drill bit 3mm or 1/8"
Hole saw 51mm or 2"
Sandpaper

CAUTION: Never install a metal housing on a vessel
with a positive ground system.

CAUTION: Never use solvents. Cleaners, fuel,
sealants, paint, and other products may contain strong
solvents, such as acetone, which attack many
plastics, greatly reducing their strength.

IMPORTANT: The sensor must be in good contact
with the water at all times.

IMPORTANT: Read the instructions completely
before proceeding with the installation. These
instructions supersede any other instructions in your
instrument manual if they differ.

hull

vessel direction

particle stream

Figure 1. Monitoring particles in the water

scanning transducer

FORE AFT

Copyright © 2002 Airmar Technology Corp.

Mild household detergent or weak solvent (such as alcohol)
File (installation in a metal hull)
Marine sealant (suitable for below waterline)
Additional washer [for aluminum hull less than 6mm (1/4") thick]
Slip-joint pliers (installing a metal housing)
Grommets (some installations)
Installation in a cored fiberglass hull (see page 3)

Hole saw for hull interior 60mm or 2-3/8"
Fiberglass cloth and resin
or Cylinder, wax, tape, and casting epoxy

ultrasonic
insert

outside wall below
lower o-ring

Anti-fouling Paint

Aquatic growth can accumulate rapidly on the ultrasonic sensor’s
surface reducing performance within weeks. Surfaces exposed to
salt water must be coated with anti-fouling paint. Use water-based
anti-fouling paint only. Never use ketone-based paint, since
ketones can attack many plastics possibly damaging the sensor.

It is easier to apply anti-fouling paint before installing the sensor,
but allow sufficient drying time. Reapply paint every 6 months or
at the beginning of each boating season. Paint the following
surfaces (see Figure 2):

• Outside wall of the ultrasonic insert below the lower o-ring

• Active face of the ultrasonic insert

• Exterior flange of the housing and valve assembly

• Bore of the valve assembly up 30 mm (1-1/4")

• Blanking plug below lowest o-ring including exposed end

Mounting Location

CAUTION: Do not mount near water intake or discharge openings

or behind strakes, fittings, or hull irregularities that will disturb the
water flow.

CAUTION: Never mount the sensor directly ahead of a depth
transducer, since turbulence generated by the housing will
adversely affect the depth transducer’s performance, especially
at high speeds. Mount side-by-side.

CAUTION: Do not mount in line with trailer rollers or bunks that
may damage the sensor.

Turbulence-free water must flow under the ultrasonic sensor at all
speeds. Choose an accessible spot with a minimum of 280mm
(11") of headroom inside the vessel to allow for the height of the
housing, tightening the nuts, and removing the insert.

• Fin keel sailboats—Mount on or near the centerline and
forward of the fin keel 150–300mm (1/2 – 1').

active face

housing
& valve
assembly

housing

bore of
valve assembly
up 30mm (1-1/4")

exterior flange of housing
and valve assembly

Figure 2. Anti-fouling paint

Copyright © 2002 - 2011 Airmar Techno logy Corp.

• Full keel sailboats—Locate amidships and away from the keel
at the point of minimum deadrise.

• Displacement hull powerboats —Locate amidships near the
centerline.

• Planing hull powerboat — Mount well aft to ensure the sensor
is in contact with the water at high speeds.

Installation

Hole Drilling

Cored fiberglass hull—Follow separate instructions on page 3.

1. Drill a 3mm or 1/8" pilot hole from inside the hull. If there is a rib,
strut, or other hull irregularity near the selected mounting
location, drill from the outside.

2. Using the 51mm or 2" hole saw, cut the hole perpendicular to
the hull from outside the hull.

3. Sand and clean the area around the hole, inside and outside, to
ensure that the sealant will adhere properly to the hull. If there is
any petroleum residue inside the hull, remove it with either mild
household detergent or a weak solvent (alcohol) before sanding.
Metal hull—Remove all burrs with a file and sandpaper.

plastic housing

Figure 3. Bedding and installing

Copyright © 2002 - 2011 Airmar Technol ogy Corp.

metal housing

ultrasonic insert

retaining pin

safety ring (2)

safety wire

cap nut

emergency plug

hull nut

washer

hull

sealant on flange
and side wall

valve
assembly

housing

Figure 4. Assembly

Copyright © 2002 Airmar Technolo gy Corp.

cap nut

large
o-ring

medium
o-ring

2