Airmar NMEA 0183 User Manual

Analog to NMEA 0183 Format

Data Converter

for Speed and/or Temperature Data

WARNING: Always wear safety goggles and a dust
mask when installing to avoid personal injury.

WARNING: The power must be OFF before wiring if

17-444-01 rev. 03 12/14/10

the instrument is already connected to a power source
to avoid personal injury or death.

WARNING: The power supply voltage must be
12 VDC. Any other voltage may damage the sensor
and/or result in fire, causing damage to the boat,
personal injury, and/ or death.

WARNING: A safe installation requires a 0.5 amp fast­blow fuse or circuit breaker. Failure to do so may result
in fire, causing damage to the boat, personal injury,
and/or death.

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

INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONSOWNER’S GUIDE &

Application

To convert analog speed and temperature data to NMEA 0183
digital format.

Guidelines

CAUTION: To reduce electrical interference from other electrical

wiring and any on-board equipment with strong magnetic fields such
as radar equipment, radio transmitters, boat engines, generators,
etc., separate the cables by at least 1m (3').

CAUTION: Be careful not to tear the cable jackets when passing
them through the bulkhead(s) and other parts of the boat. Use
grommet(s) to prevent chafing.

CAUTION: Make power connections to a 12 VDC power source
that is isolated from the engine start battery(s). Voltage drops may
cause the instrument/receiver/ sensor to lose information and/or
change operating mode.

CAUTION: Use a multimeter to check the polarity and the con­nections to the power supply before applying power to the sensor.

Parts

Gemeco Tel: [phone]
(USA) Fax: [phone]

email: [e-mail]
Airmar EMEA Tel: [phone]
(Europe, Middle East, Africa) Fax: [phone]

email: [e-mail]

Data Converter

1
2

speed & temperature

display

Wire Function
Color

Black 12 VDC –
Red 12 VDC +
White NMEA A/+
Blue NMEA B/–
Bare Shield

terminal function

temp

4

5V out

5

ground

6

signal in

7

temp

8

wire color

brown
red
bare
green
white

3
4
5
6
7
8

bushing

Tools & Materials

Safety goggles
Dust mask
Pencil
Grommet(s) (some installations)
Cutting pliers
Phillips screwdrivers

terminal
block

power

12 VDC

Alcohol (optional)
Wire strippers
Heat-shrink tubing
Heat gun
Blade screwdrivers
Electric drill
Drill bit 3mm or 1/8"

sensor

sensor/ instrument cableData Converter cable

Figure 1. Connecting (not to scale) (CS4500 installation shown)

Copyright © 2007 Airmar Technology Corp.

Locating the Converter

1. Select a convenient dry mounting location for the water-resistant
Data Converter. Locate it a minimum of 1m (3') away from the
display (see Figure 1). Position the converter so the bushings
are easily accessible. If the Data Converter will be mounted on
a vertical surface, face the bushings downward to avoid water
seeping into the box.

2. Hold the Data Converter at the selected location and mark the
holes for the screws. Do not fasten it in place at this time.

3. Route the sensor/ instrument cable to the proposed location of
the Data Converter. Do not fasten the cable in place at this time.

4. Route the Data Converter cable from the Data Converter to the
display (and power supply on some installations).
Do not fasten the cable in place at this time.

Preparing the Cables

1. If the instrument is connected to a power source, the power must
be OFF before proceeding.

2. Allowing an extra 25 cm (10") for wiring ease, cut each cable to
length.

3. Remove the cover of the Data Converter (see Figure 2). Peel
the tape away from the inside and set the screws aside.

4. Push approximately 200mm (8") of the sensor/ instrument cable
through the bushing of the Data Converter (see Figure 1). To
ease sliding, apply alcohol to the cable jacket.

5. Strip 60 mm (2-1/2") of the outer jacket and foil shielding from
the cut ends of both the sensor/instrument cable and the Data
Converter cable (see Figure 3).

6. Strip 10 mm (3/8") of conductor insulation from the end of each
colored wire in both cables.

7. Protect each cable’s foil shielding from causing a short by using
heat-shrink tubing around the jacket where the wires emerge
from the cable. The tubing must overlap the wires a minimum of
6mm (1/4").

cable
jacket

Pin# Function Wire Color

1 ---------- -------

2 ---------- -------
3 ---------- -------
4 Temp Brown
5 5 Volts Out Red
6 Ground Bare

18-474-XX Rev x

7 Signal In Green
8 Temp White

Figure 2. Inside of the Data Converter cover

heat-shrink
tubing

Figure 3. Preparing a cable

Copyright © 2006 Airmar Technol ogy Corp.

remove outer jacket

60mm (2 1/2")

remove
insulation

Copyright © 2006 Airmar Technolog y Corp.

Pin# Function Wire Color

1 ---------- ------­2 ---------- ------­3 ---------- ------­4 Temp Brown
5 5 Volts Out Red
6 Ground Bare

18-474-XX Rev x

7 Signal In Green
8 Temp White

(sample cable shown)

10mm
(3/8")

Connecting

Wiring the Data Converter

1. From outside the Data Converter, carefully pull the
sensor/instrument cable until only 13 mm (1/2") of the cable
jacket remains inside the box.

2. Connect each colored wire in turn to its corresponding terminal
on the terminal block. Insert the stripped end of the wire into the
hole in the terminal and tighten the screw using a small blade
screwdriver (see Figure 1). Be sure the stripped end of the wire
is inserted up to its insulation only. Do not include any insulation
inside the terminal. Gently tug on the wire to ensure that it is
securely fastened. Repeat this process until all the wires are
connected. Follow the color code listed on the inside of the
Data Converter cover (see Figure 4).

3. Arrange the wires neatly inside the Data Converter, being sure
that no bare wires are touching.

4. Hand tighten the nut on the bushing to make a water-resistant
seal (see Figure 1).

5. Reattach the Data Converter cover with the screws supplied.

®

AIRMAR

TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION

35 Meadowbrook Drive, Milford, New Hampshire 03055-4613, USA

Copyright © 2006 - 2010 Airmar Technology Corp. All rights reserved.

Figure 4. Wiring label inside of the Data Converter cover

Copyright © 2006 Airmar Technology Corp.

Wiring the Display & Power

1. If there is no terminal for the bare wire (shield), cut it off flush with
the cable jacket.

2. Connect the Data Converter cable to the display. Refer to the
instructions that came with the display for connecting an NMEA
0183 speed & temperature sensor. Follow the color code below
(see Figure 1).

Black 12 VDC –
Red 12 VDC +
White NMEA A/+
Blue NMEA B/–
Bare Shield

Completing the Installation

1. Using a 3mm or 1/8" drill bit, drill the holes for the screws at the
selected Data Converter mounting location.

2. Fasten the Data Converter in place using the screws supplied.

3. Fasten all the cables in place.

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