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CanberraOceanRacingClub / namadgi3

Maintenance management system for Namadgi 3
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Card readers in Garmin chartplotters are failing #421

Open smr547 opened 3 years ago

smr547 commented 3 years ago

Owing to water ingress. Airlie beach technician recommends a network attached reader to be installed below -- this one looks good

@delcosta will be interested.

delcosta commented 3 years ago

Steven I am assuming that the reader can be tucked out of the way and protected. It doesn’t seem to look water resistant? Regards, Sam DeLorenzo

smr547 commented 2 years ago

Ordered a network connected SD card reader to bypass the deck units. Order placed with https://www.twenty16.com.au/ at Airlie Beach

smr547 commented 2 years ago

Twenty16 advised that they are not a Garmin dealer. They can supply the reader but the cost lower if we source direct from a dealer. Order placed online directly with Garmin Australia garmin_order.pdf

smr547 commented 2 years ago

The SD card reader has been installed and connected to Namadgi's NMEA2000 bus. The uint is located in the cupboard over the switch panel. This unit will allow future updates to the Garmin software and charts without the reliance on the SD card readers in the chartplotters on deck.

Closing this issue

garmin_sd_reader

smr547 commented 1 year ago

Look at when we are in Boatworks

smr547 commented 1 year ago
smr547 commented 1 year ago

New SD card readers are due to arrive in the next couple of days ... it's time to pull the Garmin GPSMAP721 units out of the helm stations. Here is the installation manual:

Manual.pdf

... time to get a screw driver

smr547 commented 1 year ago

This is the card reader that has been ordered

smr547 commented 1 year ago

I've removed the Garmin GPSMAP721 unit from the starboard helm station and brought it to my workshop. It't is relatively easy to disassemble

The SD card reader was found to be heavily corroded and non-functional -- see photo

IMG-8114

It is clear that salt water has been able to penetrate the top cover and cause severe corrosion around the micro SD card reader. NOTE to CORC new boat committee -- avoid any nav system that has microSD card readers in the cockpit.

@peterottesen @delcosta @mgrybaitis @pjwain @Bill-Russo @mrmrmartin

smr547 commented 1 year ago

Some more photos

The new reader compared to the old reader. Note the corrosion IMG-8115

Unfortunately I bought the wrong part -- ver 5 NOT ver 3 IMG-8116

The motherboard IMG-8117

The back of the SD card reader is sealed with silicon -- Garmin know that this is a path for water ingress. The poor reader is left out in the salt air to dissolve away!! IMG-8118

smr547 commented 1 year ago

Colleagues, It appears I've ordered the wrong part for the Garmin Chart plotter. I'll order the correct part today but it is unlikely to arrive before departure date. 

As a consequence, unless @Christopher-w-green can weave some magic, we will be unable to load charts for NZ and the Pacific

Clearly this is something we need to discuss. I've loaded some more photos into the issue in the CORC online maintenance System (formerly know as GitHUB)

@mgrybaitis @mrmrmartin @delcosta @peterottesen @Bill-Russo @pjwain @pauljones17 @PSARN

Christopher-w-green commented 1 year ago

Don't think I have the necessary magical powers, I'm afraid. Now that you've pulled the machine apart, any hope of restoring the corroded parts? Chris

smr547 commented 1 year ago

Darn!
No point in putting the corroded parts back. I will seal the housing so it's water tight and re-install on Namadgi 3. The chartplotter will still work

pjwain commented 1 year ago

Hi Steve, I'm not sure whether this is significant, but our plotters were changed from 7 inch to 9 inch in July 2020. The model number you quote is for the original plotters that were supplied; the new ones are GPSMAP921, not 792x. I've attached the invoice for your info. All the best, Peter W.

On Sun, 25 Dec 2022 at 09:34, Steven Ring @.***> wrote:

I've removed the Garmin GPSMAP721 unit from the starboard helm station and brought it to my workshop. It't is relatively easy to disassemble

  • remove the large nuts securing the various interface plugs to the back panel
  • remove the multiple small screws hold to screen to the unit -- they are TorX T6 -- please use the right tool
  • the back cover should easily separate allowing access to the circuit boards

The SD card reader was found to be heavily corroded and non-functional -- see photo

[image: IMG-8114] https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/4327895/209452352-4ff0be65-4e70-47cb-8ff7-d0c7853a8839.jpg

It is clear that salt water has been able to penetrate the top cover and cause severe corrosion around the micro SD card reader. NOTE to CORC new boat committee -- avoid any nav system that has microSD card readers in the cockpit.

@peterottesen https://github.com/peterottesen @delcosta https://github.com/delcosta @mgrybaitis https://github.com/mgrybaitis @pjwain https://github.com/pjwain @Bill-Russo https://github.com/Bill-Russo @mrmrmartin https://github.com/mrmrmartin

— Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub https://github.com/CanberraOceanRacingClub/namadgi3/issues/421#issuecomment-1364591231, or unsubscribe https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AHKWIP7DRNIUI3OFBMXJKT3WO525PANCNFSM5CYWRJ5Q . You are receiving this because you were mentioned.Message ID: @.***>

delcosta commented 1 year ago

Steve Where will the card reader be located? Did we have an SD card permanently on board or are charts downloaded directly to the plotter for use? Regards, Sam DeLorenzo

smr547 commented 1 year ago

Thank you @pjwain for the history of these units. BTW, there was no invoice attached to your email.

I had it my head that the chart plotters were model GPSMap721 and ordered the card readers on that basis. When I opened unit it was clear that I had ordered the wrong parts. The new card readers are on the way and the supplier has agreed to a credit for the returned units.

For the record our units are model: GPSMap 952xs

IMG-8133

smr547 commented 1 year ago

@delcosta asks a good question:

Did we have an SD card permanently on board or are charts downloaded directly to the plotter for use?

Chris (@Christopher-w-green) could you please research the answer to this question? I know that we need to have the SD Card (with chart data) in the plotter, but is this in order to transfer the chart data to internal memory or does the SD card have to remain permanently in chart plotter??

BTW: we have had the cards in the chart plotter with corroded readers for quite some time -- could this explain the "low resolution charts" issues that have been raised by many skippers. @PSARN may have a view on this.

smr547 commented 1 year ago

Replying to Sam's question

Where will the card reader be located?

The card readers are located in the chart plotters at the helm. Two card readers in each of the two chart plotters. The new card readers will replace the corroded units in each chart plotter

There are no plans to place a card reader below or in a dry location. Garmin do offer such a solution (card reader with USB interface) but our Chartplotters have NO USB interface so there is no solution for us.

Once our data cards are inserted and the chart data installed I plan to seal the weather-exposed card readers with a silicon cover (easily removed when a upgrade is required).

Christopher-w-green commented 1 year ago

Steven et al, A few questions there...

There's nothing in the chartplotter owner manual about updating charts, but some guidance on chart updates on the Garmin sites. There is a question about compatibility of our particular units with the three methods to update charts. We might need to get "g3" charts rather than Navionics, as I don't think our units are the "plus" version. In any case, a card reader is needed for all three methods, including downloading charts using ActiveCaptain. So we have no way to install new charts as it is.

I did find this note about whether the card needs to stay in the unit: Preprogrammed micro/SD card If you are not able to update the chart using ActiveCaptain or Garmin Express, you may purchase a micro/SD card preloaded with the chart update file. To purchase this card, contact Product Support with the name of the chart(s) and/or the serial number of the chartplotter(s) to be updated.

After receiving the update card, insert the card into the chartplotter to use the updated chart.2 1 ActiveCaptain updates are only available on certain chartplotters compatible with Wi-Fi. See ActiveCaptain App Compatibility https://support.garmin.com/en-AU/marine/faq/crmmKaGtjn7cRlaLyRjy27 for more information.

2 Some chartplotters may have not enough internal memory to copy the chart update from the micro/SD card. If this is the case, you must keep the micro/SD card inside the chartplotter in order to use the chart.

It would seem to depend on the amount of internal memory and the amount of data on the card. My guess is that if we got new charts the internal memory would not be sufficient and the card would need to stay plugged in.

At present, the Samsung tablet on board has all the charts to cover our Pacific adventure downloaded for off-line use in the Navionics Boating app. Routes or waypoints created in Navionics can easily be transferred to the chartplotter using ActiveCaptain, so helms-people can have a reference to steer to.

Chris

delcosta commented 1 year ago

Thanks Steven I guess we need to super seal spaces and train skippers to monitor. Sam

smr547 commented 1 year ago

Current status:

  1. STB Chart plotter has been returned to N3.
  2. The card reader has been removed and the space sealed with silicon to prevent water ingress
  3. replacement card reader in transit from China.
  4. Repair scheduled for early May 2023 (prior to NZ->Fiji passage)
  5. Chart plotters are working with Garmin g3 AUS/NZ charts installed @mrmrmartin @peterottesen @pauljones17 @Christopher-w-green will be interested
smr547 commented 1 year ago

Immediate upgrade of charts and software is not critical. Setting to priority 2

smr547 commented 1 year ago

@GarthBrice

Hi Garth,

Here is some information that may help Hanz with the repair of the Garmin SD card readers. (I'll leave it to you to pass this info on to him).

  1. Remove top and bottom cover strips from face of Garmin unit exposing 4 self tappers
  2. remove self tappers, withdraw chartplotter from pedestal and disconnect all cables
  3. remove the nut securing each of the connection terminals on rear of unit
  4. use TorX T6 tool to remove screws on the perimeter
  5. open the unit carefully (I can't remember if there are internal cables attached to the rear cover)

The Starboard chartplotter already has the SD card reader removed and it should be fixed first.

  1. The front (and maybe the back) of SD card reader housing have been sealed with bathroom silicone
  2. remove all silicone with a knife and cleanup -- take care to preserve the flat cover under the silicone on the front face (it's reused at the rear of the holder in a later step)
  3. bend the two SD card readers into a parallel position and insert into the rear of the holder
  4. push in -- I think they will automatically lock into position but I forget the exact mechanism that does this
  5. insert the flat ribbon cable into the housing on the circuit board and lock into position
  6. insert the flat cover (mentioned abover) over the rear of the housing and apply fresh silicon to provide a waterproof seal (protecting the internal circuit board)
  7. reassemble the unit and test
  8. recommend leaving the silicone to cure before inserting any SD cards

The Port side unit has the old, corroded card reader still in place so the procedure is a little different

  1. dissassemble as described above, once the unit is opened
  2. disconnect the SD reader ribbon cable from the circuit board
  3. using a scalpel remove the silicone layer from the SD reader housing exposing the plastic cover below
  4. remove the plastic cover
  5. there seems to be no easy way of removing the old card reader -- I simply dissected the plastic circuit strip between the two readers and removal then became easy
  6. clean up the mess and install the new card reader as above

There are some useful photos and notes in the Maintenance record - Hanz should have readonly access by following this link

I hope this helps. I'm happy to talk to Hanz if necessary.

kind regards Steven +34 637 243 853 smr@southsky.com.au

@pcbaston

GarthBrice commented 1 year ago

Steven Thank you for all the information. Today, I confirmed with Hanz from Rust Electronics that he will replace both card readers on 26 April in Opua Marina. I also asked him to update the software and instal the new electronic charts for Fiji and New Caledonia. I will pass on your notes to him along with the photos. Hanz can be contacted on +64211507544 email; rust@catrina.co.nz if you want to set up a dialog directly with him. Kind Regards Garth