Electronic Repair

[casper5280]

Not sure if this helps but there is a Raymarine model RL70C chartplotter/radar head unit only for $50 on Naniamo used boats and motors on the facebook

 

[trophywife]

innovative electronics in coquitlam would most likely be able to fix this...

 

[TheBigGuy]

The problem with all these units is that they are encased in mounded plastic and can't be opened up, and if they were can't be resealed again. The repair is not a problem so much as the designed in,redundancy. The manufacturer has designed them as a throwaway. Not sure if Lowrance,Simrad, Hummingbird etc, have the similar design or if you can open them for access to the electronics. What I find annoying is that we have become such a throwaway society we accept the fact that expensive electronics are designed in such a manner that they can't be repaired. It's the old repair by replacement.

Ziggy I can see you are getting very discouraged about repairing this unit from the responses at repair shops you have contacted. I can understand their responses as they want all their repair work to be to factory standards. If the unit is not designed to be disassembled, I still think you can do a home repair fairly easily. It all depends if the pin leads have enough extra length to work on crimping or soldering them through the case on the outside.

I suggested this earlier but I'll go into more detail, so you fully get what I'm trying to say. If the case cannot be dissambed/reassembled use an electric soldering iron with interchangeable tips to melt out the old broken plug receptacle. You might have to mount a long thin nail in your soldering iron tip to use as a plastic "scalpel". Plastic does not cut easily, but it can be melted no problem. You take the heated nail to melt a circular hole around the broken connector pins. Once the the connector is separated from the body pull it though to the outside. Hopefully there is enough wire length to carefully join on a new section of wire and a new external connector. Is this a perfect repair solution, obviously not. However, if your only other option is the garbage then I think it is well worth trying. You don't need to spend a penny on parts until you've done the surgical removal of the terminal. At least you won't waste any money buying a spare unit or whatever else, only to find you cannot disasemble/reassemble the case without totally wrecking it.

Don't give up on this. I think you can find a home repair solution. It may not last forever, but if you seal everything well it should last a fairly long time (and it should cost relatively little). Any extra use you get will be a bonus, and while it's still working start saving for a new unit.

I'm pretty sure this repair can be done by yourself. The unit won't look quite as clean anymore after doing these modifications, but if the only other option is the garbage, do it. If it doesn't work you've lost nothing. If it does work, you can take pride in the fact you fixed it yourself when all the repair centers told you it was toast. Don't give up, you can do it.

 

[-smtw]

PM me. 20 yrs electronics experience, 10 of which were supporting every ferry/terminal from Nanaimo to Rupert. Get you sorted and away from well meaning and misinformed advice so far on this thread.

 

[TheBigGuy]

PM me. 20 yrs electronics experience, 10 of which were supporting every ferry/terminal from Nanaimo to Rupert. Get you sorted and away from well meaning and misinformed advice so far on this thread.

That's awesome of you to offer to help Ziggy out. Let us know if you manage to resurrect his dead unit (and how you did so). Very kind of you to help out a stuck member of the forum.