B&G Instruments

[Wayne Cassady]

Our 1990 J40 has the original B&G instruments. We have learned and dealt with them he quirks of these for lots of years now. Recently after replacing a couple of the full function cockpit displays the apparent wind and true wind make no sense. What is obviously a 5 knot breeze, motoring into it, the true and apparent wind readings are about the same or the apparent is less than the true. Anemometer is spinning fine. Anyone had a similar experience? Familiar with calibration? Thanks.
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[WSC]

true wind is calculated using either SOG of STW (boat speed), depending on how you've configured your data source.  If STW is zero, and is used in the true wind calculation, AWS will always equal TWS.  Sounds like your upgrade might have changed your data sources for TWS...

Sean C  J42 #1 / VIDA

[Michael Kahn]

If I can tack onto this thread, we have a maddening issue that’s related. Our instruments are also the original b&g hydra 2000s, but we’ve since upgraded the chartplotter to a zeus3. The units all talk to each other and read correctly, apart from one issue. When the hydra2000 instruments are turned on, the little boat icon on the chartplotter faces the wrong direction. It’s as though the instruments confuse the chartplotter and it can’t tell which direction the boat is heading in. If I turn off the hydra2000 instruments, the chartplotter reads correctly. Anyone else experience this? Any ideas?

Michael Kahn

(203) 561-8050

966 Lake Avenue

Greenwich, CT 06831

On Jul 3, 2025, at 04:42, 'WSC' via J/4X Owner's Group <j4x-owne...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

true wind is calculated using either SOG of STW (boat speed), depending on how you've configured your data source.  If STW is zero, and is used in the true wind calculation, AWS will always equal TWS.  Sounds like your upgrade might have changed your data sources for TWS...

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[Sam Foster]

When we bought our j/40 we replaced all of our systems with the Zeus3 mark 1 and Triton setup (7 years ago). Overall there are many redundant inputs and set-up items that have to be adjusted when making any changes or adds and they are not in our experience well laid out or even in the same menu area, making changes difficult. For us it’s been a lot of trial and error. Michael is correct, for the AWS and TWS the TTW or SOG speed inputs have to working as expected and input in several places consistently. Use something like the Triton displays to isolate and test each sensor input and make sure they are working when motoring and at rest. Use a phone etc to confirm speed accuracy. Same for AWS. When stationary, test the anemometer reading. If you have them tested and isolated, inputting them into the right places on the Zeus and/or outboard display should render a working AWS. Again you have to look at a lot of places to find the required inputs/set up locations. 

When we added a Cortex AIS we had a pro do the install but on our first cruise discovered that what we we were seeing in the display and what were transmitting was different and we were transmitting the boat going sideways, backward etc. (the icon/arrow was crocked).  I discovered that there were multiple places/menu choices for transmitting course up. When all were set as course-up they displayed correctly both to others via AIS and on our displays. We have never gotten them to correctly transmit compass heading up and just gave up owing it to the over complexity of B&G and possible system incompatibility with the Cortex (which supposedly has an internal electronic compass). 

Side note: While we did this a few years ago and this was not an option you might ask ChatGBT (4.0) to walk you through how to install or troubleshoot, if stuck. I’ve had mixed results with it but sometimes it’s brilliant, probably owing to whether it has access to good manuals .

Sam

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On Jul 3, 2025, at 6:52 AM, Michael Kahn <kahnpe...@gmail.com> wrote:

If I can tack onto this thread, we have a maddening issue that’s related. Our instruments are also the original b&g hydra 2000s, but we’ve since upgraded the chartplotter to a zeus3. The units all talk to each other and read correctly, apart from one issue. When the hydra2000 instruments are turned on, the little boat icon on the chartplotter faces the wrong direction. It’s as though the instruments confuse the chartplotter and it can’t tell which direction the boat is heading in. If I turn off the hydra2000 instruments, the chartplotter reads correctly. Anyone else experience this? Any ideas?

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/j4x-owners-group/79AF9310-663A-4FDC-93D4-06EC71002908%40gmail.com.

[Wayne Cassady]

Thanks for the input. A spider helped somewhat with the troubleshooting overnight by tying up the masthead anemometer. Underway today the boat speed matched the true wind speed and the app wind was showing zero (anemometer not spinning).  Does anyone have a B&G rep they deal with for troubleshooting? I used to rely on Myles but I believe he is longer around. Thanks.

Sent from my iPhone

On Jul 3, 2025, at 5:52 AM, Michael Kahn <kahnpe...@gmail.com> wrote:

If I can tack onto this thread, we have a maddening issue that’s related. Our instruments are also the original b&g hydra 2000s, but we’ve since upgraded the chartplotter to a zeus3. The units all talk to each other and read correctly, apart from one issue. When the hydra2000 instruments are turned on, the little boat icon on the chartplotter faces the wrong direction. It’s as though the instruments confuse the chartplotter and it can’t tell which direction the boat is heading in. If I turn off the hydra2000 instruments, the chartplotter reads correctly. Anyone else experience this? Any ideas?

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/j4x-owners-group/79AF9310-663A-4FDC-93D4-06EC71002908%40gmail.com.