I Need Some Electronics Help

[Austin Prysock]

Hello everyone! This will be my first post on this forum, and I'm looking for some help and ideas on how to get my boat back to operational. To give some context, I have a 2019 Yamaha 212x with around 300 hours. I have owned the boat since new and never had any problems with it until I upgraded the factory wet sounds system. I waited about 6 months to get in with this local marine sound guy that was supposed to be the best in town. I ended up having him rewire the entire sound system with thicker gauge wire, went from the single factory wet sounds 600 amp to a JL 600 and 800, added 2 8.8 JL pods, replaced 2 of the factory 6-inch wet sounds speakers with 6 inch JL m6's and upgraded to 2 24 AGM batteries. So in total, my system is all of the added JL equipment, the factory soundbar, factory swim platform speakers, factory bow speakers, and factory 12 inch that have all been re-wired. The factory fusion head unit was also switched out with a new MS-RA70NSX. Everything worked and sounded great for 2-3 days after getting it back, then the problems started. Upon starting it on the 4th time taking it out, a few communications codes started to go off on connext, and the stereo was unable to connect to. After turning the system off and back, everything worked for the rest of the day. This was about 4 months ago now, and things have progressively gotten much worse. Now, when I turn on the power and crank up the boat, the context system throws pretty much every electronic code in the book (No engine codes, however), the stereo can only be controlled from the back head unit and the fusion app, I have no depth, rpm's, voltage, water temp, or any other info from the context system and the joystick control doesn't work. I can't even turn my nav lights on or drain/ fill ballast most of the time. The weird part is that every now and then, I'll take it out, and it will all work fine, or some of it will work fine (progressively getting worse, and the system working is much less common now), and the engines crank right up every time with no problems. The boat has been back to the electronics shop 3 times for weeks, and it works for a day or two then begins to have the same issue. Most of the other electronics guys in the area won't even work on it, and I don't want to take it to the dealership because I'm afraid they will throw parts at it till something works and blame the aftermarket work, thereby voiding my warranty.

After reading countless forum posts and talking with various electronics guys, I've come up with a few ideas but nothing successful yet.

My first thought was that the two stator plates don't have enough output to recharge the batteries and keep up with power usage from the sound system. The problem is, I'm still having the same issues after I hook the batteries up to a charger overnight.

The next thought was that the DVSR was malfunctioning and only charging the starting battery, but this seems incorrect since all the electronics will always power up, just not function properly.

The most recent idea I've had is that the new fusion MS-RA70NSX is a bit newer than the old unit, and I've been told it might communicate a little bit differently and that rear head unit issues have caused owners problems and error codes.

So at this point, I'm feeling a bit stuck, and any suggestions or ideas from anyone is greatly appreciated!!!

 

[adrianp89]

Have you checked battery voltage at batteries when you have the issue? This would be my first step. However this really sounds like something with the CAN network.

The next step would be to put back in the factory head unit to see if it still continues.

 

[Dumbassbass]

Have you checked battery voltage at batteries when you have the issue? This would be my first step. However this really sounds like something with the CAN network.

The next step would be to put back in the factory head unit to see if it still continues.

First let me say I'm a 38yr veteran in the telecommunication industry NOT an audio guy. That being said, my first thoughts on any intermittent trouble with electronics leads me down the path of sufficient power and most often overlooked, ground. I would first check that all connections are secure and all should be properly soldered, spliced, terminated, taped/isolated so as not to short etc. Sometimes a light tug to see if a connection is loose is in order. Secondly I'm hopeful that you have a dedicated ground to that system or at least to a heavy ground buss directly to the house battery and not being shared with the connex system, also make sure the connex system has a dedicated ground and nothing is obviously loose on it. Hopefully its something on this path and if not then I would agree with @adrianp89 if not too difficult to swap back out.

 

[212s]

I agree, it sounds like a poor connection somewhere...I'd check the NMEA connection on the new head unit - maybe they forgot to tighten the locking nut to hold the cable snug and it's just loose enough to make intermittent connections. Easy to pull the head unit and check the connections yourself.