legacy product support

[Odysseus]

My 8 year old Pathfinder Raymarine scanner off my C80 set up has failed, I checked the usual things like power to the scanner etc. Found no power getting to the scanner motor or the control PCB. Power was in the unit. So looks like a PCB issue.
Took scanner off and went to Raymarine service unit, for help.

I was told that my unit cannot be repaired as is out of production, not only that, the product that superceded it is also not repairable.

I got into a discussion about the company policy of legacy products and it was clear Raymarine in my opinion really are not interested in Customer support what so ever.

Their response is we do not carry any spares, this is not saying spares are not available in the market place, it just appears to say we are not interested.

Coming from a aerospace instrument manufacturer we turned cartwheels supporting our customers.

Lessons learned,  would I buy any thing from this supplier again!!!

Hope this helps.

Odysseus
Bav38

[Lyra]

Sadly this is a trend in most industries - either no service/spares at all or at a price that would convince you to buy a new model.
I also work for a company that still provides spares and support for products sold 20 years ago, and when possible even products sold more than 30 years ago.
As to your specific problem - I do not know this product but if you say that power comes into the unit but somehow does not reach the components, I would look for corroded tracks on the PCBs (or corroded pins on connectors if there are such in the unit). If you find such track try to solder a wire that will gap the corroded section. Even if it is a multi layer PCB it is most likely an issue on the outer layers. Other than that I would look for damaged components - a bulge at the top of electrolytic capacitors, power components (regulators, transistors etc.).

[tiger79]

Might be worth asking The Service Centre, which claims to do lots of marine repairs - see www.theservicecentre.eu

[Odysseus]

Yes I am in touch with them.

Just the issue of product support from Raymarine.

Odysseus
Bav38

[Odysseus]

Sorry Lyre, missed your post, I belive its the power supply PCB and probably the transformer.
Checked out all visual in the unit, pcb's joints etc, all look ok.

Odysseus
Bav38

[Craig]

Odysseus,

Your experience is typical of most electronic suppliers now. Margins are much less than aerospace industries and therefore they skimp on parts etc.

What bought home the message to me as to how the boat electronics industry is moving, was visiting the Dusseldorf Boat Show. Very few of the boats from the large range of manufacturers had chart-plotters installed. Most had docking stations for I-pads or tablets. 

Just get a computer to fit the docking station. Better still, get one for each helm, one for the chart table and one to take home. Load Navionics charts and even use Bluetooth to add Digital Yachts AIS overlay and you have a system that is far cheaper than Raymarine or any other dedicated chart-plotter. Furuno were also talking about adding a Radar overlay in the near future. (may have this available now)

This does not sit well with my Greenie Background but much cheaper and easier to upgrade whole chart-plotter  system rather than try and fix anything. Computers and software can be replaced every 5 years or so, usually with much better products. I just look at these expenses in the same way I look at Antifouling.... a regular maintenance item.

Craig
s/v "Shirley Valentine"
Gold Coast