From ST 50s to 60s

[crieders]

I took the advice of folks here and replaced  my aging Raymarine ST50's with refurbashed 60's. I have received some inconsistant advice from Raymarine. Can i cut off the old leads from the back of the 50's, install clips and plug into the 60's or should I simply cut off the plugs on the cable end, use clips and plug into the new 60's. The latter method does eliminate the plugs and results in the cable being directly affixed to the instruments. But I could use the extra length. Any thougts on this?

[rirvine]

I do not think it matters.  I have joined both RM's transducer cables and the Seatalk cables by soldering the wire connections, putting heat shrink around each wire join and then heat shrink around all the wires. Even when I have put crimp spade terminal on Seatalk cables I have also soldered them.   Never had a problem getting them to work.

Good luck,  Ray 

[crieders]

So you leave the old st50 plugs to cables in place and just solder clips on the ends of the old pig tail cut off from the 50's. I did that but without soldering; just crimping but someone told to cut the plugs out on the cable end and put the clips on the new end for the 60's

[rirvine]

I have always cut off the ST50 connectors - coming from the school that fewer connectors is goodness. In  a few cases, I joined additonal wire to the Seatalk cable before adding three spade terminals to connect to the ST60 instruments.  I have also joined the existing Seatalk cable to ST60 cables / connectors by cutting the short ST60 cable the comes with each ST60 instrument in half and using the resulting stubs.