Datamarine Instrument Repair

[Stu Jackson]

Three years ago I wrote about a source for instrument repair for Datamarine equipment when I was looking for replacement covers for our instruments: http://c34.org/bbs/index.php?topic=1313.0

Our depthsounder recently started going on the blink.  I contacted DMI by email, since I noted that their brochure said that they'd replace the LCD for only $50.

Steve at Datamarine (dmifix@dmimarine.com) was most helpful, and even sent me a picture by email of how to remove the guts of the unit without taking it all apart (the instructions in the original manual, which our PO had kept for us, were not quite clear).  Our depthsounder is on the starboard side of the cockpit wall, not in a the pod on the binnacle.  Getting to it required a trip into the lazarette, with a mirror and a miner's headlamp!

I sent it off and less than a few weeks later the unit was returned, $50 for the new LED, $14 for a replacement alarm module (which had never worked since we bought the boat) and a new jack for the transducer plug, $14, labor $102, total $186.

I installed the depthsounder a few days ago and it works like new.

I figured the cost for a new depthsounder would be: $500 for the unit, $300 for a new transducer, and a haul out, plus yard work for replacing the transducer.

What a great deal.

I highly recommend that those of you with Datamarine equipment put DMI on your list of resources.

[sdaly66]

Stu,

I have to agree.

The old Link 5000 system on my new 87 C34 had no documentation with it.  Steve came through with a fax of the critical user instructions.

Then when I asked him about moisture (my post from last week), he came thorugh with detailed instructions that so far seem to have worked perfectly.

My experience with their outfit has been great.

[Stu Jackson]

Shawn, great input.  So, what's the solution???

[sdaly66]

The Link 5000 pod is a single board supporting all three instruments at the helm.

I took the faceplate off, which gave access to the guts inside and took them home.

Gave them all a good alcohol cleaning and left them in the sun to dry out really well.

Replaced both the screw gaskets (8 in the rear) and the main faceplate gasket (on the front). and used di-electric (sp?) grease on the lip of the housing.

Shoved a couple of small Silica Gel packets in the housing along with the guts - yes, there's room - and used rubber cement to hold them in place - to the insides of the faceplate housing.

So far, so good.