Lowrance-Net…red connectors, blue T’s, oh my….

Well I planned on installing my 520 today after it arrived and was relieved to see that it did come with a short network cable and a double-T, both with red connectors. I currently have a 520, 28cHD, and a 2000 GPS puck in the boat. The 520 and 28 both have red connectors so I thought I was set until I took the dash panel off only to find blue-T’s and blue connectors!

So, I guess it looks like I’ll need one of those red to blue network cables and another blue T. Correct?

I suppose another option could be to use the red network cable and connect it to the red double-T, and then get a red to blue cable to connect the red and blue T’s together. How about that option? That would mean all I would need is a red/blue cable and I could still use the red T. yes/no?

Not clear about the terminating resistors though. I’ve seen 60 ohm in some literature but have the red 120’s that came with the 520. Not sure what’s up with that deal.

Suggestions please…

Thanks!

If both of these units are red connectors then you should
have the LGC-3000 puck and red T’s and cables.
You shouldn’t have any blue at all unless it was originally
set up with different units and then changed over.
Based on what you say you have I think you need to stick
with blue.
There should be a terminator on the end of a T under the
console. You would remove that terminator, attach a blue
ext. cable to the stern, attach a blue T, terminate it with
the one you took off the console, and get a blue to red
adaptor cable to reach the unit.
If you only have one open end of a buss you use the 60.
I.E. one unit directly networked to the back of the unit
without a T and then a single T connecting to the puck
would equal one open end of a T. (Older Lowrance design)
If you have two open ends of a buss then you use the 120’s.

I have 3 locations networked and have a 120 at the bow
and a 120 at the stern. None at the console.
The 60 ohm terminator would not be used in your scenario.

Hope this helps.

Dan

Thanks.

The installed units (520 and 28cHD) have the red network connector on the back of them. The cable between the units and the bus (T) is red on the locator end, and blue at the T. The T’s are all blue.

I’m thinking that since my boat was made early this spring they couldn’t go all red with the product shortage, but did have the red-to-blue converter cables so they used the blue bus. I have the 2000 puck as well.

I was wondering why they used an extension cable up to the bow instead of another T where the rest of them are located at the stern, but now it’s clear that they had to locate the last T up there to do the red-blue conversion with a shorter cable at the locator. So they just extended the bus up there instead of coming off the top of a T at the stern and running the cable up directly to the locator. That would tell me that there are 120’s on each end.

So after that rambling, I think I can utilize the red T and red network cable that came with the 520, but I need a red-blue converter cable between the blue T on the end that’s there and this new red T. Run the red cable off the red T to the new 520 and that should do it.

Now if Walmart sold cables that’d be great and I’d be in business, because I’m going to find nothing like that in this dinky town.

How about eliminating the blue T at the rear and finding
the correct cable to connect the network buss to the red
double T. (if you connect to the blue T you will have an open port not being used on the red double T)
Because you received a short cable with your new 520 you
will only need one more short red cable. (That is if you
get the T close enough to the units.
I have short red cable if you can’t find one where you
get the blue to red adaptor.

Dan No O

Yeah, that is a possibility also. I don’t think there is any harm in leaving a port open, but it would mean a redundant T in the bus. I’m aware of the plugs/caps that Lowrance makes to cap off the ends, but finding those might be as easy as finding the right wires at this point! Nothing some electrical tape can’t take care of if I get in a pinch.

The short red cable that came with the 520 should reach since the bus is right under the dash. If it’s a bit tight, I can juggle a few of the wires to connect it to a T closer to the access hole that the wires run down through.

Right now it’s all going to depend on what I can find quickly. I doubt the boat dealers around here have anything like that on hand so a trip to St. Cloud may be in order, which I am not excited about for a few simple parts.

Well, I got everything hooked up and installed and hit the lake for the first time today with the new 520 beside the LCX-28. My GPS accuracy is in the toilet! What happened? It flucuates all over the place even with the satellites locked. If I turn off the 520, the LCX-28 hones right in. So that should indicate that it’s not a blockage issue from the 520 which is somewhat close to the puck.

I grabbed the 520 from the bow and swapped them around and it looked like that was the ticket for a while and started to think it was a difference in the software versions. One is 1.4 and the new one is 1.5. Nope…the old unit started acting up again later.

I’m not sure what’s going on. With the 28 turned off, it doesn’t seem to matter to the 520 as far as the accuracy getting better. That’s whats confusing, because if the 520 is off, the 28 seems to be as accurate as it was prior to the new install.

HELP!!