MFD12 cockpit install

[Anonymous]

I'm jealous of my slip neighbor's MFD12 and contemplating buying one, however, I'm concerned about a number of issues:

1 - I read in his manual that it requires a stable temperature and humidity environment and that it's not waterproof. Huh? I sail from Spring through Fall, up and down the east coast. Not even my cabin below decks affords the environment stipulated in the manual???? Is this just CYA legalese or fair warning of repair bills?

1A - Is the use of a NavPod or ScanPod key to providing the preferred environment? I'm not confident that I can make room for one if the pod housing is required. Moreover, some of my ports of call would encourage me to remove the MFD from it's bracket and store it below decks when I'm away from the boat.

2 - As I reflect on seeing glimpses of the neighbors install, I fear that the connectors plus cables will not fit through my stainless tubing, I.D. is slightly less than 1.25". Can all of the cables be spliced to ease the problem?

3 - In reading through this Forum, the post on NN3D "survivability" really got my attention. Not being able to continue to use the radar with Time Zero software on a PC in the event of an MFD failure is probably a deal killer for me. IMO radar is too critical in Maine fog and Bahamian squalls.

 

[Johnny Electron]

Lockwood,
You will find the water protection of the MFD12 is better than you may be thinking. You are correct that it is not “Waterproof” to the point it can be submerged. The display is rated for IP56 (IEC60529). This rating basically means that it is protected against powerful water jets. This means rain is okay and the normal wet conditions you would expect to get outside. It is not okay to take a bath with the unit or to use a pressure washer directly at the unit. (for example it is okay to run your water hose across it) To keep the water protection, depending on what items you connect, you might have to opt for the optional water protection boot at the back of the unit to protect ports like your USB port. By default that port is covered by a water protection plate, if you remove it; it isn’t protected without using the option. If it helps; the NN3D is the same basic water protection as the NN1 and NNVx2 units which have been in use many years and proven themselves to be very reliable. The golden rule applies, the better you are to the unit; the better it will be to you. Don’t leave your SD card door open in the rain etc…
NavPod and other similar options are nice to protect the unit and prevent longer term damage to your cables by the sun and weather. Many people opt for these for assorted reasons. Many of these units move/swivel allowing more flexible viewing options while protecting the unit. When you think about the cost and time involved in just replacing one cable, they can be worth a lot in the long run, regardless if you buy the MFD12 or another similar unit.
Being able to fit all the cables thru your 1.25 tubing depends on how much stuff you plan to connect to that display. If you have more than this display, much of the cables will go to the network hub or the other unit. It is possible to have just a power cable and a network cable on this display yet have it be fully “tricked out” via the rest of the network system. You might discuss your needs with your local dealer or one of our sales reps to help you come up with a basic design to meet your needs.
Survivability and redundancy are important but one key is understanding the system. If you have two MFD units and someone runs a fishing rod through the master, the second MFD would operate fine in most cases, until the system is shut down. At that point you would need to make your other MFD the “MASTER” for the system to operate. MUCH of what happens in “WHAT IF” scenarios depends on how the system is designed/put together. (We can help you with this if you want) You can design the MaxSea TZ with its own input of important info like GPS, and still have it operate without an MFD. Yes, in the off case that the single MFD install goes down, so does your radar. The same can be said if the radar scanner Magnetron goes out or the motor goes bad. These things can and will happen at some point, and you need to plan on getting it repaired. Things do break, even Furuno items. I understand that you would like MaxSea to control the radar without any MFD. Currently this isn’t an option. If you find that you need radar no matter what for redundancy then you might consider a low cost backup radar, like the 1623, to have mounted as a standby.
It is hard to beat the NN3D features and performance. We love our customers and would welcome you, if you decide to build a Furuno system. Thanks for the questions. We totally understand your concerns. It is important to measure twice before cutting.