User guide

901-10037001/1.1 FS 20/25 Operators Manual

Page 5.8 Maintenance and Troubleshootin

Kongsberg Simrad Mesotech Ltd.

Port Coquitlam, BC - Canada

5.3.3 Catch Sensors

The catch sensors are relatively maintenance free except to charge the batteries.

Refer to your Simrad FA701 Catch sensor operator and installation manual for the

information on both the charging of the catch sensors and the proper mounting of

these sensors on the trawl. If there appears to be a problem with the batteries

holding a charge, the sensor should be returned to a repair facility for servicing.

Also, see Part 7 “Attachments” for more information.

5.3.4 Winch Slip-Rings and Trawl Cable

The winch slip rings and trawl cable are the umbilical cord between the processor

unit and trawl unit electronics, and are critical to the proper operation of the Simrad

FS Trawl Monitoring system. A damaged, worn or poorly maintained cable, pigtail

connection or slip rings will degrade the performance of the system and may cause

or lead to a complete system failure.

Worn, dirty or wet winch slip rings may add noise, current spikes or additional losses

to cable supply voltage. Slip ring assemblies should be checked regularly for wear

and proper sealing against the weather. Slip ring technology has improved

considerably over the past several years and sealed units from several suppliers

(such as IEC Corp.) have proven to be very reliable.

Trawl cables, particularly the plastic jacketed type, are extremely susceptible to

damage and wear that may adversely affect system operation. Proper maintenance

is very important to ensure cable losses are minimized and adequate isolation

between the cable conductors and the seawater is maintained. Common problems

include poor splices, water damage, cracked or worn outer casing (insulating jacket),

or severed cable. The trawl cable should be routinely checked for damage and

affected sections removed; redo splices or replace the entire cable as required.

The pigtails spliced to the end of the trawl cable are susceptible to damage and

corrosion and must be checked, and if necessary replaced, every time prior to

connecting the trawl unit. When not in use, the pigtail should be wrapped in a plastic

bag and stored, when possible, out of the weather and away from being stepped on

or damaged in any other way. The most important thing to realize with the pigtail

female socket inserts is to keep them clean and dry.

Polarity of the signals applied to the trawl cable (coax) may also be important in the

proper operation of the system. To provide optimum shielding from noise, we

recommend the positive signal be applied to the center conductor and the negative

signal to the shield.