Actisense NBF-3 NMEA Buffer User Guide
- June 6, 2024
- Actisense
Table of Contents
Award-wining NMEA Specialists
NMEA Buffer
Quick Start Guide
NBF-3
Important Notices
The device to which this manual relates complies with the Electromagnetic
Compatibility requirements according to EN60945. The unit should always be
used in conjunction with appropriately approved, shielded cable and connectors
as per NMEA 0400 to ensure compliance. A declaration of conformity is
available for download at www.actisense.com.
If the device to which this manual relates is to be installed within five meters of a compass, please refer to the ‘Compass Safe Distance’ section in the ‘Technical Specifications table.
Trademarks and Registered Trademarks
Actisense® and the Actisense logo are registered trademarks of Active
Research Limited (Ltd). All other trademarks are the property of their
respective owners.
The NMEA® name and NMEA logo are copyright held by the NMEA. All uses in this
manual are by permission and no claim on the right to the NMEA name or logo
are made in this manual.
Fair Use Statement
The contents of this manual may not be transferred or copied without the
express written permission of Active Research Ltd.
Copyright
© 2017 Active Research Ltd. All rights reserved.
Product Registration
Please register your product via the online form at
http://actisense.com/support/prodreg.html.
Your product package includes a unit serial number. The serial number is six
digits long and can be found below the barcode on the label. Your registration
will assist Actisense Support to link your product to your details,
simplifying any future assistance you may require.
Product Disposal
Please dispose of this product in accordance with the WEEE Directive.
The product should be taken to a registered establishment for the disposal of
electronic equipment.
Technical Accuracy
To the best of our knowledge the information contained in this document was
correct at the time it was produced. Active Research Ltd cannot accept
liability for any inaccuracies or omissions.
The products described in this manual and the specifications thereof may be
changed without prior notice. Active Research Ltd cannot accept any liability
for differences between the product and this document. To check for updated
information and specifications please check
actisense.com.
Active Research Ltd will not be liable for infringement of copyright,
industrial property rights, or other rights of a third party caused by the use
of information or drawings described in this manual.
Product Guarantee
This product comes with a three-year return to base guarantee. If you suspect
that the unit is faulty please refer to the Troubleshooting Section of the
User
Manual before contacting support.
It is a requirement of the guarantee that all installations of electronic
equipment follow the NMEA 0400 specification. Any connection to a battery or
power supply must meet the mandatory essential safety requirements that may be
imposed by local regulatory agencies.
Actisense products are intended for use in a marine environment, primarily for
below-deck use. If a product is to be used in a more severe environment, such
use may be considered misuse under the Active Research Ltd guarantee.
Introduction & Features
Groundbreaking and innovative ‘ISO-Drive™’ technology from Actisense protects
up to six NMEA 0183 Listeners from damage that can be caused by hazardous
ground loops. Electrical isolation on the NBF-3 input also provides protection
to the connected Talker.
Data is distributed identically from each of the six outputs and at least the
original signal voltage levels. This means that information sent by the
connected
Talker is reliably delivered to its intended destination, even over long cable
runs.
The addition of power distribution for the NMEA Talker allows a single cable
to connect power and data to the Talker.
Before getting started
The wire colours used in this quick start guide are in accordance with the
NMEA 0183 specification (v.4.10, June 2014) and are for illustration purposes
only. Please ensure you check the wiring colours in the installation
instructions for the device you wish to interface to the NBF-3.
Powering the NBF-3
The NBF-3 is compatible with 12V and 24V power supplies and should be
connected to the battery in accordance with the diagram below:
Connecting to Devices
Strands of wire must not be twisted before being inserted into the connector,
this will ensure a much more secure termination than if the wires are twisted.
A small flat-headed screwdriver (2-3mm) is needed to loosen the screws on the
pluggable connectors for the wires to be inserted or removed.
The NBF-3 power connection is routed to the Listener port PWR OUT
connection via a self-resettable fuse. This provides the option to power the
NMEA 0183 Talker from the NBF-3.
NMEA 0183 and RS232 (serial PC) connections
NBF-3 Label:
| Talker A/+| Talker B/-| Listener A/+|
Listener B/-
---|---|---|---|---
NMEA 0183 device
label:| NMEA 0183 Listener
‘RX A/+’ or ‘NMEA IN
Aki!| NMEA 0183 Listener ‘RX B/-‘ or ‘NMEA IN B/-‘| NMEA 0183 Talker ‘TX
A/+’ or ‘NMEA OUT A/+’| NMEA 0183 Talker ‘TX
B/-‘ or ‘NMEA OUT B/-‘
Standard RS232 label:| Pin 2| Pin 5| Pin 3| Pin 5
LED Behaviour
Colour| Blue|
Green
---|---|---
Name| Power indicator| Listener Port Data
Mounting the NBF-3
The NBF-3 can be mounted on a DIN rail or directly to a bulkhead via the screw holes in each corner. We recommend the DIN rail mount option for the convenience of removing and re-installing the NBF-3 at a later date if needed.
Active Research Ltd
21 Harwell Road
Poole
Dorset
UK, BH17 0GE
Tel: +44 (0)1202 746682
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.actisense.com
