CAN Wiring - Quality Waterproof NMEA Connections
Safiery uses NMEA approved 5 pin double shielded cable and connectors. They do seem expensive but will last a lifetime and eliinate CAN errors.
Safiery STAR Range NMEA Approved Double Shielded
Feature / Attribute
System B (CAT 6 Cable, RJ45 Plugs) Poor. RJ45 connectors were designed for a stable office environment. The plastic locking tab is notoriously fragile and easily breaks, leading to intermittent connection loss. They offer no inherent protection against moisture, dust, or vibration unless placed in a secondary ruggedized enclosure. Good, but with a weak link. CAT 6 cable itself has excellent design for noise rejection due to the tight twisting of its internal pairs. However, the RJ45 connector is a significant weak point. It is difficult to maintain a continuous 360- degree shield through the plastic plug, making the connection point vulnerable to EMI ingress/egress. Very Poor / Potentially Dangerous. CAT 6 uses very thin wires (typically 23 or 24 AWG). Attempting to draw significant current through these thin wires over any distance will cause severe voltage drop, starving devices of power and potentially creating a fire hazard. This is the single biggest electrical drawback of this approach. Proprietary / Non-Standard. Using RJ45 for CAN bus in a marine environment is a non-standard, proprietary choice. This locks the customer into the competitor's ecosystem. Their devices cannot be connected to a standard NMEA 2000 network without a special adapter, and interoperability is not guaranteed.
Superior. Connectors are typically circular M12-style with screw threads. They are designed to resist vibration and provide a secure, locked connection that cannot be accidentally unplugged. High IP ratings (IP67/IP68) are common, making them dust-tight and fully waterproof. Excellent. The double-shielded approach is best practice. The inner foil shield protects the CAN Hi/Lo data pair from noise generated by the adjacent power wires. The outer braided shield protects the entire bundle from powerful external noise sources (motors, pumps, inverters, VHF radios). Excellent. The cable is designed for its purpose, using appropriately sized wire gauges (e.g., 16-18 AWG) for the 12V positive and negative conductors. This minimizes voltage drop over the length of the network, ensuring all devices receive stable power. Industry Standard. Your system uses the NMEA 2000 connector standard. This means your devices are plug-and-play compatible with thousands of certified marine products from hundreds of manufacturers, including chartplotters, sensors, and displays.
Physical Robustness & Durability
Electrical Noise Immunity (EMI)
Power Delivery Capability
Industry Standardization & Interoperability
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