NOTE: I HAVE RECEIVED SOME NEGATIVE COMMENTS ABOUT SHIPPING COSTS RECENTLY. SHIPPING COSTS HAVE RISEN A LOT IN THE PAST TWO YEARS. I HAVE TRIED TO USE USPS FIRST CLASS MAIL BECAUSE IT WAS ONCE THE CHEAPEST OPTION FOR SMALL ITEMS. USPS WILL NO LONGER SHIP ANY “PARCEL” FIRST CLASS, REGARDLESS OF SIZE. EVEN A TINY TWO OUNCE ITEM CANNOT BE SHIPPED FIRST CLASS. YOU MUST USE GROUND ADVANTAGE OPTION. I HAVE TRIED GOING DIRECTLY TO USPS AND THE RATES ARE EVEN HIGHER THAN THE SAME SERVICE THROUGH EBAY. THE FIRST CLASS OPTION IS $2 OR LESS. GROUND ADVANTAGE IS $4 AND UP. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WHEN EBAY LETS ME LIST AN ITEM WITH FIRST CLASS SHIPPING COSTS BUT THEN WILL NOT ALLOW ME TO PURCHASE A FIRST CLASS SHIPPING LABEL. I LOSE $2-$4 EVERY TIME THAT HAPPENS SO CAN NO LONGER OFFER FIRST CLASS SHIPPING EVEN FOR SMALL ITEMS.
Only the items photographed are included in this sale.
This item is sold as is and without any warranty, implied or otherwise.
No international shipping. No returns or refunds. Thank you for your interest.
One ebayer purchased a chartplotter that I had tested and verified was in excellent condition. He reversed polarity in installation and destroyed the unit. Of course, he did not say that but insisted the unit was defective out of the box. I gave him a refund and sent the unit to the manufacturer for repair. Only then did I discover what had happened. I lost $500 on that transaction.
Another buyer purchased a radar that I had already tested and used but he insisted it was bad. Turns out he took the magnetron out of my unit and replaced it with a defective magnetron out of his unit. Fortunately, I had taken photos of internal components serial numbers and caught him in the act.
Recently, a licensed “professional captain” bought a Raymarine 18” radome that required 12volt DC power. Rather than hire a professional installer, he connected it to a Raymarine VCM 100 transformer used for larger open arrays that puts out 48volts. When he made the connection and powered up the unit he destroyed the radome instantly.
A fourth bought a working VHF radio that I demonstrated for him in my shop. He did his own installation, then he called to complain the unit would not transmit or receive. He lived close by so I went over to have a look. He said "Take a look at this” and repeatedly pressed the microphone to transmit on high power. I immediately noticed there was no antenna attached and informed him that he destroyed the VHF the moment he tried to transmit on high power without an antenna attached.
Recently guy bought a bracket for his chartplotter. The chartplotter was old and an off brand. I warned him that I doubted the bracket would fit but he wanted it anyway. He cut it apart with a hacksaw to expand it. He did not like the finished product and tried to get a refund, even though he destroyed the bracket in the process.
There are many more such tales, like the guy who bought a used chartplotter and then complained it would not change pages. I took a look and found he had assembled the unit improperly after changing the screen and had one of the buttons depressed constantly. He adjusted the bezel and everything worked fine.
Another cut the plug off a transducer cable to make it easier to install. When he found he could not splice it he actually expected his money back. This has happened several times with a variety of cables. Sometimes they strip the threads on plugs or chartplotters, sheer off the nipples on bayonet sockets, splice cables, order the wrong cable, etc. and want a refund. These are only a few of my many unfortunate adventures with selling used electronics and components online.
A FEW NOTES FOR THE DO-IT-YOURSELFCROWD:
I started off as a do-it-yourselfer too. Now I am an ABYC technician certified in marine electricity, corrosion, and marine systems. I am retiring and it is time to dispose of all the spare components I have picked up over the past forty years.
Sometimes people ask “Do you think Ican do it myself?” The answer is “If you have to ask that question then you need to hire a Pro.” Amateurs destroy millions of dollars in electronics every year because they don’t know what they are doing. Manufacturers know this and inflate the cost of electronics to cover it.
A few common errors are:
1. Reversing polarity
2. Misunderstanding color codes
3. Not having the right tools and/or fittings
4. Not knowing that “yellow” is usually DC ground, but in a stereo it can be a DC positive.
5. Failure to understand the complexities of GPS/VHF interface
6. Keying the mic on a VHF without an antenna attached. This will destroy most VHF radios.
7. Powering up remote depth module without transducer attached (rarely a problem any more, but use caution with older units)
8. Failure to use proper circuit protection
9. Using wire too small or of poor quality
10. Bending wires through too tight a radius
11. Stripping or nicking insulation while running wires
12. And the most common offense of all – poor wire termination.
The list goes on and on. The key is that if you do not have the proper tools, suitable materials, and adequate expertise you should contact an ABYC certified marine electrician.