Procesor Hercules® Expansion

The Hercules® Expansion processor is an expansion module designed to increase the capabilities of your B&G navigation system. It does not operate autonomously but connects to a main processor (such as Triton™ Edge™ or Hercules®) to allow connection of a larger number of sensors, including analog or serial sensors that are not NMEA 2000 compatible.

The Hercules® Expansion processor is designed to work in conjunction with the following B&G navigation processors:

It connects to one of these processors via an Ethernet cable to extend their data acquisition capabilities.

The Hercules® Expansion processor provides extended connectivity for various sensors:

9 12-bit analog channels 2 bidirectional NMEA 0183 serial ports 2 Ethernet ports (100BASE-T) for connection to the main processor 2 configurable alarm outputs 1 input for Man Overboard (MOB) button

The module is compatible with 12 V or 24 V DC electrical systems. The acceptable input voltage range is 9.0 to 31.2 V DC.

No. Although the module has a physically present CAN port, the technical documentation specifies that this port is not used on the Hercules® Expansion. This module is specifically designed to integrate sensors via its analog inputs, pulse inputs, and NMEA 0183 serial ports.

Configuration of inputs, calibration of sensors, and data management are performed via an intuitive web interface. This interface is accessible from a computer, tablet, or smartphone connected to the boat's Ethernet network, through the main navigation processor to which the Expansion module is connected.

The Hercules® Expansion processor has an IPX6 and IPX7 waterproof rating. This means it is protected against powerful water jets (IPX6) and temporary immersion in water (IPX7), allowing it to be installed in demanding marine environments.

Once the data is collected by the Hercules® Expansion and centralized by the main processor, it can be displayed across the entire B&G network, including on the following screens:

Triton™ 2 and H5000 displaysNemesis™ screensHV displaysHV chartplottersVulcan™ and Zeus® chartplotters

Software updates are installed using a microSD™ card. You need to download the update file, transfer it to a microSD™ card (maximum size 256 GB, formatted as FAT32), then insert it into the dedicated port on the processor.

The Hercules® Expansion processor is designed to operate within a temperature range of -15 °C to +55 °C (5 °F to 131 °F).

No, the Hercules® Expansion is not a standalone navigation processor. It is an expansion module that must be connected via Ethernet to a primary B&G processor (Triton™ Edge™, Hercules® or Hercules® WTP) to operate.

To protect the module’s electrical power supply, use a 3 A fuse.

The maximum electrical power consumption of the Hercules® Expansion processor is 19 Watts with a 12/24 V DC supply voltage.

The connection between the Hercules® Expansion processor and the main navigation processor (Triton™ Edge™, Hercules® or WTP) is made via a standard network cable using one of the two 100BASE-T Ethernet ports (RJ45) available on each device.

These inputs allow you to integrate sensors that do not communicate in NMEA 2000. You can connect, for example:

Load cellsAngle sensors (custom)Existing analog instruments (wind, speed, temperature)Pulse-output sensors (paddlewheel speed log)

Yes, the Hercules® Expansion processor includes security features. It has two configurable alarm outputs (for buzzers or lights) and a dedicated input for an "Overboard" (MOB) button, allowing an alarm to be triggered across the entire system in an emergency.

The Hercules® Expansion processor weighs 0.70 kg (1.55 lb).

The module has 2 serial ports compatible with NMEA 0183. The default communication parameters are as follows:

Baud rate: 38 400 Data bits: 8 Parity: None Stop bits: 1

The processor has a dedicated input for an MOB (Man Over Board) button. Connect the two wires of the button to the MOB send and MOB return terminals of the alarm connector to activate this safety feature.

Yes. The purpose of the Hercules® Expansion is precisely to integrate various sensors. Any sensor with an output compatible with the module's inputs (analog, pulse, or NMEA 0183 serial) can be connected, regardless of brand, and then calibrated via the web interface.