2nd tiller pilot has just expired

dylanwinter

dylanwinter

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 Mar 2005
Messages
12,954
Location
Buckingham
www.keepturningleft.co.uk
I started this trip with two tiller pilots

an ST 2000 that came with the bioat that was amazing

at night it was better on the helm than any human

but it rained and it stopped - now all it does is beep like a sad seagull chick

the other was the st1000

less good but I have been using it since I started KTL so it had a seven year bashing

It has got a bit wet but a few minutes under the fan heater and it starts again


not this time though

after the journey between Orkney and Eirbol when it got wet a few times it has also expired

the fan heater treatment produces no cure

does anyone have an old but unwanted one they are willing to swap for ktl DVds

yours

Ron Hopeful

PS - here is the story of the journey

http://www.keepturningleft.co.uk/sailing-around-britain/best-of-times-and/
 
dylanwinter said:
not this time though

after the journey between Orkney and Eirbol when it got wet a few times it has also expired

the fan heater treatment produces no cure
Click to expand...

Was the wetting with salt water this time, or fresh? Maybe it there's salt in there a bit of a rinse prior to the fan heater cure might help. Slim chance admittedly...
 
Won't Raymarine repair one of them in return for a bit of good publicity on KTL

Pretend to be Ellie !
 
lpdsn said:
Was the wetting with salt water this time, or fresh? Maybe it there's salt in there a bit of a rinse prior to the fan heater cure might help. Slim chance admittedly...
Click to expand...

Mine have died about three times. A rinse followed by a warming has worked wonders thus far...

I also put a water absorber in, but it got in the way of the works so got the heave-ho last month.

They really need to be put in a waterproof bag if being sailed enthusiastically (or in scotch mist perhaps)
 
dylanwinter said:
I started this trip with two tiller pilots

an ST 2000 that came with the bioat that was amazing

at night it was better on the helm than any human

but it rained and it stopped - now all it does is beep like a sad seagull chick

the other was the st1000

less good but I have been using it since I started KTL so it had a seven year bashing

It has got a bit wet but a few minutes under the fan heater and it starts again


not this time though

after the journey between Orkney and Eirbol when it got wet a few times it has also expired

the fan heater treatment produces no cure

does anyone have an old but unwanted one they are willing to swap for ktl DVds

yours

Ron Hopeful

PS - here is the story of the journey


http://www.keepturningleft.co.uk/sailing-around-britain/best-of-times-and/
Click to expand...


I can sympathise. Mine (ST2000) stopped 2 months out of warranty. The estimate to repair was more than the original cost. The Raymarine distributor told me I shouldn't have let it get wet.

A marine machine intended to work in the cockpit......!!!
 
Were you applying the fan heater to the complete unit or after taking it apart?

I have found that rinsing the circuit board with fresh water then leaving it in the sun to dry out completely (both sides) usually works. Note the colour coding of the various wires before unplugging them. To prevent condensation after re-assembly you also need to get all the remaining water out of the case with paper towels (difficult: it's a complicated shape with lots of nooks and crannies) followed by hot air or sunshine as available.
 
Dylan,

I have found Raytheon tech support ( as the golden rule in life anywhere, don't go near sales / admin ) offer brilliant advice & support inc the cheapest way around snags.

Good luck, I agree the ST2000 is a brilliant bit of kit.
 
Dylan check your plug and socket connection is good. Corrosion and one of the pins not making contact with the other pushed out of joint caused a similar malfunction. I found the fault after trying another know good TP.
Sometimes enough connection to fire up display but as soon as you draw any current it goes awol with a beep?
 
TSB240 said:
Dylan check your plug and socket connection is good. Corrosion and one of the pins not making contact with the other pushed out of joint caused a similar malfunction. I found the fault after trying another know good TP.
Sometimes enough connection to fire up display but as soon as you draw any current it goes awol with a beep?
Click to expand...

That's a good point to check; my and my chums's autohelms recently failed due to the cockpit 12v supply socket, the weakest link; remaking mine as we speak !

Trust you have some sort of circuit tester, Dylan ?
 
Electrical equivalent of Evian but...

Seajet said:
That's a good point to check; my and my chums's autohelms recently failed due to the cockpit 12v supply socket, the weakest link; remaking mine as we speak !

Trust you have some sort of circuit tester, Dylan ?
Click to expand...

Following on from my thread about Marvin's wanderings, I spent a while making a flylead to feed him either directly via croc clips off the ship's batteries or a unconnected separate fully charged spare.

Marvin (who had done 20 miles perfectly two days before) gave up after less than one hour of dry motoring on a selection of power sources.

FYI, when he goes odd, the port/sbd buttons do not extend/retract the ram smoothly, it pulses on/off, even after unplugging and repowering after a while.

Nick (I'll join the queue for a pilot, Dylan, we need a lending library!)

http://britainbyrivendell.weebly.com/ from Oban
 
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I have an old navico (or is it autohelm?) 1000 thats pretty rubbish and sounds like a squealing pig. Willing to swap for something. Ive put s raymarine plug on it so I could use as spare. The distance between the tiller and pivot pin is about 4" shorter than the raymarine though.
 
Sybarite said:
I can sympathise. Mine (ST2000) stopped 2 months out of warranty. The estimate to repair was more than the original cost. The Raymarine distributor told me I shouldn't have let it get wet.

A marine machine intended to work in the cockpit......!!!
Click to expand...

Reminds me of one boat show when I tried to discuss with Messrs Stuart Turner - Remember those ?-about a non starting PMC 4.
"It's your own fault" came the reply " You sailors keep letting them get damp"
Well that's all right then !!!!!!

My 2 month old ST2000+ is just on its way back to raymarine due to intermittent fault
Not what you want when stuck 700 miles from home at Inverness on a SH circumnavigation of UK
 
My newish to me boat came with a Simrad that squealed after a Channel crossing. When the lid was off lots of bits looked rusty but might have a tinker over the winter.
Meanwhile, I fitted up the ST2000 I also have which is about 7 years plus. That too gave up the ghost after a demanding passage despite having its own custom pacamac. The verdict was it was beyond economic repair. Raymarine will do you a part ex for 25% off new. Still comes to just over £400.
 
Auto Pilots are one of the items that it is false economy to stint on. For tiller use it looks like Raymarine SPX-5 would be minimum spec.
You might think it is over spec'ed for your boat but it will cope with bad weather and prolonged use and doesn't need a plastic bag when it's wet!
 
I had an early Autohelm 1000 - not ST - which worked briliaintly and had a remote control.

Then I upgraded it to a ST 2000, with remote supplied, I found it wouldn't work unless I paid £ 80 for an extra box to make the tiller & remote talk to each other which I thought a bit of a swizz.

Then the ST2000 gave in after 30 seconds use...

I was given a very prompt replacement but still no remote to impress girlfriends steering from the foredeck which I was led to believe part of the deal and I'd had great success doing that with the 1000 ! :)

Raytheon need to get their act in gear, the product is best but needs tweaking by a paying not subsidised offshore customer, not Dame Mcarthur with an AP X a million, just we cross Channel husband & wife crews.

I would just add that the ST2000 is fantastic, handling my - well balanced - boat in fairly lage quertering seas while it works.

My current one hasn't failed through moderate rain & salt water slop so far, but I'd rather like something I can go to sleep with comfortably knowing the crew will still be aiming at the same point - they sent people to the moon in 1969 so Please Raytheon why can't I have a waterproof **** ing autohelm I can rely on ? ! :rolleyes:
 
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