Autohelm 1000

[Knysna1979]

Hi guys, this is my very first post on here and I'm also very new to sailing. I purchased a 23ft Elizabethan which we sailed from Medway I Kent round to Hayling Island recently (I had help don't worry).

One of the things included was an autopilot 1000. I don't have any idea of the age but guessing it's pretty old. It has a compass dial at the top. It was working fine but on the 4th day it was going very slowly clicking into the direction you set it but then just changed it back the other way very quickly.

Anyone got any ideas what this could be or anyone have suggestions of a company I could sent it to in the UK to have it looked at? Thanks in advance. Oh I realised I could attach an image.

 

[Tranona]

Original Autohelm tiller pilot. Manual here
raymarine.app.box.com/s/rvhycb6x1brzo64921k5tsqwv2ica3j6/file/3273012427

Probably over 40 years old and doubt worth doing anything with, although you could give Raymarine a call.

 

[europe172]

Hi guys, this is my very first post on here and I'm also very new to sailing. I purchased a 23ft Elizabethan which we sailed from Medway I Kent round to Hayling Island recently (I had help don't worry).

One of the things included was an autopilot 1000. I don't have any idea of the age but guessing it's pretty old. It has a compass dial at the top. It was working fine but on the 4th day it was going very slowly clicking into the direction you set it but then just changed it back the other way very quickly.

Anyone got any ideas what this could be or anyone have suggestions of a company I could sent it to in the UK to have it looked at? Thanks in advance. Oh I realised I could attach an image. View attachment 123306

These units are well worth having even if old, it was working for four days , what was the voltage supply like?

 

[Knysna1979]

These units are well worth having even if old, it was working for four days , what was the voltage supply like?

Hi there, voltage supply was fine. We actually only used it the last 2 days but it was working OK for the first day.

 

[ProDave]

Moving slowly and clicking is a sign of stiff mechanics and the drive belt(s) jumping. Give it a strip down, make sure everything runs smoothly and look at getting a new pair of drive belts but be prepared for a shock how much they might cost.

 

[earlybird]

I had one of those in the'80s, and it was old then. When it became unreliable, I had a look inside. The commutator and brushes of the motor were more or less completely worn away. The motor was a Swiss-made Maxon. A drop-in replacement would have cost a small fortune even if I could have identified the exact model number.
Internet searches can be more fruitful these days perhaps, but be prepared to be disappointed.

 

[Humblebee]

Hi Knysna and welcome to the forum.
Not entirely relevant but I have an old Autohelm ST4000 which started getting very noisy then packed up altogether. The electronics, display etc all seemed fine and Raymarine quoted £400 just for a new actuating arm! Anyway, a good friend took it apart and found a bearing had disintegrated. He measured it, found it was a standard, common size, and replaced it for a few pounds from an online supplier.
Raymarine can be helpful through their online question thing but tell me parts need to be ordered through one of their agents. I also wanted to replace the head of the actuating arm. The agent I contacted said Raymarine had a minimum size of order but he would get me one next time he placed an order, no idea when.

 

[Topcat47]

I have an old 2000, also by Autohelm. when a similar thing happened it turned out to be due to the compass in the control box not being set in the gimble. Of course the 2000 has a separate arm and control box where the 1000 is a single unit, but it may be worth checking. I also had the motor in the control arm re-wound when it failed, well worth it. Raymarine couldn't supply a replacement. I couldn't identify the original motor, either.

 

[Knysna1979]

Thank you

Moving slowly and clicking is a sign of stiff mechanics and the drive belt(s) jumping. Give it a strip down, make sure everything runs smoothly and look at getting a new pair of drive belts but be prepared for a shock how much they might cost.

Thank you I will have a look.

 

[Knysna1979]

Hi Knysna and welcome to the forum.
Not entirely relevant but I have an old Autohelm ST4000 which started getting very noisy then packed up altogether. The electronics, display etc all seemed fine and Raymarine quoted £400 just for a new actuating arm! Anyway, a good friend took it apart and found a bearing had disintegrated. He measured it, found it was a standard, common size, and replaced it for a few pounds from an online supplier.
Raymarine can be helpful through their online question thing but tell me parts need to be ordered through one of their agents. I also wanted to replace the head of the actuating arm. The agent I contacted said Raymarine had a minimum size of order but he would get me one next time he placed an order, no idea when.

Thanks. I suppose nothing to lose opening it up and having a look. I'm not the world's best at tech but something might just stand out or look odd. Thanks

 

[earlybird]

Thanks. I suppose nothing to lose opening it up and having a look. I'm not the world's best at tech but something might just stand out or look odd. Thanks

If it's like mine was, inside your autohelm you will find a fairly complex run of string to transmit linear movement of the arm to rotary movement of the compass. Before you disturb this, make an accurate sketch of the arrangement so it can be re-installed.
They don't make 'em like that any more!

 

[Topcat47]

The 2000 I have has a fluxgate compass in the box, this has a ribbon connector to the PCB. This may not be the method used in the 1000 but my 2000 is definitely of the same vintage. Small plastic parts can be reverse engineered and made with a 3D printer if they are nor too damaged.

 

[Knysna1979]

If it's like mine was, inside your autohelm you will find a fairly complex run of string to transmit linear movement of the arm to rotary movement of the compass. Before you disturb this, make an accurate sketch of the arrangement so it can be re-installed.
They don't make 'em like that any more!

Thank you. Great advice!!!

 

[andsarkit]

There is some information on the old Nautech autohelm here: Autohelm 1000 . If you don't speak Dutch scroll down and select the English option.
I had one of these in 1980 and was most disappointed when the motor failed after 3 weeks continuous use on a 26' boat. The reply from Nautech was that you are not supposed to use them continuously. It was repaired and still works now although only kept as a backup unit.

 

[Knysna1979]

There is some information on the old Nautech autohelm here: Autohelm 1000 . If you don't speak Dutch scroll down and select the English option.
I had one of these in 1980 and was most disappointed when the motor failed after 3 weeks continuous use on a 26' boat. The reply from Nautech was that you are not supposed to use them continuously. It was repaired and still works now although only kept as a backup unit.

Hi there,

Thank you that's super helpful.