autohelm 2000

[anderson]

we have a new autohelm 2000 we dont seem to be able to calibrate it correctly on steering 155 we have to set the autohelm on 172 and on 314 we have to set it to about 330 and even the it somtimes veers off .can you please help.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

we have a new autohelm 2000 we dont seem to be able to calibrate it correctly on steering 155 we have to set the autohelm on 172 and on 314 we have to set it to about 330 and even the it somtimes veers off .can you please help.

Is there a setting for the compass declination? It took me a while to persuade my Raymarine C80 chart-plotter to remember that the local declination is 5 degrees W, not something like 10 degrees E!

Otherwise, is it connected to a NMEA or SeaTalk bus with another heading source? That could cause problems - if it's like the ST2000, it uses an external source in preference to the internal one.

 

[chewi]

we have a new autohelm 2000 we dont seem to be able to calibrate it correctly on steering 155 we have to set the autohelm on 172 and on 314 we have to set it to about 330 and even the it somtimes veers off .can you please help.

have you followed the calibration instructions where you sail around in a gentle circle?

 

[Aeolus]

I followed the calibration instructions and my autohelm 2000 is still 11 degrees out from the correct heading. However it does hold a direction and steers correctly. I rely on my Compass and GPS to know where I'm actually pointing.

 

[Seajet]

I have had an autohelm 2000 for a couple of years and have rated it very highly; but on my first trip of the season time when I tried it several times, it started off behaving perfectley then went through wider & wider swings off course...

Any ideas please ? Battery voltage is fine on the monitor.

I did calibrate it when new, maybe the problem both of us have is the thing going senile ?!

 

[earlybird]

we have a new autohelm 2000 we dont seem to be able to calibrate it correctly on steering 155 we have to set the autohelm on 172 and on 314 we have to set it to about 330 and even the it somtimes veers off .can you please help.

After motoring in circles it should be possible to adjust the display to match the ship's compass. The handbook explains the procedure.
Can't explain the veering off however.

 

[MoodySabre]

we have a new autohelm 2000 we dont seem to be able to calibrate it correctly on steering 155 we have to set the autohelm on 172 and on 314 we have to set it to about 330 and even the it somtimes veers off .can you please help.

If it is not connected to anything else then calibrating is not necessary. I've never done mine - just point in the desired direction and press Auto.

If it is going off course then is there anything interfering with the fluxgate compass inside it? A friend of mine put large stereo speakers under the seat at the back of the cockpit and his tillerpilot went beserk

 

[DaveS]

A few years ago I had an autohelm develop an intermittent fault of producing wild course errors. On investigation it turned out that a rubber O ring had broken, come adrift, and fallen into the bulb in the lower casing that houses the swinging compass. Once there it usually lay clear, but occasionally stopped the compass from moving.

 

[Seajet]

A few years ago I had an autohelm develop an intermittent fault of producing wild course errors. On investigation it turned out that a rubber O ring had broken, come adrift, and fallen into the bulb in the lower casing that houses the swinging compass. Once there it usually lay clear, but occasionally stopped the compass from moving.

DaveS,

thanks for that; time to take the thing apart...