Autohelm steering units

comoxlarry

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Last year there was a discusion on old Autohelms. I have an Autohelm 1000 that dates back to about 1976-78. I am desperately in need of a schematic. I have done a circuit trace on the bottom half but the upper board is more difficult and I'll never get it working without more info.
 

wooslehunter

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Worth a few calls to some of the service agents. I needed to look at the schematics for a slightly newer model & found a small local company that let me have a look.

You don't say where you are. Give us clue & someone may be able to suggest a place local to you.
 

comoxlarry

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I have searched everywhere that I can think of with no luck. The info on the Raymarine site does not match my unit. I got more real info here from other discusions than anywhere else.
I live in Comox B.C. Canada, on the east side of Vancouver Isl. about half way up and I sail a locally made Martin 29. If you have Google Earth take a look it is a wonderful place for sailing
 

tonyappuk

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Comox
I have about 30 files in a folder called Autohelm. I collected them when I repaired two Autohelm 1000s some years ago. They were different models so there must be something for you there. If you would like me to send you copies let me have your email address.

tonyappuk
 

qetoo

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comoxlarry

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Tonyappuk
I would very much appreciate any info you have. My email is (dldamer@shaw.ca) The unit I have is British made by Autohelm. The motor unit and the controler/fluxgate are seperate units with the controler in a round canister that mounts on a bulkhead and the circuit is strange.
Many thanks
 

comoxlarry

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Q_E_Too
Thanks but my unit is different from anything shown at that site and I do need electronic schematics. I have repaired a lot of equipement in my working years but have never been stumped like this before. There is some little thing that I am missing. There is 12 volts missing from some of the chips and I can't see why. It aint rocket science but it is as frustrating!
 

hightech

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If it is one of the original turny compass units, then it is a very straightforward circuit. There is a voltage dropper on the front end, then op-amps to switch the power trannies. Must've fixed hundreds of these pcb back in the day!
 

comoxlarry

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Hightech, I am finally getting somewhere. On the top board there are two quad op amps which right now have no B+. I see what appears to be a simple voltage reg that is not working. I suspect a u/s zener but I don't know what voltage to expect, do you remember what the B+ voltage for the op amps and gates was. There is a little glass diode with no readable number on it, I could guess but it would be nice to know the right voltage.
 
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I would be also very interested in having copies if possible ... I live in latvia and such details / schematics would be a great advantage to keep mine working ...

I see you do not accept Private Messages ... mmmm and like many I will not put e-mail address up on show ...

Can you pm to me and I'll contact you on your e-mail address you give ?
 
G

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[ QUOTE ]
Comox
I have about 30 files in a folder called Autohelm. I collected them when I repaired two Autohelm 1000s some years ago. They were different models so there must be something for you there. If you would like me to send you copies let me have your email address.

tonyappuk

[/ QUOTE ]

Hi Tony .... got your PM with address - but had returned - e-mail box over quota .... seems you haven't emptied your ISP e-mail server !

!! You can send to me at : nluther"at"solent-life.co.uk ...... replacing the "at" with the @

cheers
 

comoxlarry

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Hightech,
I've got the reg working at 8 volts but the unit is still showing no signs of life. I changed one of the quad op amps that didn't look right but no luck. I've worked on lots of servos but this one has got me stumped. Can you tell me if the motor is DC or two phase AC and if DC what do they do about brushes. There is nothing happening on the top board when the switches are operated and I don't really know what to expect. I originally expected to find an oscillator in there but now? I don't understand how a flux gate compass will work without an AC signal applied. If I could afford to buy another one I would throw this out but I can't and I need it since I sail mostly single handed. An suggestions?
 

hightech

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Motor is DC, does it have a very narrow back cap (2mm) or quite wide 5-6 mm. The wider ones used to eat their brushgear and then had to be replaced, the later ones are the narrow ones.

The op=amps form a simple pair of schmitt triggers, as the compass voltage varies from a mid point when both sides are off, one or other of the triggers switches and turns the power trannies for that direction on. The main power switch alters the centre point resistor and gives a wider deadband to the switches.

The compass units are optical, you can check the compass voltage by monitoring the wrt 0 volts, as you turn it round you should see it rise and fall.
 

comoxlarry

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I finally got the darn thing working and I would like to thank everyone who tried to help specially Hightech. Having worked with hundeds of motor control servo circuits in my working days I made some foolish assumptions at the start and that led me astray. Once I saw a schematic of the thing it was fairly easy from there. There were three faults on it probably caused by a voltage surge and while I was able to circuit trace one of the boards the upper board made no sense until I saw the schematic.
Thanks again
 
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