Autohelm windvane attachment

[Ardenfour]

I have an old Autohelm 1000 tiller pilot which I've rebuilt and now works perfectly, but I recently acquired the wind vane attachment which plugs into the jack socket in the side. When in vane mode the pushrod extends to it's fullest extent and wont retract. I've supplied power to the windvane, but get no change of output from the signal wire. The instruction manual mentions a spring-loaded cord which links the tiller to the vane, but I can see no way to attach this cord to the vane - anyone remember these or can help?
Thanks.

 

[LittleSister]

Many years ago I had a boat with a wind-vane attached to an Autohelm. I'm not sure it's the same as yours, though, as there was no physical connection between the windvane and the tiller.

The way it worked is you would start with the Autohelm in standby and then set the course as normal, but with the windvane connected this would let the Autohelm know if the wind changed more than 5 degrees from what it was when you had set the course. (i.e. the Autohelm would 'remember' the setting of the windvane when the course was set, and if this changed by more than 5 degrees for any length of time it would increase or decrease the compass heading). It would adjust the course (possibly in 5 degree increments) accordingly so effectively the boat stayed on the same course relative to the wind, rather than the same course relative to the compass (even though it was always controlled via compass, if you follow my drift). All that connected the vane to the compass was an electric wire. The windvane was a small (few inches) black rotating vane on a cylindrical (IIRC) mounting with a thin cable coming out of it. On my boat the vane was mounted via U clamp(s) onto the pushpit rail.

It may be that the reference to a sprung line on the tiller is to reduce the amount of work the Autohelm has to do (and hence battery consumption). If it's anything like mine was there is no way of, and no point to, connecting the vane mechanically to the tiller.

I suspect you may have a short or open circuit in the cable, windvane unit, or connnection within the Autohelm itself. However, before searching for that, do make sure you try, if you haven't already, starting the procedure in standby mode with the vane stationary, set the course (auto), then (if it hasn't already gone berserk) try moving the vane about 20 degrees and keeping it there - you should have to wait for a response, IIRC.

Hope that may help. Good luck with it.

 

[VicS]

If that is the original Autohelm 1000, the one with the course adjusting knob with a compass rose, then yes there was a cord which came out through the bottom of the windvane mast round suitable pulleys and hooked onto the hook on the push rod end fitting.
I have one of the old Autohelms, but not the wind vane. I have the instruction book, which is how I know about connecting the windvane, but as it is on the boat I cannot be more specific than the above.

IIRC once the Autohelm progressed to the version with push buttons there was not this cord connection and old and new units were therefore not compatible with each other.

If you have a vane without a cord it is either the one for the newer version or the cord has been detached.

All the old instruction manuals can be found on the Raymarine website. Perusal of those may help you.
http://www.raymarine.co.uk/ See the customer support tab.