tt65
Well-Known Member
My thingy goes round and round more slowly than neighbouring boats and I suspect given wind speed on instrument is reading low. Any ideas or past experience anyone?
Nasa clipper wind
- Thread starter tt65
- Start date
steve6367
Well-Known Member
Yes - just done mine.
It is not a fantastic design - but nice and cheap so cant really moan.
Normally the nylon insert in the cups wears and then there is too much play which restricts the speed.
You can get a new set of cups and replace - all should then be well. Fairly easy to do up the mast - just done mine including sticking in a new pin (which had fallen out!) All the bits can be obtained from NASA. They will also guide you through it - should all make sense once you get up there and see it in front of you. Basically there is a black cap on the bottom of the cups that you pull off, then remove the clip on the shaft which will allow the cups to come off - put new ones on and press the clip (new on supplied) back in place.
If you need anymore info - give NASA a call or let me know. As I said just done mine.
PS. If you click my photo link below I have put some pics up - which show what I am on about!
It is not a fantastic design - but nice and cheap so cant really moan.
Normally the nylon insert in the cups wears and then there is too much play which restricts the speed.
You can get a new set of cups and replace - all should then be well. Fairly easy to do up the mast - just done mine including sticking in a new pin (which had fallen out!) All the bits can be obtained from NASA. They will also guide you through it - should all make sense once you get up there and see it in front of you. Basically there is a black cap on the bottom of the cups that you pull off, then remove the clip on the shaft which will allow the cups to come off - put new ones on and press the clip (new on supplied) back in place.
If you need anymore info - give NASA a call or let me know. As I said just done mine.
PS. If you click my photo link below I have put some pics up - which show what I am on about!
Bergman
Well-Known Member
I've had exactly the same thing. Only bought the thing last May.
Whinged a bit at NASA and they have sent a new set of cups. They expressed considrable surprise, - never heard of anything like that - Humph!
Do I sense a design fault coming on?
They declined to pay for the mast taking off to fit the thing. My days of climbing masts and winching people up masts are long gone, so another 100 squid or so down the tubes.
Whinged a bit at NASA and they have sent a new set of cups. They expressed considrable surprise, - never heard of anything like that - Humph!
Do I sense a design fault coming on?
They declined to pay for the mast taking off to fit the thing. My days of climbing masts and winching people up masts are long gone, so another 100 squid or so down the tubes.
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If you are lazy like me you will not be bothered doing anything. Mine was slow after fitting new cups but after 6 weeks started spinning at normal speed. This was after heavy rain but that might have been a coincidence.
mflynn1971
Active Member
I have just taken mine down with same problem after about only 4 month use(worked for only 2). What seems to have happened is as follows
The cups have a nylon type insert as a bearing. The hole is made or else wears out to be over size. Without lubricant the cups rock on the spindle. If you try and spin them fast they vibrate to a stop before reaching any speed. This is why a Force 6 wind cannot get them to spin properly even though there is no resistance to turning when I move them by hand.
I cleaned up all the surfaces and added a little oil which takes up slack on bearing and the cups spin up without any vibration again like new. Fitting new cups wont work either unless they have changed design. I'm going to see if there is any thing i can do to fix it permanently as going up the mast every 2 months with lubricant isnt really an option. A made up cowling attached to main housing above cups to prevent spray and wind entering top of coupling might be a start.
Regards
Mike
The cups have a nylon type insert as a bearing. The hole is made or else wears out to be over size. Without lubricant the cups rock on the spindle. If you try and spin them fast they vibrate to a stop before reaching any speed. This is why a Force 6 wind cannot get them to spin properly even though there is no resistance to turning when I move them by hand.
I cleaned up all the surfaces and added a little oil which takes up slack on bearing and the cups spin up without any vibration again like new. Fitting new cups wont work either unless they have changed design. I'm going to see if there is any thing i can do to fix it permanently as going up the mast every 2 months with lubricant isnt really an option. A made up cowling attached to main housing above cups to prevent spray and wind entering top of coupling might be a start.
Regards
Mike
steve6367
Well-Known Member
2 months sounds like bad news! Mine at least lasted 3 years. The new cups apparently have different material for the bearing and so it should last longer. Being young and fairly fit I can cope with going up the mast to change them ever couple of years. Dont mind too much as it was a cheap unit to buy.
macd
Well-Known Member
Mine were rubbish practically since installation, as were those of two friends. Problem in my case seemed to be incorrect shimming in manufacture -- cup assembly too lose, hence tilted on its shaft and wore, progressively making inaccuracy worse. Showed 14kn wind in F8. As with other poster, NASA expressed surprise. I returned cups which they claimed never to receive and despite my sending a digital photo which clearly showed an assymetric wear pattern, they charged me for a new set of cups. Although their GPS repeater and log/depth have worked well, I shall never buy anything from NASA again. It baffles me how they managed to get Armstrong to the Moon. Ah, the penny drops -- that's the nearest place their wind instrument would give a true reading.
mikejames
Well-Known Member
Mine wore out utterly after 2 years and vibrated out the pin at 80mph. Then the magnet on the windvane corroded and broke up.
As the only NASA spare available at the time was a whole masthead unit (5 years ago) I did not buy another one.
As the only NASA spare available at the time was a whole masthead unit (5 years ago) I did not buy another one.
alienzdive
Well-Known Member
I have noticed that mine is not spinning fast enough too. Only just installed it in the last few weeks. It is a replacement for the previous broken Nasa cups. Reading in my opinion 5 knots in 15 knots of wind. I was going to investigate further when I had time, but I can see that this problem is not unique to me now.
Hardley
Well-Known Member
Mine is now 15 months old, probably worked for one month in all that time, had one free set of bearings, lasted days, before same problem developed, now being fitted with third set.
I am lucky that I can get mast down in a few minutes, in 15 months, must have had it down a dozen times, to wash unit as suggested by NASA, only works for a few days, I have put up with it, as it does show wind direction.
Have written, sent Emails to NASA, so they are well aware of the problem.
All we suckers who brought their wind instrument, need to shout loud about how useless they are and warn others about wasting their money, as I have done many times on this forum.
I am lucky that I can get mast down in a few minutes, in 15 months, must have had it down a dozen times, to wash unit as suggested by NASA, only works for a few days, I have put up with it, as it does show wind direction.
Have written, sent Emails to NASA, so they are well aware of the problem.
All we suckers who brought their wind instrument, need to shout loud about how useless they are and warn others about wasting their money, as I have done many times on this forum.
ShipsWoofy
Well-Known Member
Hang on there Steve, how did you fit the new pin?
I need to replace ours, or at least hoist SWMBO up. I had thought we were going to have to bring the unit down somehow or unstep the mast to repair.
I thought you had to open the case to replace the pin, do you not have to? Or if you do, can you unscrew the bottom part and bring it down without the gubbins and half a squillion tiny springs popping out.
Fancy talking us through fitting a pin up the mast please?
I need to replace ours, or at least hoist SWMBO up. I had thought we were going to have to bring the unit down somehow or unstep the mast to repair.
I thought you had to open the case to replace the pin, do you not have to? Or if you do, can you unscrew the bottom part and bring it down without the gubbins and half a squillion tiny springs popping out.
Fancy talking us through fitting a pin up the mast please?
macd
Well-Known Member
"half a squillion tiny springs"
You're obviously confusing it with something sophisticated, which it ain't. There's simply a spindle, about 3mm diameter from memory. On some versions this is threaded and the cup assembly secured by small nuts; on others the spindle is not threaded and small spring washers do the retaining, instead. They make excellent sycamore leaves in any sort of breeze.
You're obviously confusing it with something sophisticated, which it ain't. There's simply a spindle, about 3mm diameter from memory. On some versions this is threaded and the cup assembly secured by small nuts; on others the spindle is not threaded and small spring washers do the retaining, instead. They make excellent sycamore leaves in any sort of breeze.
ShipsWoofy
Well-Known Member
Yes we have changed the cups before, par the course it seems, but this time the pin has gone.
I am not sure as it is 30 foot away how the pin is fixed in place, can you enlighten?
I am not sure as it is 30 foot away how the pin is fixed in place, can you enlighten?
steve6367
Well-Known Member
So long as the old pin has fallen out and not broken off inside it can be done up the mast.
I went up checked it over - pushed new pin into the hole to check nothing left inside. Went back down - mixed up some epoxy - went up - put a tiny blob on the new ping and pushed it firmly into the hole - waited for a couple of hours and then fixed the new cups on.
If you look at my photo link you can see the new pin without cups on 2 different boats. So far both repairs have been successful.
NASA do say you need to return the mast head unit for this repair – but if you get someone technical as I did they suggest you try what I have done first. Time will tell – but so far so good.
I went up checked it over - pushed new pin into the hole to check nothing left inside. Went back down - mixed up some epoxy - went up - put a tiny blob on the new ping and pushed it firmly into the hole - waited for a couple of hours and then fixed the new cups on.
If you look at my photo link you can see the new pin without cups on 2 different boats. So far both repairs have been successful.
NASA do say you need to return the mast head unit for this repair – but if you get someone technical as I did they suggest you try what I have done first. Time will tell – but so far so good.
ShipsWoofy
Well-Known Member
Cheers for that.
So is it a clean pin, I had presumed it might have a head, hence thinking I would have to remove the body to fit from the inside?
Which epoxy, are you talking simple araldite, did you key the end of the pin to help the epoxy along?
Do you have the telephone number to hand so I can give them a call in the morning, don't suppose you remember who you talked to can you?
So is it a clean pin, I had presumed it might have a head, hence thinking I would have to remove the body to fit from the inside?
Which epoxy, are you talking simple araldite, did you key the end of the pin to help the epoxy along?
Do you have the telephone number to hand so I can give them a call in the morning, don't suppose you remember who you talked to can you?
jerryat
Well-Known Member
I entirely agree. I have fitted three of these to friend's boats (very much against my advice) and there have been problems with them all.
I can't understand why, in view of consistant malfunctions, the basic design hasn't been modified, because the wind set-up ruins the name of these otherwise cheap and cheapful bits of kit. The last I fitted was just over two years ago, so things may have changed for the better since then.
No one expects longevity or perfect reliability from something so basic, but the incidences of breakdown are way above what I consider acceptable.
I can't understand why, in view of consistant malfunctions, the basic design hasn't been modified, because the wind set-up ruins the name of these otherwise cheap and cheapful bits of kit. The last I fitted was just over two years ago, so things may have changed for the better since then.
No one expects longevity or perfect reliability from something so basic, but the incidences of breakdown are way above what I consider acceptable.
affinite
Well-Known Member
Watching the repair suggestions closely as I too have the same problem with a NASA unit bought and fitted in May 05. It lasted until mid June (and mid Biscay) before refusing to report more than 8 Knots. Who fancies marching on Houston ?
Baffin
Active Member
We've had ours for about five years and had no problems. We did replace the cups three years ago when a boatyard broke them taking the mast down.
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Tel: (01438) 354033
I rang them and they sent me a pin free of charge. Araldite is fine, I think the original is just moulded into the plastic.
I rang them and they sent me a pin free of charge. Araldite is fine, I think the original is just moulded into the plastic.
steve6367
Well-Known Member
Yes simply a clean pin - they will send you that FOC if you call them on 01438354033.
I used a marine epoxy - but I would think anything would do really so long as you give it time to set (remembering it is cold atm so may take some time!) before oyu put the cups up.
I used a marine epoxy - but I would think anything would do really so long as you give it time to set (remembering it is cold atm so may take some time!) before oyu put the cups up.