Problems with mast head unit-wind

[chriscalluna]

Can anyone help please. Recently the cups on my NASA wind mast head unit simply stopped going around. It is still under warranty. I am told that all manufaturers can do this but they can replace the sender by removing the old one and fitting a new one. A NASA unit is all in one with the cable so removing it without dropping the mast is difficult. NASA say that they will only replace it once it has been returned to them for examination. Has anyone else had this happen and if so what was the cause? The only suggestion so far is that dirt has got between the cups and the housing and jammed it which I find difficult to believe.

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[BigLes]

The cups fit on a spindle and are only held on by a small star washer, they are not connected to any part of the recieving unit. The way the cups transmit the wind speed is by small magnets which are detected through the casing. If the cups have physically stopped turning there is probably something jamming them. If you can get acces to the head unit (ie the mast is down) you can remove the cups, inspect them and re-fit them. You can always buy a replacment set of cups. If the cups are broken NASA will probably send you a new set under guarantee.

I have recently replaced the cups and wind vane on my NASA unit without removing it.

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[webcraft]

I replaced the cups and vane on mine, but with the mast down. The spindle the cups went round on had snapped off - I had to take the circuit board out and drill a hole, then araldite a new spindle in. To my utter amazement it worked when the mast went back up and we had wind data for the first time since we got the boat. I have to say NASA were very helpful and didn't charge me for the spindle.

I suggest you goup the stick and cut the cable - get a waterproof junction box of some sort which will join the five (I think it's five) cores and fix it up there. NASA will fix the unit and send it back and you can easily refit it.

- Nick





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[jackho]

My wind speed unit it presently not reading because the cups have gone missing. I believe a bird sat on them. I got replacement cups (£14) including postage and intend to install next calm day?????? It will be a tricky job as the cups come with 4 tiny washers and 1 captive washer - the spindle is probably about 3mm. A plastic cap then seals the lot.
I think you should get up to the mast head and inspect or get as far up the mast as you can with a long pointer and nudge the cups to see if they rotate and troubleshoot from there.


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