Raymarine 6000+ Autopilot Mystery .

[oldgit]

When engaged puts rudder hard to Port.
Attempted to swing compass several times but without success,cannot complete the operation.
Have adjusted the heading several times to no avail.

Problem with the fluxgate ? perhaps no 12V .
Spent some time attempting to locate fluxgate to get a multimeter on it.
Am aware of where fluxgate should be located but the good Lord only knows where they have hidden it.
Any suggestions before we get in somebody who actually knows what they are doing ?

 

[PaulRainbow]

The 6000+ is only the controller, which course computer do you have, perhaps a S2G or S3G ?

 

[MAURICE]

what about the obvious is there any metal that may have fallen next to the fluxgate?

 

[Blueboatman]

It’s not as simple as a low voltage /corroded connector thing is it ?

Does the control head emit high pitched , strong sounding beeps when you press the buttons ?

Or feeble warbles when the ram is running ??

Better with higher engine revs/alternator output voltage ??

Just a thought …

 

[jwilson]

You are not the only one who doesn't know where a fluxgate head was hidden by the original from-new-boat installer. After many hours of searching and attempting to follow wires through complex behind-furniture conduits gave up and fitted a second one. This time with a sticker nearby saying not to put anything magnetic near it!

 

[Baggywrinkle]

Did it work OK and then start doing this suddenly? Have you modified anything anywhere? What kind of boat is it? ... need a little history on the fault ... was there a period of intermittent faults? etc. etc.

I had my Raymarine ST60 go nuts after I fitted a NMEA2000 WiFi Router and the gateway default setting was to route NMEA2000 messages onto Seatalk1 .... Autopilot appeared to work except the compass value was all over the place and it wouldn't steer in a straight line. Switched the routing off and everything went back to working fine.

Find all the components, check the wiring for damage, check all the connections for corrosion, and make sure there are no ferrous metal objects or electronics near the fluxgate compass. If that all seems OK then it's time to start swapping out components.

 

[pandos]

If you can find the curse computer / grey box...you could check the compass by using a mult meter on the wires, plenty of sites giving correct readings across the various combinations.

 

[oldgit]

Am going to find out what the course computer looks like and then try and find it.
Did remove an old RL70 mounted in the dash recently.
It was replaced by a Hybrid E120.

Was assured that disconnecting and removing the RL70 would not cause any problems to my nav system.
Do now have the RL70 power lead and two sea talk leads dangling behind the dashboard and a plug with HSB stamped on it.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Am going to find out what the course computer looks like and then try and find it.
Did remove an old RL70 mounted in the dash recently.
It was replaced by a Hybrid E120.

Was assured that disconnecting and removing the RL70 would not cause any problems to my nav system.
Do now have the RL70 power lead and two sea talk leads dangling behind the dashboard and a plug with HSB stamped on it.

Will likely look something like this, need to know the exact model. S2, S2G, S3, S3G etc

It will have cables from the control head, fluxgate compass, maybe the seatalk "network" and the steering pump/drive or whatever, follow whichever cable is easiest.

 

[Hoist]

i had this exact problem for 5 years with our last boat.

previous owner left a tin of beans beside the fluxgate which was under a bunk and under another panel.

once removed the autopilot worked perfectly and the beans were all right too

 

[oldgit]

Found the course computor with a long connector strip.
Autohelm 100.
Have spotted the 5/6 wires going to the connections marked as "Fluxgate " .
It, however, after a couple of feet vanishes into a nightmare of other cabling.
Best could achieve with camera phone.

As a last resort reinstalled the old RL 70 connected power/seatalk/ Hsb, but when trying to set up the heading comes up with
"No Compass... on the RL70 display .

 

[oldgit]

all things considered going to try a different fluxgate ?

 

[PaulRainbow]

all things considered going to try a different fluxgate ?

Perhaps you could also reveal the secret model of the ECU ?

 

[Rafiki]

Perhaps you could also reveal the secret model of the ECU ?

He said - Autohelm 100.
When I bought mine it had the same very ancient unit fitted and I couldn't get it to work. I replaced it with a more modern unit like the one Paul Rainbow pictured, bought 2nd hand and everythying has worked much better. So unless wiring is a problem I suspect that the Autohelm 100 may be Kaput.

 

[Moonbeam]

I assume you have already tried removing those fluxgate wires, cleaning/brightening up and re installing into that connection strip? Same at other end... Amazing how often electrical problems come down to poor/dirty contacts.

 

[oldgit]

I assume you have already tried removing those fluxgate wires, cleaning/brightening up and re installing into that connection strip? Same at other end... Amazing how often electrical problems come down to poor/dirty contacts.

Going down this morning to to try that very thing + some Servisol ! ....unit does seem to have a curious method of little nylon tabs securing the Fluxgate wires on this unit.
Never come across this method in several decades of interfering with automotive electrotrickery .
.....bit reluctant to just yank / gently ease them out without first working out how to release the wires...ie pull/ push or twist ????
The course computor is powered can hear the relay activating.
A multimeter reveals that about 2v is present between ground an two of the other wires.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Courtesy of Raymarine support:

Raymarine Fluxgate Compass Test

Multi-meter should be set to:

(a) Resistance scale

(b) 200 ohm scale

The following procedure should then be followed:

1. Disconnect the transducer from the system.

2. Connect one multi-meter lead to the red wire and the other lead to the green wire and a reading

as indicated in the test data table should be present.

3. Follow the above procedure for all the color combinations indicated in the test data table.

4. If all readings match those indicated assume the compass transducer is functioning correctly.



Compass Test Data:

Compass Cable Colors​	Resistance Measurements​	Comments​
Red to Green​	4 ohms​	Measurement is taken between the two colors​
​	​	​
Red to Yellow​	4 ohms​	As above​
Green to Yellow​	8 ohms​	As above​
Screen to Blue​	8 ohms​	As above​
All other combinations​	Open Circuit​	​

You are looking for a short or open. A +or - 2 Ohm reading is allowed.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Going down this morning to to try that very thing + some Servisol ! ....unit does seem to have a curious method of little nylon tabs securing the Fluxgate wires on this unit.
Never come across this method in several decades of interfering with automotive electrotrickery .
.....bit reluctant to just yank / gently ease them out without first working out how to release the wires...ie pull/ push or twist ????
The course computor is powered can hear the relay activating.
A multimeter reveals that about 2v is present between ground an two of the other wires.

The little nylon tabs lever up to release the wires.

If it helps, i have a spare compass that you can borrow to test the ECU.

 

[PaulRainbow]

He said - Autohelm 100.
When I bought mine it had the same very ancient unit fitted and I couldn't get it to work. I replaced it with a more modern unit like the one Paul Rainbow pictured, bought 2nd hand and everythying has worked much better. So unless wiring is a problem I suspect that the Autohelm 100 may be Kaput.

My bad, i missed the "Autohelm 100"

 

[oldgit]

The little nylon tabs lever up to release the wires.

If it helps, i have a spare compass that you can borrow to test the ECU.

Thanks for the kind offer but sourced a working Fluxgate for a few quid.
Confusing is the standard Raymarine Fluxgate seem to all have a black wire and the wiring in the ACM appears to be a thicker grey wire.

Having recently totally failed to find out where the AIS/VHF auto antenna switch was hidden in my ACM after it stopped working , simply sorted by adding an additional aerial and supplying VHF and AIS with their own antennas , have no great urge to again fruitlessly dismantle boat in a attempt to located the elusive Fluxgate.
Wiring after leaving the course computer does hint the unit is lurking somewhere on the starboard side of the boat.
Have of course searched any locker/compartment or other inspectable void for anything that could possibly affect the fluxgate.
A quick run out yesterday still has the boat going backwards on the display.
Going to inspect and clean contacts this morning which hopefully might cure the problem.