Raymarine Autohelm problem?

[Rob_Webb]

Got a Raymarine ST4000+ wheelpilot. Until today been working ok since installation 2yrs ago. Noticed that when I switched it on it didn't do it's usual thing of turning wheel to starboard a quarter turn (to spread wear on drivebelt). Then left marina, engaged clutch and hit 'Auto' and it looked normal but no sign of life from motor - and after a few secs of gradually dirfting off course it beeped warning alarm with 'Low Batt" on display.

Which seemed to suggest battery supplying it might be low. But from what I can make out it isn't. It runs from a dedicated 3rd house battery which only supplies autopilot, fridge and windlass. We had engine running and both fridge and windlass seemed to be working fine and not sounding like the supply to them was waning.

And then I rigged some jump leads from my primary engine start and main house battery across to 3rd autopilot batter (with engine running) to ensure voltage at autopilot battery was definitely good - same nil response from autohelm when I turned it off & on and retried it.

Any ideas?

 

[cliff]

Faulty connection somewhere in the power feed.
--------------------

"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"
sailroom <span style="color:red">The place to auction your previously loved boatie bits</span>

 

[oldharry]

Agree - check the voltage at the Autohelm connector, not at the battery end of things.

 

[MatthewCoyne]

Hi,
I had this problem a few years ago on a customers boat and it was the course computer that was faulty. Apperently , the raymarine guy told me it was a fairly common problem a while ago but I thought there was a revision on the PCB to cure it.
Hope it helps.
Matt.

 

[Rob_Webb]

Thanks. Couple of Qs:

By course computer, do you mean the display unit itself? Or something to do with the fluxgate compass that I've got mounted on a bulkhead? And is it a software problem or a circuit board issue?

Re the recommendations to check into the voltage at the unit, I will do that. But the thing I can't understand is that what could have changed to cause this when it was working fine a few days ago? Why would a set of cables & connectors (only 2 yrs old) suddenly go faulty today as opposed to yesterday when they worked?

 

[Richard10002]

Your system probably consists of the bit at the wheel, the control panel where you enter your instructions, the fluxgate compass and, having looked at it on Raymarines site, (discontinued), it looks like it doesnt have a course computer.... this seems to have been added in the S! Smartpilot.

If something has gone wrong with the computer stuff, it is probably in the control panel.

As to why might a perfectly working cable which is only 2 years old stop working... they just do <g> It may not have been fitted properly, it may have chaffed, snapped etc..

Anyway, testing for voltage at the wheel end is one of the simplest tests and, if it is merely a cable, probably the easiest thing to sort out.

 

[oldharry]

[ QUOTE ]
Why would a set of cables & connectors (only 2 yrs old) suddenly go faulty today as opposed to yesterday when they worked?

[/ QUOTE ]

Because they are in a boat: damp, vibration, chafe all take their toll, and things frequently give up suddenly if there is any weakness. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Rob_Webb]

Update & outcome

As is suspected there was nothing wrong with the power supply.

It was a fault within the head unit itself and after an amazingly quick turnaround by the local NZ distributors/service aganets (3 hrs from drop-off to pickup) they to replaced the PCB and gave me back a 'new' working unit under warranty (2 yrs).

Just in time for my singlehanded race this w/e too /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[DaveS]

Re: Update & outcome

That's impressive! Fast service like that is not too common.