Raymarine autopilot "Drive stopped"

[claus kjaerby]

When I engage my 6 years old ST6002 autopilot, type 1 mechanical rotary (something in) the drive starts turning without engaging, first slow then faster and finally stops after 30 secs. sends "Drive stopped" message.

It never enters auto mode.

I am in Panama

Any good explanation and advise mostly welcomed
Claus

 

[concentrik]

Other more knowledgeable people will be along later I'm sure, but in the meantime....

I expect the 'Drive Stopped' message is because the drive is not engaging. This is a 'closed-loop' system which uses a rudder position sensor to detect whether (among other things) the rudder is moving. The sequence is something like this:

User engages auto for desired heading;
Ray compares desired heading to fluxgate compass actual heading
Ray tells drive to alter rudder angle
Ray expects two things now - fluxgate compass indication should alter (the boat moves) AND rudder angle indicator (RAI) shows that the rudder angle has changed.

In your case the rudder isn't moving, the RAI output does not change and Ray knows that further effort by the drive is futile, hence the "Drive Stopped".

You need to sort the drive-to-rudder engagement.

You say it never enters 'Auto' - does the display ever show Auto? What are you doing to make the drive start if not engaging Auto?