Raymarine Rudder Reference Unit

[Anwen]

I have spent this weekend fitting a rudder transducer to my boat in an attempt to improve the performance of our Raymarine ST4000 autohelm. Having finally connected the transducer into the back of the control unit head, I can't get the system to recognise the rudder position. I have used the user setup menu to try and get the bar graph at the bottom to display rudder position, but the system just doesn't see it. Is there something that I need to do in a menu to tell the system that it now has a rudder position indicator?

 

[Richard10002]

Dont know about the user menu, but when I cut the wires on my already fitted unit, (cause I didnt think it was working), I tested that it was transmitting by checking the resistance between the wires.

To check that it is connected properly to the 4000, can you check for resistances?

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showflat.php?C...rue#Post1168891

my second or 3rd post shows the resistances between the various coloured wires if it's working OK.

Hope this helps

 

[Aja]

I fitted a complete st4000mk2 this year which included the rudder reference unit. I'm pretty sure the bar graph appeared as soon as I plugged it in. Did you have to remake the connections on the end of the wires? They would be the most likely problem areas.

Donald

 

[cpedw]

If your St4000 is as old as mine (20 years), then yes. You need to set Calibration Level 8 to either 3 or 4. Details are in the manual, ST4000 wheel pilot page 38.

Derek

 

[Anwen]

Thanks for the replies chaps, especially for the resistance info. I will take my multimeter to the boat next weekend and check the unit. If that is all OK, and the connectors are making contact, it will then point to an incompatibility between the units or a faulty ST4000 head unit (which could be expensive...)

Thanks again
Jon

 

[ZEBEDEE]

I had same problem when i fitted same unit to mine. the problem is that as the head unit has been in use before it is not looking for the reference unit. local Raymarine agent told me this way to fool system to look for it and to do this you have to reset the system. If i remember correctly to do this you have to hold the two red buttons for 20+ seconds to enter setup mode then change the type of head you are using. start system then reset again and put correct head type in. this fools the system into looking for the reference unit. worked for me

 

[Anwen]

Aha, all becomes clear. Thanks for the hint Zebedee, I will try this before anything else. It sounds spot on.

Jon