Raymarine ST2000+ trouble

[DanLXIX]

Bought a boat last September and it came with an ST2000+, which we tried but it didn't want to work properly. I assumed it would need a recalibrate and so it went into winter storage with everything else. Fast forward to this weekend and we are motoring home in a complete calm, so it seemed the perfect time to do some recalibration. Did the circles, and adjusted the heading. The thing wouldn't follow the heading, it actually pushed the tiller the wrong way and then rammed it over hard the opposite direction. I tried various things, including switching the mount setting to port (it's on starboard) which made it push the correct way, but it still wouldn't hold a course. Frustrated I put it in standby and the saw the heading reading on it kept randomly jumping exactly 180°.

Read that this sort of behaviour can be caused by a loose seal inside, so now we are home I've opened it up and there are some (glue sticky) rubber pieces loose inside, although they weren't on the compass which is free on its gimbal.

Does anyone know what these bits are from, and are they important? The big one seems to come from where I've marked it on the photo, and the smaller bits might be pieces of a second one, but I can't find any other bits inside.

Not had chance to test it again, but is there any way to recalibrate it off the boat so I can see if it behaves any differently?

 

[morgandlm]

As I recall the calibration is just to get the readout on the screen matched to the heading of the boat so cannot really be done at home. The symptoms you describe seem to be electronic rather than mechanical so some experimentation is needed I think. Working on it at home is not a problem if you have a stable 12 volt supply. Good luck.

David Morgan

 

[chris-s]

Tell us more about the boat and setup. On our last boat which used an outboard in a well for motor power, with the st2000 fitted above it, the interference would affect it, tho with a bit of experience we found certain rpm’s it would settle down and hold course until you adjusted the throttle.

 

[DanLXIX]

Tell us more about the boat and setup. On our last boat which used an outboard in a well for motor power, with the st2000 fitted above it, the interference would affect it, tho with a bit of experience we found certain rpm’s it would settle down and hold course until you adjusted the throttle.

It's a Drabant 38 with a Yanmar 3YM30 inboard, so the engine is probably a couple of metres from the ST2000+. I hadn't thought about this, but in the aft cabin below, about 50cm from it, is a Victron Orion DC-DC charger which will have been active when I was testing, and a Victron Orion Smart charger which of course was off, and close by is a Renogy Core Mini Li-On house battery. Do any of those cause problems?

 

[peteK]

I would have thought the Dc-Dc charger would have an effect being only 50cm away,try a magnetic compass in the same position and see the effect.

 

[DanLXIX]

I would have thought the Dc-Dc charger would have an effect being only 50cm away,try a magnetic compass in the same position and see the effect.

I may be wrong on that distance, but I'll make sure and check it this week. If that is it, I'll be rather annoyed, seeing as I have just spent the winter fitting that and all the new house electrics

 

[garymalmgren]

Those mashed up pieces of plastic are the pathetic inner stroke cushion that Raymarine fit,
From the photograph the (almost) complete one fits on the black plastic gearbox housing.
These parts are not available from Raymarine.
I made a replacement from 0,5 mm hard plastic sheet and sports shoe inner sole. They have slots cut in them to slide over the rods.
If you contact me I will send you them. Rough , but do the job.




Are the pieces in the photo indicated in white hard or soft?
If hard, look for damage at the plastic housing.
However this damage has nothing to do with your wandering.problem.

I recently fixed a ST 2000 that had pretty well the same symptoms.
It seems that over stroking caused the system to loose its way.

RE: Not had chance to test it again, but is there any way to recalibrate it off the boat so I can see if it behaves any differently?
I fitted a limiting switch and had to re-calibrate 3 times before it came good.


You can see the red roller of the fitted micro switch for the inward stoke limiting in the photograph above.
As Dave Morgan has said , you will need to re-calibrate on the boat
These things are pretty good as far as electro magnetic interference goes.
Just switching off your charger will let you know what is going on there.
Here is a limit switch set up.
gary

 

[DanLXIX]

Thanks @garymalmgren I'll drop you a PM. I think if I can get it working I'll look at fitting your limiting switches, it's a great idea.

 

[DanLXIX]

Thought I'd update this thread. @garymalmgren sent me his modification kit and it's works beautifully. I'm pretty sure that one of those pieces of rubber was stuck in the compass becuase it now tracks perfectly with the engine running, and Gary's mod will make sure that it won't try and destroy itself now!