Robertson Autopilot help required

[Tradewinds]

Just received this email from my cruising friend in Greece. Beyond my ken. Can anybody here help with suggestions?

Nigel can you see if you can get any info from the forum on Robertson autopilots. I have been trying to help friends who have been having problems. The unit is a hydrolic drive using a 2500 control unit and a J1000B junction box. The problem is that it suddenly stops working. It starts ok and after a period of time, which seems to depend on how hard it is working it sudden comes up with error F 69 which is low voltage to drive or electronics. At the time this happens the output voltage from the junction box to the motor falls from 12.8 volts to around 7 volts. Intially if you switch to manual/standby and press the port or starboard buttons it will work provided that the frist buttton you press is the opposite one to the direction of the last instruction in Auto. If you then go back to auto it will work for a while but then shows error F69 again. Eventually it will not work at all because the output voltage is 7 volts even though the input voltage is 12.8. Initially the relay will switch but when it fails completely the relay will not switch. Because the voltage drop is at the juction box it is not the wiring to the motor nor is it a battery problem. They happen to be new batteries. My inclination is that there is a componet failure due to heat in the electronics. It takes time for the failure to happen and seems to depend on how hard it is working. The electronic board is repairable, it is old enough!!. Does anyone have access to a wiring diagram or can suggest which components might be causing the problem. Or does anyone have any idea where i can get the info or help. The boat is in greece.

TIA

 

[pvb]

There's a lot of fault-finding info in the manual, which can be downloaded here.

The manual shows code "F69" as being a "Drive unit/drive electronic or cabling failure" and suggests using the test buttons in the junction box to try to identify the fault. The manual doesn't have circuit diagrams, but shows schematics of the circuit boards, with component identification.

 

[Tradewinds]

pvb. Thanks for that - I'll pass it on.

Does anybody have the circuit diagrams?

 

[boatmike]

pvb. Thanks for that - I'll pass it on.

Does anybody have the circuit diagrams?

Try here http://www.robertsonrepairs.com/Pages/aboutus.aspx

 

[Tradewinds]

Boatmike
Thanks - unless I've missed something, I'm afraid it just leads me back to pvb's link for the manual.

 

[claudio]

Boatmike
Thanks - unless I've missed something, I'm afraid it just leads me back to pvb's link for the manual.

Have you checked that the motor brushes are still OK ?
Worn brushes will cause over current in the drive module, have you checked the red current limit LED see manual fig 4.17

 

[[27631]]

a/pilot

'Have you checked that the motor brushes are still OK ?
Worn brushes will cause over current in the drive module''

Hi ....................sounds like good advice...start there...

 

[Tradewinds]

Have you checked that the motor brushes are still OK ?
Worn brushes will cause over current in the drive module, have you checked the red current limit LED see manual fig 4.17

Thanks. Have passed the info on.

 

[krissteyn]

Interesting ) I also have a robertson system with AP problem , in my case its a j3000 box , but the AP wont switch on - the screen display powers up for about 2 secs and then whilst configuring , goes blank.
A previous post mentioned a low voltage may be to blame. I am not near the boat now , but will certainly have more to look for when I get back. We already checked all the terminals/connections.

would like to know who the other robertson AP person is , I am in South Africa and the boat is in Cyprus - until October when we will be together again )

Kris