ST 6000 autopilot

sailaboutvic

sailaboutvic

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ST 6000 autopilot it been working fine since we had the boat 18 months
Yesterday in 2 mts seas no soon we engaged it , it would keep a course , going 30/40 degrees one way then trying to correct it self by going 50/60degrees the other way .
Nothing been moved and the compass hasn't had any thing put near it .
Other then trying to adjust the response level (1) while on the way ,
I haven't got around to doing any thing else ,
To day I plain to take a look , but the seas are still quite big and with wind coming the way we wish to go we be staying in at anchor .
Any suggestions.
Thanks .
 
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Might be worth looking at the back of the control head to see what condition the wiring connectors are like and give them a squirt of WD40 or similar, same for the other connections on the fluxgate and rudder ref unit etc.

From memory, the spade connectors are tiny 2.8mm rather than the more normal size.
 
Ok well got around to taken a look and found the pin that holds the arm on the quadrant have came loose .
Some why back this pin broke , so I replace it with a SS stud with a lock-in to nut at the bottom , two locking nuts in the middle to act as the spacer and then another locking nut on the top of the arm , the bottom locking units some how came loose , going to have to keep an eye on the.
Run out to loctite but as sona s I can buy , I loctite them all .
Once we go back out we see if that was the problem .
 
LadyInBed said:
I think I might ask myself why the original pin broke. Alignment problem, ball joint in drive arm sized.
Click to expand...

No idea , 17 years old may have something to do with it , account to RM they sell quite a few , it broke just at the bush .
I couldn't wait to have one send out to Greece plus we on the move which makes it a bit of a problem , that why I made one up out of a SS rod .
It just a threaded part with a bush on top to support the arm .
 
Vic - other adjustments that you might try
RES button: Adjust response - I use 1 in flat calm weather but this allows the boat to wander each side of the coure - so I put it up top 2 and reduce rudder (nex on the adjustment list , to 3.

In heaviy swells down wind I will set RES to 3 (full) and Rudder to 5.

Because mine is pre giro stableizer models (2004) it really does not handle down wind wel in a swell as it starts correcting way after a good helmsnan would have don - result - lost of work on the unit and a course like a skake trial which will add 30% of distandce through the water - you lovely apparent 8 knots through the water is actually only 6 over distance!

Another funny with it, is inthundery weather - its keeps rebooting or alterning course by 10 degrees! Never does it in fine - even windy weather.

Winter work - is to re do ALL connection as they have not been touched since 2008. -must get some more of that terminal grease.
 
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Chris_Robb said:
Vic - other adjustments that you might try
RES button: Adjust response - I use 1 in flat calm weather but this allows the boat to wander each side of the coure - so I put it up top 2 and reduce rudder (nex on the adjustment list , to 3.

In heaviy swells down wind I will set RES to 3 (full) and Rudder to 5.

Because mine is pre giro stableizer models (2004) it really does not handle down wind wel in a swell as it starts correcting way after a good helmsnan would have don - result - lost of work on the unit and a course like a skake trial which will add 30% of distandce through the water - you lovely apparent 8 knots through the water is actually only 6 over distance!

Another funny with it, is inthundery weather - its keeps rebooting or alterning course by 10 degrees! Never does it in fine - even windy weather.

Winter work - is to re do ALL connection as they have not been touched since 2008. -must get some more of that terminal grease.
Click to expand...
Hi Chris
Thanks mate , we usually have it on 2 ,but it was one of them , try anything and see what happens day .
Funny tho some hours later it worked ok on Respond 1 .
We stuck on Samos trying to head back NW , no need to tell you what way the wind is come from this time of year :) .
To morrow look a bit lighter and the seas lower , so we give it a go tomorrow , I hoping I sorted the problem out .
 
R the comments on Gyros

I have a Raymarine S2 (without Gyro) which wandered around down wind and also when we were rolling a lot. I did not want to pay $500 for a used Raymarine gyro so I tried one of these

http://www.seymonautica.com/gb/ray-gyro-autopilot/66-seymo-gyro-autopilot-v-204.html

Works a treat, used it in very heavy weather for over 300 miles offshore and also it unlocked Autolearn features when you re-calibrated
 
john_q said:
R the comments on Gyros

I have a Raymarine S2 (without Gyro) which wandered around down wind and also when we were rolling a lot. I did not want to pay $500 for a used Raymarine gyro so I tried one of these

http://www.seymonautica.com/gb/ray-gyro-autopilot/66-seymo-gyro-autopilot-v-204.html

Works a treat, used it in very heavy weather for over 300 miles offshore and also it unlocked Autolearn features when you re-calibrated
Click to expand...

That's interesting , my as a fluxgate compass , I wound if I can convert mine ?
 
Just reporting back , a day of sailing in quite big seas and the autopilot seems to be fine now , y one else with the same problem , it's worth checking the pin on the stearing gear for play .
 
Chris_Robb said:
That's 2 messages I've deleted in error when correcting a spelling mistake! I cannot see what I am doing wrong on my mobile!
Click to expand...

I have the technology to see what you were going to post:

Vic. The button marked results controls re quickness of the response and pressing again give you rudder. How much you need to put on to correct.
Response. I flat calm motoring I use 1 and round I use 3
Rudder. Light 3. Heavy 5.

Glad you found some obvious physical faults.

Mine is aged around 1004 and works well. It is pretty the gironde stabilise head so it struggles on a broad reach in a big swell reacting far too late.

I also fingers in thundery weather it does really strange things. 10degree course changes accompanied by peep. Occasionally it reboots itself and carries on. In fine weather this Never happens.

Service list for the winter is to clean all terminals.........
Click to expand...

Hope that helps. John
 
John. Thanks for that. You can see why I wanted to edit it! I think I will avoid editing anything in future on this bloody predictive texts. I am a tad dislexit so I don't see the words being changed.

I did repost but it would've been useful to see what I had posted.
 
Chris_Robb said:
John. Thanks for that. You can see why I wanted to edit it! I think I will avoid editing anything in future on this bloody predictive texts. I am a tad dislexit so I don't see the words being changed.

I did repost but it would've been useful to see what I had posted.
Click to expand...

If you press the 'Go Advanced' button, you get a chance to see what the old one was each time you edit and you can't lose anything (he said hopefully!)
 
I've given up posting anything on here when using a smartphone. Any edit gets zapped and the post is automatically "deleted".
 
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