Un happy Autohelm ST2000

[sailorman]

A friend has the following problem with his Autohelm 2000 can anyone offer advise Pls.

[My ST2000 (tiller pilot) is suffering from the screaming "abjabs". This unfortunate development occurred during my recent trip when I failed to cancel the auto command before lifting off the control arm during a last minute escape manoeuvre. The arm fully retracted and the "brains" has emitted a shrill scream ever since. I tried being nice to it (ie -putting it back in its box, wrapped up warmly etc, gave it a well deserved rest etc -but to no avail -it has not forgiven me. It still works but it appears to have the jitters (unstable display ) and of course the screaming "abjabs". Clearly neither man nor machine is happy.
I have performed an exploratory "laparotomy" (under the usual sterile conditions ) and can confirm there is no water ingress.

My options are :- (a) send it off to a clever marine electronic repair and wait....
(b) invest a new motherboard -although it looks pristine.
(c) ask some knowledgeable friend for guidance. ]

thanks in advance
roger

 

[Anonymous]

I had an ST2000+ that gave brilliant service for over three years then it became unreliable and then died half way back on a solo cross channel crossing at night /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif Although I am an electronics engineer I figured that without the circuits or spares I probably couldn't do much to fix it and sent it back to Raymarine - not an agent, Raymarine, at Portsmouth. Their service department is very good and while they charge a fixed price just to look at the job they will wait for your approval before going ahead. I would send it back to base if it was mine - and I always look to reduce the cost of these things were possible!

 

[MASH]

My ST2000 broke itself after apparently overrunning its limits - it seems - incredibly - that there are no limit switches to prevent self destruction once lful in or out limits are reached.

However raymarine were very generous in fixing the problem at minimal expense. Give them a try.

Raymarine Company
Anchorage Park, Portsmouth
PO3 5TD, England
Tel +44 (0)23 9269 3611

 

[mhouse]

If its out of guarantee its very easy to take apart your self. My old one dit the same and the cause was the gog wheel on the motor had come off. Raymarine do a gear service kit with all the cogs and belts . Let me know if you need any bits as I have a spare.

Matthew