Auto Pilot fixable?

[Anchor Lady]

Hello Sailboat Forum,

Someday I’ll have a nice sailboat where everything works. Today is not that day.

Having issues with my Simrad WP30 Autopilot. Possibly 40 years old on my 1980 Oday 30.

I’ve had the boat for 6 years without any autopilot issues. Lately, when I take her out, the autopilot works well for 20 minutes, then slows, almost gets weaker, long beeps, then doesn’t even turn on.

New belt is on its way, but I’m thinking it’s electrical the way it slowly gets weaker. But odd that I would eventually have electrical problems. No other changes to wires or currents that run to the helm.

Thoughts? Maybe the new belt will fix it?

Thanks as always.

Jim

 

[dlochner]

Someday I’ll have a nice sailboat where everything works.

Searching for unicorns are you?

First check the electrical connections, make sure all of them are tight and clean.

How old are the batteries? How well charged are they? What size and kind of battery? This sounds like an electrical supply problem. Does it happen when sailing or when motoring? When motoring the alternator will supply the power, once the engine is shut off the AP runs on the battery. A battery near its end of life will not have enough capacity to run the AP for very long, the voltage drops, the motor turns slower, and eventually the voltage drops below the cut off point and it stops completely.

 

[kappykaplan]

A battery near its end of life will not have enough capacity to run the AP for very long, the voltage drops, the motor turns slower, and eventually the voltage drops below the cut off point and it stops completely.

Been there, done that!

 

[Anchor Lady]

Searching for unicorns are you?

First check the electrical connections, make sure all of them are tight and clean.

How old are the batteries? How well charged are they? What size and kind of battery? This sounds like an electrical supply problem. Does it happen when sailing or when motoring? When motoring the alternator will supply the power, once the engine is shut off the AP runs on the battery. A battery near its end of life will not have enough capacity to run the AP for very long, the voltage drops, the motor turns slower, and eventually the voltage drops below the cut off point and it stops completely.

Searching for unicorns are you?

First check the electrical connections, make sure all of them are tight and clean.

How old are the batteries? How well charged are they? What size and kind of battery? This sounds like an electrical supply problem. Does it happen when sailing or when motoring? When motoring the alternator will supply the power, once the engine is shut off the AP runs on the battery. A battery near its end of life will not have enough capacity to run the AP for very long, the voltage drops, the motor turns slower, and eventually the voltage drops below the cut off point and it stops completely.

Batteries are about 5 years old. No issues starting the engines after sailing but it still light be time to replace them. I will also check the connections. Sometimes the speedometer goes to zero before kicking back on. We always thing something is stuck in the wheel, but maybe it’s the same bad electrical connections. Previous owner was a bit of a bad DIY guy. Stay tuned.

 

[LloydB]

I think it would be helpful to know the voltage at the failing device when it is troublesome before replacing the power supply to the wiring.

 

[higgs]

Batteries "about" 5 years old. Could they be 6 or 7 years old? The AP works well for twenty minutes and then malfunctions makes me think the battery runs low and does not have the power to allow the AP to properly function. You should, IMHO, replace the five year old battery and trouble shoot from there.

 

[Anchor Lady]

Update and voltage and usage for autopilot issues:

Disconnect Shore power:
Battery at 13.9 V
Run to autopilot drops to 13.6 V
1 minute : S volts now 13.3
5 minutes Volts at 13.2
6 minute: one long beep and stops 13.1V

Restart
Minute 1: start running again 13.1V
Minute 3: long beep and stop 13.1 V
RESTART
Minute 4: long beep and stop 13.1V
RESTART
Minute 8: still running at 12.7
(Experiment: turn on all other electric, auto pilot still runs at 12.5V)
Minute 26: long beep and stops 12.9 Volts

All power off
One battery 9.65V
Two battery 13.1 V
Reconnect shore power
Recharge batteries (both) to 13.9

Minute 1: start auto pilot with all other electronics on.
Minutes 32: off long beep manual off
Battery one 12:97
Battery two 13:

Plug back into shore power
Both batteries at 13.7
Run autopilot WITH shore power connected
Minute 11: long beep and stop

May be the batteries, however it still has the long beep and pause even when connected to shore power. Thoughts?

 

[Anchor Lady]

Searching for unicorns are you?

First check the electrical connections, make sure all of them are tight and clean.

How old are the batteries? How well charged are they? What size and kind of battery? This sounds like an electrical supply problem. Does it happen when sailing or when motoring? When motoring the alternator will supply the power, once the engine is shut off the AP runs on the battery. A battery near its end of life will not have enough capacity to run the AP for very long, the voltage drops, the motor turns slower, and eventually the voltage drops below the cut off point and it stops completely.

Just replied back with updated voltage readings

 

[Anchor Lady]

I think it would be helpful to know the voltage at the failing device when it is troublesome before replacing the power supply to the wiring.

Just replied back with updated voltage readings

 

[dlochner]

Battery One is dead. If I am reading your data correctly, the voltage at battery one is 9.5 volts with no draw on the battery. This battery is dead and needs to be replaced.

Assuming you have the standard 1980s 1-2-both-off battery switch, when the switch in then both position the batteries are in parallel. The better battery will be trying charge the dead battery which will drop the current available to all the other devices, this causes the AP to shut off due to low voltage. Did you measure the voltage when the AP shut down or just before.

How old are the batteries? What type, Flooded Lead Acid (FLA), AGM, or Gel? What kind of charger do you have?

Here's a good article on the type of battery switch you have:

1/2/BOTH Switch Considerations

1/2/BOTH Battery Switch Considerations - Ever wonder how to make the 1/2/BOTH switch easier to use, let this article explain how to do that.

marinehowto.com

There are other good articles on battery types, charging and selecting batteries on the same site.

 

[JoeWhite]

Disconnect the bad battery, then conduct your test.

 

[Anchor Lady]

Update to all: two new batteries installed and I still have the same issue with the auto pilot. Works slow for 10 minutes then freezes followed by a long beep. I’m switching out the belt this week. Fingers crossed