We have purchased a used 1991 Legend 35.5 this summer. Our first sailboat. We are very satisfied with the performances and the equipment, except for one problem that we can not solve. When our Autohelm 4000 Autopilot is engage and our Alden Barbor Super cold machine is starting it's cooling cycle, the Autohelm display start flashing, show the number 4001 and the autopilot disengage itself. The pilot is now in Stand by mode. One push on the Auto button will set the Autopilot back on track for anywhere from 15 to 25 minutes, until the Alden Barbor start a new cooling cycle. It took us several weeks to find out what was the problem with the Autopilot, but finally made the association with the fridge. When the Alden Barbor is in function, it draw 8.5 amps on the amp meter on the circuit breaker panel. The manual say it should be closer to 6 amps when running. My electrical expertise is minimal but I have checked the wiring for size and all connections, everything is OK. Electronic and Fridge are on separate and distant cuircuit breakers in the panel. House battery are new (4 group 31 with more than 450 amps) and this situation occurs even if batteries are fully charged. Any help would be greatly apreciated.
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Mickey McHugh
Alden Barbor Noise
When we transmit on the VHF there is a lot of noise heard on the receiving end if our Alden Barbor frig or freezer is running. I usually just turned of the units when I wanted to talk on the VHF but I just installed 2 clamp on noise filters on the VHF power leads this weekend and it seems to help the transmissions but now I/m worried about other noise sensive electronics. I will let you know if noise filters on the Alden Barbor units helps, since I am looking into installing some on their power leads as well.
When we transmit on the VHF there is a lot of noise heard on the receiving end if our Alden Barbor frig or freezer is running. I usually just turned of the units when I wanted to talk on the VHF but I just installed 2 clamp on noise filters on the VHF power leads this weekend and it seems to help the transmissions but now I/m worried about other noise sensive electronics. I will let you know if noise filters on the Alden Barbor units helps, since I am looking into installing some on their power leads as well.
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Pete
power draw
It sounds like the auto pilot and fridge are working against each other for available power, try asking ratheyon what the code 4001 means I would be it has to do with improper amps. Are the two on the same circuit? if so they should not be, also remember that the fridge will draw more juice when it starts up then when it runs (it take more power to start the electric motor then run it) You need to isolate the two so that they get full power, I would bet that if you hooked the auto pilot up to a seperate battery you would have no problems. The other thought is the fridge is "going south" and drawing to much power that problem will be solved with a new compressor, not the answer you wanted to hear but just my thoughts! Hope this hepls!
It sounds like the auto pilot and fridge are working against each other for available power, try asking ratheyon what the code 4001 means I would be it has to do with improper amps. Are the two on the same circuit? if so they should not be, also remember that the fridge will draw more juice when it starts up then when it runs (it take more power to start the electric motor then run it) You need to isolate the two so that they get full power, I would bet that if you hooked the auto pilot up to a seperate battery you would have no problems. The other thought is the fridge is "going south" and drawing to much power that problem will be solved with a new compressor, not the answer you wanted to hear but just my thoughts! Hope this hepls!
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Gene Gruender
filters and power draw
We fought the problems of power draw and noise as well. Ours didn't show up in the autopilot, but in the VHF. The fridge really has a small, crude inverter in that little black box and that drives the compressor. I went under the assumption that if the voltage was low, it would draw more amps to provide the same wattage to the compressor. If you think about it, your big inverter will draw more amps when the battery gets low, because it puts out the same amperage at 110 volts no matter what the battery voltage is. If the batteries are being charged and are at 14 volts, the inverter needs fewer amps to provide tha same output as it would if the batteries were not being charged and were at 11 volts. It needs the same wattage, and wattage is amps times volts. If the volts go down, the amps will go up to get the wattage. It would work the same for the inverter in the fridge. I put in heavier wiring, better connectors and a much heavier ground (which doesn't go back through the panel, but straigt to the main ground), and replaced a breaker that seemed to have extra resistance and got my amperage down closer to what the spec. said. As to noise, which is probably what is killing your autopilot, I installed an inline filter from Radio Shack. It was rated a a couple amps and helped a lot for the VHF. I would have liked to have installed another on the input to the fridge, but the amperage was too high for any that I found. At the time I did this I was about to cross to The Bahamas and didn't have many places to shop, but with time, I expect a good filter could be found and would help. If I were you, I would install a good inline filter at the power input of the autopilot. You might also put a meter on the input and see what the voltage is when the fridge kicks on. If it drops, you need to look at your wiring layout and seperate them so that they don't affect each other. One possible problem here is, if they both run off of the panel, the main wire feeding the panel may be way too small. On my H37 Cutter, the main feed of the panel was 10 gauge. Changing it to 4 gauge helped a lot. Gene Gruender
We fought the problems of power draw and noise as well. Ours didn't show up in the autopilot, but in the VHF. The fridge really has a small, crude inverter in that little black box and that drives the compressor. I went under the assumption that if the voltage was low, it would draw more amps to provide the same wattage to the compressor. If you think about it, your big inverter will draw more amps when the battery gets low, because it puts out the same amperage at 110 volts no matter what the battery voltage is. If the batteries are being charged and are at 14 volts, the inverter needs fewer amps to provide tha same output as it would if the batteries were not being charged and were at 11 volts. It needs the same wattage, and wattage is amps times volts. If the volts go down, the amps will go up to get the wattage. It would work the same for the inverter in the fridge. I put in heavier wiring, better connectors and a much heavier ground (which doesn't go back through the panel, but straigt to the main ground), and replaced a breaker that seemed to have extra resistance and got my amperage down closer to what the spec. said. As to noise, which is probably what is killing your autopilot, I installed an inline filter from Radio Shack. It was rated a a couple amps and helped a lot for the VHF. I would have liked to have installed another on the input to the fridge, but the amperage was too high for any that I found. At the time I did this I was about to cross to The Bahamas and didn't have many places to shop, but with time, I expect a good filter could be found and would help. If I were you, I would install a good inline filter at the power input of the autopilot. You might also put a meter on the input and see what the voltage is when the fridge kicks on. If it drops, you need to look at your wiring layout and seperate them so that they don't affect each other. One possible problem here is, if they both run off of the panel, the main wire feeding the panel may be way too small. On my H37 Cutter, the main feed of the panel was 10 gauge. Changing it to 4 gauge helped a lot. Gene Gruender
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Doug Alden
compass location
Hi Claude, Is there a chance your fluxgate compass for your autohelm is located to close to the refridgeration unit? You might check that out as the culprit. Good luck, Doug
Hi Claude, Is there a chance your fluxgate compass for your autohelm is located to close to the refridgeration unit? You might check that out as the culprit. Good luck, Doug
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Claude Labrecque
Fluxgate compass
Doug, The fluxgate compass is located under the sink ,in the cabinet on center line close to the floor. The compressor unit is under the port settee about 6 to 7 feet away. Is this location OK ? PS Many thanks to all for your reply, the boat is out of the water for 5 long months, I will try applying your advises in the spring.
Doug, The fluxgate compass is located under the sink ,in the cabinet on center line close to the floor. The compressor unit is under the port settee about 6 to 7 feet away. Is this location OK ? PS Many thanks to all for your reply, the boat is out of the water for 5 long months, I will try applying your advises in the spring.
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Dave
Fluxgate Location
Claude, I'm not going to suggest that there aren't other problems, but you might try moving the fluxgate compass. I installed an Autohelm 4000+ on my 1992 35.5 last summer. I too mounted the fluxgate under the sink near the centerline. When I attempted to calibrate the unit, I was unable to get an accurate correction. Furthermore, when I attempted to operate the unit, it would operate for only a short period of time and then automatically revert to the standby mode. I moved the fluxgate and the autopilot has worked perfectly since that time. I mounted the fluxgate against the forward support stringer under the first removable floor panel directly in front of the companionway steps. It seems the first location was to near the electric hotwater heater which is under the setee directly forward of the sink cabinet. In your situation, it is possible that the combined locations of the electric hotwater heater and the refigeration unit in close proximity to the fluxgate may be the source of your problems. I should also note that my refrigeration compressor is located under the portside cockpit locker. Both the refrigeration unit and the autopilot are on their own seperate circuits. Best of luck. Dave s/v Compass Rose
Claude, I'm not going to suggest that there aren't other problems, but you might try moving the fluxgate compass. I installed an Autohelm 4000+ on my 1992 35.5 last summer. I too mounted the fluxgate under the sink near the centerline. When I attempted to calibrate the unit, I was unable to get an accurate correction. Furthermore, when I attempted to operate the unit, it would operate for only a short period of time and then automatically revert to the standby mode. I moved the fluxgate and the autopilot has worked perfectly since that time. I mounted the fluxgate against the forward support stringer under the first removable floor panel directly in front of the companionway steps. It seems the first location was to near the electric hotwater heater which is under the setee directly forward of the sink cabinet. In your situation, it is possible that the combined locations of the electric hotwater heater and the refigeration unit in close proximity to the fluxgate may be the source of your problems. I should also note that my refrigeration compressor is located under the portside cockpit locker. Both the refrigeration unit and the autopilot are on their own seperate circuits. Best of luck. Dave s/v Compass Rose
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