I have a 1987 Hunter 28.5 with an Auto Helm 4000. I'm not sure of the age. It works fine for an hour or so in smoothe water then trips the breaker. In rougher water requiring more wheel action it trips much sooner. The manual specifies a 15 amp breaker. I checked the breaker and it is a 15 amp rated to trip at 18.25 amps. Is there anything that could cause and older auto pilot to gradually draw more amps than when new. What about moving up to a 20 amp breaker? Any ideas?
Autohelm 4000 tripping breaker
- Thread starter mojo16700
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ST4000
The Raymarine Manual for the “ST4000" specifies a 12 Amp Fuse (or equivalent); so you should NOT be tripping a 15 Breaker (under any conditions). The older “4000" unit, specified a 15A Fuse or Breaker. Sometimes, Circuit Breakers get "tired" with age. You might check your tripping breaker by: 1. Remove Autopilot supply wire (Brown) from Circuit Breaker. 2. Temporarily connect a fuse holder c/w 15 A "time delay" (slow blow) fuse to the supply wire, and reconnect circuit directly to battery. You have bypassed the suspect breaker, in favour of a fuse. 3. Try it out. If the fuse doesn't blow - replace the "tired" breaker, and reconnect circuit. If this doesn't correct the problem, report back... See the full manual (145 page ‘pdf’) at: ST4000 Wheel Pilot: http://www.raymarine.com/raymarine/SubmittedFiles/Handbooks/Autopilots/ST4000plus_mk2.pdf and http://www.raymarine.com/raymarine/SubmittedFiles/Handbooks/Legacy_Handbooks/Autopilot/ST4000Wheel.pdf ST4000 Tiller Pilot: http://www.raymarine.com/raymarine/SubmittedFiles/Handbooks/Legacy_Handbooks/Autopilot/ST4000Tiller.pdf HTH Gord
The Raymarine Manual for the “ST4000" specifies a 12 Amp Fuse (or equivalent); so you should NOT be tripping a 15 Breaker (under any conditions). The older “4000" unit, specified a 15A Fuse or Breaker. Sometimes, Circuit Breakers get "tired" with age. You might check your tripping breaker by: 1. Remove Autopilot supply wire (Brown) from Circuit Breaker. 2. Temporarily connect a fuse holder c/w 15 A "time delay" (slow blow) fuse to the supply wire, and reconnect circuit directly to battery. You have bypassed the suspect breaker, in favour of a fuse. 3. Try it out. If the fuse doesn't blow - replace the "tired" breaker, and reconnect circuit. If this doesn't correct the problem, report back... See the full manual (145 page ‘pdf’) at: ST4000 Wheel Pilot: http://www.raymarine.com/raymarine/SubmittedFiles/Handbooks/Autopilots/ST4000plus_mk2.pdf and http://www.raymarine.com/raymarine/SubmittedFiles/Handbooks/Legacy_Handbooks/Autopilot/ST4000Wheel.pdf ST4000 Tiller Pilot: http://www.raymarine.com/raymarine/SubmittedFiles/Handbooks/Legacy_Handbooks/Autopilot/ST4000Tiller.pdf HTH Gord
You might just switch breakers
Just swap wires in the breaker box with another circuit and see if it still trips the other breaker.
Just swap wires in the breaker box with another circuit and see if it still trips the other breaker.
so far so good
This weekend I replaced the 15 amp circuit breaker with a new one. The wind was only about 10 knots, but the auto pilot did work all day without tripping the breaker. I think it was a "tired" breaker, but need to use it in windier conditions to be sure. Thanks for help.
This weekend I replaced the 15 amp circuit breaker with a new one. The wind was only about 10 knots, but the auto pilot did work all day without tripping the breaker. I think it was a "tired" breaker, but need to use it in windier conditions to be sure. Thanks for help.
Bad connection somewhere
I had a similar problem with the running and instrument lights on my boat. They would work OK for about 30 minutes and then trip the breaker. After two years I found a bad (corroded) wire inside of a nylon butt connector in the circuit that must have created a high resistance. They have worked OK ever since.
I had a similar problem with the running and instrument lights on my boat. They would work OK for about 30 minutes and then trip the breaker. After two years I found a bad (corroded) wire inside of a nylon butt connector in the circuit that must have created a high resistance. They have worked OK ever since.
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