How to re-attach small wires to ComNav autopilot compass cable plug

[toomanyirons]

I have a secondhand ComNav 1001 autopilot, and I believe I need to switch the sine and cosine wires at the plug to correct a 180-deg error in the heading (autopilot is 180 deg off of the compass). One of the wires was already loose but the other is firmly attached and doesn't seem to want to come out from moderate pulling. The wires and plug are so small I'm not sure how they're secured or how to reattach them.

Maybe they were soldered into the plug by the manufacturer, but I don't think I could solder something that small. Same with crimping... wires are small and close together and the plug doesn't come apart in any way obvious to me. Seems like a tiny ferrule that slides in tightly would be ideal but I don't have any and time is a factor.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Timm R Oday25]

From here , it appears the connector can come apart even further. Many connectors of this type use a small screw to hold the wire .
I would see if you couldn't gently twist or look for a locking collar that holds it together

 

[Tally Ho]

It seems odd that the wires in the connector are reversed, especially if one is firmly in the connector….

But, you could cut the 2 wires farther back from the connector, and reverse them there and splice them. Might be easier than trying to mess with the connector….I am not too sure you are supposed to be able to pull the wires out. You will need to push the one back in that pulled out…maybe drip a little solder in that hole to get it to stay. But be aware that adding heat to the wire or the plug can heat the plastic and deform it. I tried it once on the power leads to my Raymarine AP.

Greg

 

[thinwater]

I have a secondhand ComNav 1001 autopilot, and I believe I need to switch the sine and cosine wires at the plug to correct a 180-deg error in the heading (autopilot is 180 deg off of the compass). One of the wires was already loose but the other is firmly attached and doesn't seem to want to come out from moderate pulling. The wires and plug are so small I'm not sure how they're secured or how to reattach them.

Maybe they were soldered into the plug by the manufacturer, but I don't think I could solder something that small. Same with crimping... wires are small and close together and the plug doesn't come apart in any way obvious to me. Seems like a tiny ferrule that slides in tightly would be ideal but I don't have any and time is a factor.

Any advice would be appreciated.

The 180 error is almost certainly a set-up change in the menus. Options for port or starboard installation. Read up.

And Tally Ho is right; you should make any changes farther up the cord.

So getting the wire reattached is the problem.

 

[toomanyirons]

Fixed: the 180 problem can be addressed in the dockside setup by adjusting the magnetic offset. The wires did not need to be swapped (although the ComNav 1001 manual says to swap them in the case of a reverse compass reading on p. 14).

My local marine electrician brought a small red plastic tool that looks like a screwdriver with a funnel at the back, made by ThorKom I believe, to try to reattach the loose wire. That didn’t work but he was able to fix it at his shop by wicking solder along the wire into the small hole.

Thanks for the replies and tips.