Wheel Pilot Malfunction (ST4000+)

c130king

c130king

.
Mar 22, 2009
360
Catalina 310 Gulfport Small Craft Harbor, MS
ST4000+ Wheel Pilot is malfunctioning as of today. The heading function does not seem to be working right. I can turn the boat +/- 30 degrees or more and the heading indication on the control head does not change.

Maybe the gyro-compass has gone bad. I tacked the boat a few times and the heading indication would make a big change. But it wasn't correct and once I had the sails set on the new tack the heading would be "stuck".

I could engage the wheel pilot to "Auto" but it wouldn't hold a heading for more than a few minutes. As the boat would physically change heading a few degrees (or more) the heading indication on the control head would not change so the computer doesn't seem to recognize that the boat is turning and thus no heading corrections.

Anyone ever seen anything like this? Any thoughts? I will look into this some more next week.

Cheers,
Jim
 
jsalley

jsalley

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Mar 20, 2007
500
Catalina 355 Kilmarnock, VA
Make sure you haven't placed any moveable metallic objects (tools, outboards, cases of beer, etc.) near the AP's fluxgate compass.
 
c130king

c130king

.
Mar 22, 2009
360
Catalina 310 Gulfport Small Craft Harbor, MS
Yes, I thought about that. Don't think anything is different from what it was last week. But I will look next week.

To be very honest...I don't know where the fluxgate compass is located. I have emailed the previous owner.

Cheers,
Jim
 
Tom J

Tom J

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Sep 30, 2008
2,308
Catalina 310 Quincy, MA
The fluxgate compass should be mounted in the storage locker on the port side of the aft berth, behind the sliding panels. There may be a procedure for calibrating the compass that might alleviate this condition. It involves turning the boat slowly in a large circle and pushing buttons on the display.
 
c130king

c130king

.
Mar 22, 2009
360
Catalina 310 Gulfport Small Craft Harbor, MS
I didn't look in there. Will dig in there on Monday. I am aware of the calibrating procedure as I helped a friend calibrate his about a week ago. If everything with the fluxgate and the main control unit looks okay I will try to re-calibrate the entire unit. The deviation is showing as 4 degrees which is pretty good I think.

Cheers,
Jim
 
c130king

c130king

.
Mar 22, 2009
360
Catalina 310 Gulfport Small Craft Harbor, MS
Well apparently the issue is that the Fluxgate Compass likes to work in the cold about as much as I do. Excellent sailing today...with temps warmed up to low 60's. Everything worked great today.

In the Air Force when something on the C-130 didn't work we would always say "turn it off...wait 5 seconds...turn it back on". That was called the "Lockheed Fix".

Today we will call it the "Raymarine Fix".

Cheers,
Jim
 
Tom J

Tom J

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Sep 30, 2008
2,308
Catalina 310 Quincy, MA
Glad to hear the autopilot is working again. They do seem to have a mind of their own, just like all electronic devices. Two seasons ago, ours suddenly deviated 20 degrees left, and then right, with the boat yawing wildly. I turned it off, and an hour later, when I turned it back on, it was fine. Might have had something to do with the granite ledges we were sailing over at the time.
 
rpwillia

rpwillia

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Sep 29, 2008
1,930
Catalina 310 #185 Quantico
Location May Vary

Tom J said:
The fluxgate compass should be mounted in the storage locker on the port side of the aft berth, behind the sliding panels.
Click to expand
Mine is mounted on the aft part of the bulkhead just in front of the rudder quadrant. Seemed to make the most sense when I installed it myself. :D

I have heard of others mounting it under their sink, but it seemed to have magnetic interference when I looked in there.
 
Tom J

Tom J

.
Sep 30, 2008
2,308
Catalina 310 Quincy, MA
rpwillia said:
Mine is mounted on the aft part of the bulkhead just in front of the rudder quadrant. Seemed to make the most sense when I installed it myself. :D

I have heard of others mounting it under their sink, but it seemed to have magnetic interference when I looked in there.
Click to expand
I was referring to what was the factory installation at the time.
 
Long Story

Long Story

.
Aug 24, 2009
444
Catalina 310 Sturgeon Bay, WI
I'll Remember that - :)


In the Air Force when something on the C-130 didn't work we would always say "turn it off...wait 5 seconds...turn it back on". That was called the "Lockheed Fix".

Today we will call it the "Raymarine Fix".

Cheers,
Jim[/quote]
 

Attachments

c130king

c130king

.
Mar 22, 2009
360
Catalina 310 Gulfport Small Craft Harbor, MS
By the way. Found my fluxgate compass. It is beneath the rear berth on the starboard side but in close to centerline.

But it is still working.

Cheers,
Jim
 
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