Wind Speed Meter defect

[Viktor Eysselein]

One quick question: on my Hunter 45CC during sailing all of a sudden the wind speed meter showed only 0. The connection at the top of the mast is fine. The wind direction works. What is the most likely cause? The aerometer from Raymarine?
Thanks, Viktor

 

[Rich Stidger]

Are the cups spinning?

 

[GGordonWoody]

Are the cups spinning?

Ha! Excellent question. Let's assume it is. In general, the speed outputs on these things are simple pulses. In your case, you have a fancy one - 2 pulses per rotation. It looks your wind vane has a 5-conductor cable, and I'm guessing those are run down through the mast into either your display, or something called an iTC-5 converter. Have you checked that connection? I found some simple tests in the unit's service manual on pages 7 and 8. Here is the link. https://www.manualslib.com/manual/962657/Raymarine-Wind-Vane.html?page=9#manual

Here's an excerpt (sorry it's tiny, but the manual wouldn't download, so I just snipped it).
You need step 4.
Good luck.

 

[Sailgunner]

Do you get the same reading true and apparent? If apparent is working and true is not it may be a bad signal from your in water speed transducer. Raymarine also has a forum you can check with.

 

[Viktor Eysselein]

Thanks so much! I get true and apparent wind direction. Cups are turning.
Viktor

 

[Rich Stidger]

Viktor- you claim that the connection at the top of the mast is good. How do you know this? I have had problems similar to yours where the wind speed shows zero and by up-plugging and re-plugging the wind transducer I have restored operation. The connections at the transducer can be intermittent. Your sudden wind speed failure suggests this as a likely possibility.

 

[JamesG161]

I have had the same experience and it was resolved by a Raymarine tech and he didn't know how he did it.
I wasn't going to add to this post since I can only guess, but here is what I think happened.
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Bottom line was a loose connection caused by a new Radar installation.
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The Tech took out the ST60 display and bench tested it at his shop.
1) He said he opened it and found a "lose solder connection" which he fixed for free. (translation: I couldn't find anything but wanted to blame it on old equipment not on his recent installation)
2) Told me it was the Transducer at top of mast. (Translation: It can't be my installation)
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This story continues until finally they knew the Radar was not consistently working and did what they called "shot gun approach" and rewired everything that was new.
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My old ST60 wind now reads True and Apparent (the knot meter must be working on SeaTalk also).
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Last point which I learned with chatting with a very well trained Raytech. The wind speed at top of mast , if spinning, is so simple, it is hard to fail. It is just like your knot meter, an encased magnet on a wheel that passes a static sensor and counts the revolutions as pulsed DC. The conversion work is done in the display and then sent over the SeaTalk network.
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There are at least 4 connection points. The one at the top of mast was never touched. The 2nd was at a buss for wire at mast base. 3rd power breaker at panel. 4th the ST60 display shown in post#3 by GGordonWoody.
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Good luck...
Jim...

 

[JamesG161]

Sorry, Rich, I didn't read your post before I sent mine.
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I got to thinking on the 2nd cup of coffee...
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If your boat speed knot meter isn't working then you must push the True/App button on your ST60 display to get a reading.
You cannot get True Wind without it.
Jim...

 

[Rich Stidger]

Regardless of true and apparent wind angle readings, if the speed is showing 0.0, and the cups are moving, then there is either a failed transducer, a bad connection(s), or a failed display head. In this case, T/S from afar, I would concentrate on a bad connection first. If a spare wind transducer or display head was available then they could be swapped in for a test. But doing that would also disrupt connections at the transducer or head too.

James- your problem appears to be different than the OP's in that some new equipment was tossed into the mix. The OP claimed that the wind speed was working fine and then at some point it showed 0.0. Apparently nothing was disconnected or changed in the system. And I have seen exactly the same thing happen. I have been on my boat with the wind display showing the speed and the next time I looked at the display it was reading 0.0. In my case I traced this to an intermittent connection at the wind transducer at the top of the mast.

 

[JamesG161]

Regardless of true and apparent wind angle readings, if the speed is showing 0.0, and the cups are moving

I was guessing bad connection also.
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I had pulled my boat speed knot meter out of the thru hull for cleaning and forgot to reinstall it before our last outing. I noted, 0.0 on the ST60 wind speed with the vane reading correctly and cups spinning. OH NO , not again! Just like the OP described. My ST60 display is mounted on the Hunter arch. I asked the Admiral what it said on the display. Reply "True". I suggested to push the TRUE/APP button on the lower left. Ahh the display started showing up and it also appeared on my Raymarine a98 MFD.
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I went below and installed the knot meter and both True/App displays begin to function. I do know that is how the SeaTalk network and controllers work. So add to your list of places to check, Rich. If in True, add the knot meter connections also.
Jim...

PS: Just total speculation on my part, but food for thought. Maybe diet food, who knows.

 

[GGordonWoody]

is so simple, it is hard to fail

That's what I thought also, simple like the Davis Instruments version. But a peek at the schematic reveals some active and passive components for noise, signal conditioning, and maybe protection.

Still, Rich pretty much nailed it with this Rich Stidger, Today at 12:04 PM.

 

[Bill Marrero]

On a similar subject from a differnt direction, the ST60 on my 2006 Hunter 41 stops displaying the wind direction and locks up. The wind speed displays correctly at all times though I am unable to switch between true & apparent . When I return the ST60 to factory default it works fine for a few weeks then locks up again. Has anyone had this experience before? Thanks

 

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