Windspeed instrument ST160

Bill Roosa · Jul 29, 2017

Well to get true wind speed you need to have a GPS active on the Seatalk buss. True wind is a calculated value based on apparent wind speed and direction and boat speed over the ground and direction. Your voltages sound correct BTW

Joe · Jul 29, 2017

When you say it doesn't work.... are you saying that absolutely no data is showing in the display? Or.... are you saying that a particular function doesn't work... such as True wind data? Did you replace the transducer with the correct, identical to previous, unit? Finally, you identified your instrument as "ST 160" I couldn't find anything on that.... did you mean Raymarine ST 60, Or perhaps Raymarine i60? or something else?

JK_Boston_Catalina310 · Jul 30, 2017

You said it measures aparant wind but not true. I would take this to mean you see no difference between aparant and true when you change on the display.

How clean is your hull?
.
For some reason my setup uses the boat speed to correct for true instead of GPS speed. So when our bottom is fouled and my boat speed reads 0 I see no difference between two winds.

I haven't gotten to look at that issue yet. It's on the list, just way down.

marchem · Jul 31, 2017

JK_Boston_Catalina310 said:
For some reason my setup uses the boat speed to correct for true instead of GPS speed. So when our bottom is fouled and my boat speed reads 0 I see no difference between two winds.

I haven't gotten to look at that issue yet. It's on the list, just way down.

For some reason most every instrument system I've ever worked with uses boat speed by default for calculations (true wind, etc.). Given that GPS is (usually) much more accurate it has never made sense to me. Sometimes you can change the default speed source for the computer/MFD, but who remembers how to do that??

marchem · Jul 31, 2017

Clyde, here's a troubleshooting guide for the ST-60 wind speed:

Set the multimeter to the 20V DC scale.
Test at the connections on the rear of the display head, or at the base of the mast (if you have a junction box installed.)
Red to shield should read 8 volts DC steady. This is the masthead power supply, coming from the ST50/ST60 display head. If the head is damaged, you may need to provide this power from another source to test the masthead.
Blue to Shield should read anywhere between 2 and 6 volts DC. This is the port side directional element. The voltage changes as the vane turns.
Green to Shield should read anywhere between 2 and 6 volts DC. This is the starboard side directional element.
Yellow to shield should read between 0 and 5 volts DC. This is the wind speed circuit. The faster the wind is blowing, the higher the voltage will read.

Different versions may have different color wiring. Rob

marchem · Jul 31, 2017

Clydo said:
1. When change from apparent to true display show three dash horizontal lines.
2. Diver cleaned hull in April.
3. My also requires boat speed to change from apparent to true.

Clyde Thorington
C310 #245
ILEAN TOO
San Jose, CA

It's not so much the cleaning of the hull, but if there has been buildup on the paddlewheel, or little critters have moved in (usually isopods, I think), so your boat speed reads 0.

Are you saying that you do see apparent wind speed (and direction)?

If you last had your bottom cleaned in April you've either got incredibly effective bottom paint, the boat lives in an area where little grows, or you're willing to live with a pretty dirty bottom!

SEMPERAVANTI41 · Jul 31, 2017

3 dashes on the ST60 Wind mean "no data". When you switch to "True" wind some required information for calculation is not being received

Bill Roosa · Jul 31, 2017

If you have no apparent wind speed then the wind instrument is suspect. Fix that first as you have to have apparent wind speed and direction to calculate true wind speed and direction.