Autohelm Linear Drive

[sabray]

Just dropped hook. The drive moves freely and steering on this boat is a treat very llittle resistance..hopper is trash bin. I m to whipped to take the motor apart this could also be a bad relay in the conrol board. Wiring is oversize.but a weak / loose connection would exhibit the same symptom as undersized wiring. Yes? Good point on the brushes be gunked. The raymarine tech who was very good suggested I might try hitting the drive unit with a shoe. Single handed without that auto pilot sucks. The replacement motor did not work. Did nit check to see if it was good first oops. Going to see if the motor I pulled will run direct on 12 volt.then If it does I will direct wire it to the head unit.while hand stearing tomorrow it can sit on the aft bunk and I can watch if it acts like it is adjusting. The inside of the unit was very clean.thank you all for your suggestions.

[sabray]

Both drive motors are fine the head unit is Wacked out. I wonder if these have an internal battery. Maybe time for something that has real electrical connectors rather then then pos springy push fitting on the powere lead. Suspect that's where this issue started. Pos nice day for a sail down the bay screw auto pilot. I'll send it to raymarine and start shopping for a new head unit

[bazzer]

Mate, you sure you not had to many tinny's? How many motors does this drive unit have? No internal battery....Raymarine has been using the push clamp connectors for a while and they seem to work. If the cable is corroded then there could be a high resistance joint there, but that would not cause the drive motor to overheat, just run slow or not at all. Why not connect the hydraulic unit you say you have. Why two anyway?

[sabray]

Looked like original install by prior just jammed the wire up into the slot of springy clamp. I have a spare electric motor. So one motor is installed other sits with spare belt in spares box. Motor fails spare motor is here. The reason I think it's control head now is it's intermittent failng more then not. I'll look at when I get in back home.

[sabray]

Thanks everyone for your input. The control computer appears to be fried. Most likely one of the relays but who knows. It now shows a low bat condition. Non serviceable according to ray. Makes sense the relay began to cook getting heavy use in jersey chop. Tried the spares I had then he relay goes fritz and low bat condition caused by shorted relay comes up. I am going to remove the relays look for replacements and see if the removal clears the error. Otherwise it looks like a new x-30 and control head. St 7000 is not compatable or is but cannot calibrate with newer controller. Yikes. Anyone looking to upgrade a good series 300 course computer or have relays for one?