Simrad WP30 Won't Disengage

[Ocean Girl]

I may be going crazy ( I seem to say that a lot since buying my boat- twitch twitch) But I cannot get the autopilot to disengage.
I have the helm brake off and the autopilot gray lever (that engages the pilot wheel) up which should disengage and allow me to steer this puppy.
But when I try to move the helm it wont budge not even a little play. if I apply angry light pressure on the helm it seems to want to move the autopilot steering mechanism which hints to me that it is the unit and not my rudder (please God not my rudder).
Another point to consider is the autopilot doesnt have any juice to it because I am rewiring the dc system and pulled out the rats nest from the previous owner.
Please someone tell me a easy - you forgot to pull the lever answer! Or I will take the whole unit out and sell it, which is what my instincts tells me to do on all electrical critical sytems (steering is pretty critical in my book)
Help! Damsel in distress, well I am in the slip and not bearing down on a rocky shore, but still distressed my baby can't go anywhere right now.
Erika




here is a pic of the unit, you cant see the grey lever (is on the left side of the unit) I have tried up and down to disebgage and my brake for the helm is also loose as a goose.




PS I posted my autopilot question in this area cause it didn't seem to fit the Electrical department but it isn't a communication / av either, but I figure you smarty pants read both

[Ocean Girl]

I took the darn unit off and my steering is just fine so it WAS the autopilot. Which means when the Simrad WP30 malfunctions you loose the ability to steer the boat and must remove the unit which BTW took two hours and a more than one swear word - well, I don't swear but if I did it would be a blaze that would set your ears on fire

On a most civilized note (sorry for the rant) the wheel unit was loose and hasn't been used for at least 7 months. The two hour removal could be whittled down to twenty to thirty minutes once you know the tricks and if the cheap hex heads aren't stripped. Selling the unit....cheap
Ocean Girl is already a happy boat with the black devil off she prefers a trusty wind vane.
Cheers,
Erika

[hugosalt]

Erika, Had I read your post earlier, I might have saved you the trouble of removing the unit. Don't toss the devil yet!
Several years ago, when my newly installed WP30 was left
with the clutch handle down/engaged for a period of time, I
would come back to the same problem.
It's not electrical!
Seems that when the clutch handle was left down for a while
then (I think) the internal belt would stick. The first time it happened I was alone and had just cast off the mooring line
in a crowded mooring...not happy...gave it a hard yank to free up, and it did.
Simrad customer service from Washington State walked me through... belt adjustment (I think) while on the phone.
Give them a call 800-426-5565... I Never had another problem.
I always leave clutch handle up when not engaged and always
cover wheel. I don't know if I would depend on unit alone for long offshore passage, but once adjusted unit has been dependable and valued crew member. I have manual if you need.
Good luck, Hugo

[Ocean Girl]

Thanks Hugo!!
It is out, and now that I know the reason I can at least be able to sell it with a clear conscience that i'm not putting someone in danger!
I didn't want to yank hard on the unit (well actually I really wanted to yank hard-with a sledge hammer ) but I wasn't sure it was the autopilot, it could of been my rudder and though I can abuse a stubborn autopilot - I can't hurt my beautiful boat.

Thank you so much for the reply,
Erika