ST6000 Lost it's mind

[wolfesmy]

I have an Autohelm (Raymarine) ST6000 and linear drive installed on my Morgan 383. Recently it has lost it's direction. When I hit Auto it comes up with false directions. It has a few favourites 324, 169, 74 regardless of the actual direction I am traveling and won't hold course. If I let it rest and hit Standby and Auto repeatedly it will eventually find it's way. Real challenge as I often single hand and need the autohelm to work right now. Day before yesterday it is displaying the reciprocal direction. When I hit Auto it holds the boat course even though it displays reciprocal. I have swung the compass and it only recognizes a 5 deg deviation so well within tolerance. Is nthis a compass issue or is the "brain" failing? I'm not really ready to nchuck the whole system Anyone with similar experience?

[MNLandLoc]

You could try re-calibrating it. I have attached a link to the manual. My ST6000 started acting goofy and then quit on me last fall. It was a simple procedure to replace it (plug and play and then calibrate).

Raymarine Retired Autopilot Manuals

[TacomaSailor]

I've made at least two long and involved posts about our experience with the identical problem. If you can't find them - I can send them to you. We experienced the same symptoms three, or maybe four times since 1995.

Our problem was a failed or (worse) intermittent connection to the fluxgate compass. Each time the compass re-connected it would send a new, and usually different, heading value. The ST6000 would then try to steer based on the new, and erroneous, heading info.

One wire failed inside the Fluxgate and the other failed between the Fluxgate and the ST6000.

Eventually, after 18-years, the ST6000 course computer itself started failing with some similar symptoms. I had a local Raymarine tech work on it but it just kept failing at odd intervals.

I replaced the whole system in spring 2013.

[Panamax.]

Just fixed a similar problem on my H36. Removed display unit. Disconnected the leads (color coded). Sprayed with contact cleaner. Put a dab of dielectric silicone on the leads and posts. Walah! No more problems!

[phantomracer]

had a very similar problem with my ST7000/type 1 AP , ended up being a loose wire on the heading sensor.

it would be fine.. then it would lose its mind and go anywhere it wanted. thought it was the heading sensor. sent it back, it tested OK.. traced the wires..tightened a bad connection. done. been fine ever since.

But yea.. could be wiring or heading sensor. could be the computer, but i doubt it.

[Wotname]

Another option to try is to a CPU reset (not just power down / power up).

Somewhere I have the procedure for the ST2000 and I expect it would be the same for the 6000.
let me know if you need more info on how to do this.

[rthompsona]

Our ST6000 would not calibrate correctly when we first got the boat. Turns out that we used the locker next to the flux compass to store our tools. It worked much better after they were moved.

[wolfesmy]

Originally Posted by Wotname

Another option to try is to a CPU reset (not just power down / power up).

Somewhere I have the procedure for the ST2000 and I expect it would be the same for the 6000.
let me know if you need more info on how to do this.

Yes please if you have a procedure

[Hudson Force]

I agree with others suggesting that there are disconnects in the terminal connections. I had a similar problem with my Nexus/Benmar auto pilot and found an intermittant disconnect at my control panel.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by wolfesmy

Yes please if you have a procedure

OK, this works for the ST2000 but I can't promise it will work for the ST6000 but I think it should .

Press and hold +1 & -10 buttons together until the unit beeps and probably flash the unit number (i.e. 6000). Release the buttons. It the unit is currently programmed as a ST800 (base model), there will be no number after the beep.

Now press and hold the +1 & -10 buttons together and the pilot number should blink. Release the buttons.

Use the +1 buttons to cycle through various model numbers and chose one different to that what was shown above, say 5000.

Press and hold the +1 & -10 together to lock the new number in.
Release the buttons.
Cycle power to the unit to load the new software (i.e. 5000).

Now repeat the above procedure to change it back to 6000 ; when completed and power cycled, the software has been reset back to 6000.