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Connemara · 06-01-2017, 19:21

Greetings all. Wondering if the collective wisdom can sort this out. The antipodean boat has the Raymarine Autohelm tllier pilot ST4000.

It seems to work just fine except that the degrees reported by the display bear no relationship to the boat's heading.

For example, boat is heading south. I'd expect to see the display read 180 when I turn the machine on. Instead, it has some other, apparently random, number, say 245.

When I press auto to start steering, the machine steers the boat course ... 180 for this example ... and if I press +10, it steers the boat obediently up to 190. But the display goes to 255.

Not a big deal, as long as you realize what's going on. But it can be a shock when you think you're steering south and you see Otto has set course for Africa.

Couldn't see anything on the manual about this, but was bashing south from Tutukaka in 20 knots when I read it, so I might have missed something.
Any thoughts? Does the fact that it's in New Zealand have any bearing?

Connemara

**StuM** · 06-01-2017, 19:47

Have you done an initial calibration?

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/31...0.html?page=40

If that doesn't do the trick, you may need to relocate the fluxgate compass.

Connemara · 06-01-2017, 22:22

Nope. But i haven't had the requisite conditions yet. Wind has been honking for the past several days in Auckland and parts north of here. Thanks.

Connemara

boatbod · 18-01-2017, 15:35

I've worked on lots of these fluxgate problems before.

Irrespective of the absolute displayed heading, if you sea trial the boat and turn smoothly through 360deg does the displayed heading track smoothly through all points of the compass or does it skip large sections and jump around randomly?

If the heading track smoothly then all you need to do is perform a seatrial calibration and swing the compass, then align it to the correct heading. (Consult manual)

If large sectors are skipped and/or random, either your fluxgate needs replacing or the course computer needs to go back to Raymarine for repair.

0urh · 18-01-2017, 23:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by StuM

If that doesn't do the trick, you may need to relocate the fluxgate compass.

Or relocate the cast iron frypan stored next to the fluxgate compass. Worked for me

**StuM** · 19-01-2017, 03:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by 0urh

Or relocate the cast iron frypan stored next to the fluxgate compass. Worked for me

Yep, that would do it too.

Connemara · 18-02-2017, 16:06

Finally got a calm morning and tried the calibration. The response was remarkably slow and I think the display was somewhat smooth but I hadn't seen boatbod's post and wasn't paying close attention. (As far as I can see there is no frying pan nearby.)

Afterward, it did seem to be steadier (got us across to the Coromandel without fuss) although still steering some fantasy course.

But any more work will have to wait until next summer/winter; we're back in chilly Toronto now.

But another perhaps relevant question: Does the Raymarine ST2000 use the same pins, that is, can it be dropped in as a replacement?

Perhaps a better question would be: what's involved in the upgrade? Some of the documentation suggests the ST2000 has a built-in compass ... no need for the separate fluxgate device? But new wiring?

Connemara

**Wotname** · 18-02-2017, 16:49

ST2000 does have a built in fluxgate.

**Wotname** · 18-02-2017, 17:01

FWIW, I had a related issue with a new out of the box ST2000, it just didn't want to swing properly and also didn't behave exactly as per the manual. It took a lot of head scratching and it was almost went to the deep sixth on occasion!

Finally found an obscure reference on the internet about reloading the operating system software (by way keypad entry). It turns out it was the OS was for the ST600 rather than the ST2000. Apparently all the OSs are programmed into all (most?) the ST series of units. Then the appropriate OS can be selected by keypad entry. I reset my unit to the ST2000 OS without any real expectation of a fix but lo and behold, it responded perfectly and exactly as per the manual. I have no idea how the unit could have the "wrong" OS from the factory but it did and once rectified, the unit worked properly.

The keypad entry procedure was a bit involved but doable! I don't recall the details right now but if you like, I could do a search for and maybe find it again. I did post about it 2 or 3 years back. I suspect the ST4000 might use the same process.