Wagner MP320 Autopilot Shut Down

eggman · 04-11-2009, 07:09

I was motoring along during a mild electrical storm with a heavy load on my 12 volt system. When I turned on a cabin light I heard a small beep from my pilot and it quit working. The rudder did not change position and the display was blank but still lit.

I turned it off then back on. The display showed 8888 and stayed there. The dodge buttons made proper beeps but did not move the rudder. Tried to re-set system but it would not respond. The fault code menu could not be accessed. I cleaned all the connections and the circuit boards have no obvious damage. I also disconnected cables to the motor to my pumpset, and applied 12V directly, that moved my rudder, in both directions. The motor control to the pump-set checks out. The fault seems to be either in the control head or the nav/junction box and possibly the flux-gate compass.

GordMay · 07-11-2009, 15:14

Yes, the fault may be low voltage, or (as you suspect) in the control head or the nav/junction box or possibly (but less likely) the flux-gate compass.
The "heavy load" may have produced a severe voltage drop.

eggman · 09-11-2009, 18:21

Thanks for answering my post. I guess there isn't an easy method for testing outputs of either the control head, nav/junction box or the flux-gate. It may come down to testing individual components on the circuit boards, but without a schematic, it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Gregg Richard

04-11-2009, 07:09	#1
eggman Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Thunder Bay On Ca Boat: 1954 Russel Bros. 40' Steelcraft OgimaII Posts: 4	Wagner MP320 Autopilot Shut Down I was motoring along during a mild electrical storm with a heavy load on my 12 volt system. When I turned on a cabin light I heard a small beep from my pilot and it quit working. The rudder did not change position and the display was blank but still lit. I turned it off then back on. The display showed 8888 and stayed there. The dodge buttons made proper beeps but did not move the rudder. Tried to re-set system but it would not respond. The fault code menu could not be accessed. I cleaned all the connections and the circuit boards have no obvious damage. I also disconnected cables to the motor to my pumpset, and applied 12V directly, that moved my rudder, in both directions. The motor control to the pump-set checks out. The fault seems to be either in the control head or the nav/junction box and possibly the flux-gate compass.

07-11-2009, 15:14	#2
GordMay Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario - 48-29N x 89-20W Boat: C.L.O.D. (Cruiser Living On Dirt) Posts: 12,576	Yes, the fault may be low voltage, or (as you suspect) in the control head or the nav/junction box or possibly (but less likely) the flux-gate compass. The "heavy load" may have produced a severe voltage drop. __________________ Gord May ~~_/)_~~ (Gord & Maggie - "Southbound") "If you didn't have time/$ to do it right in the first place, when will you get the time/$ to fix it?"

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09-11-2009, 18:21	#3
eggman Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Thunder Bay On Ca Boat: 1954 Russel Bros. 40' Steelcraft OgimaII Posts: 4	Thanks for answering my post. I guess there isn't an easy method for testing outputs of either the control head, nav/junction box or the flux-gate. It may come down to testing individual components on the circuit boards, but without a schematic, it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Gregg Richard