Alpha 3000 toasted

[Sandero]

My control head of the Alpha 3000 developed a short apparently and got very very hot and of course died.

Contacted the company and got a recorded message to leave a message. No answer to my emails.

Is this company toast? Does anyone know?

Do I have to change the entire system... new drive and compass? or can I buy a control head from another mfgr?

[s/v Thea]

Don't know about Alpha company but I'm using their drive with a Raymarine X30 core pack, been working fine for three seasons now.

Doug

[colemj]

Friends of ours had a part of their Alpha system die two months ago and got a replacement part and technical advice from Alpha. So if they went out of business, it was not very long ago.

They are a small company and perhaps they need a bit of time to answer.

You cannot use another control head. You can use the drive with any autopilot, but the control head is specific to the control computer.

Mark

[Sandero]

Update... on Alpha.

They are still operating.. but were closed for inventory.

I'm facing a mighty spendy repair.

[Sandero]

Yikes.. I never did a final report.

FInally I was told that the drive unit failed... and it took down a via the feedback circuit something in the control head. They offered to replace the *core* of the control head with the latest version of their 3000 electronics called Dash and the drive was toast. The repair was spendy but it was a one for one swap so the install was simple. Works beautifully and is much quieter and I can't even hear the drive unit any more. That's a plus. Hard to tell about the software and whether it's improved or used less power.

They support was fine! Thank you Chris. The unit is back together in the old box... and I hope I have years of trouble free service from it. The first go round lasted probably 25 years.