Help with chart plotter

[hamburking]

I had some trouble with my raymarine chart plotter. Short answer...reset to factory default settings. There is a key sequence on power up that allows you to reset the cp. This solved all my problems. It would take me about 5 minutes to enter my preferred settings, but this was better than replacing the cp. I had to do this process maybe twice per season.

[Sandero]

Originally Posted by hamburking

I had some trouble with my raymarine chart plotter. Short answer...reset to factory default settings. There is a key sequence on power up that allows you to reset the cp. This solved all my problems. It would take me about 5 minutes to enter my preferred settings, but this was better than replacing the cp. I had to do this process maybe twice per season.

and when you do this your waypoints and tracks disappear.

[Dave-C]

I want to thank all of you for your replies.
Been busy the last couple of days, it being Thanksgiving.
I've read through all replies and at least now I have a place to start.
After I get this figured out I'll post again and let you all know the solution.

Belize is great, we're at Placencia. The only issue is that it's done nothing but rain since we got here.

Again thank you
Dave
S/V Argonauta

[transmitterdan]

Originally Posted by hamburking

I had some trouble with my raymarine chart plotter. Short answer...reset to factory default settings. There is a key sequence on power up that allows you to reset the cp. This solved all my problems. It would take me about 5 minutes to enter my preferred settings, but this was better than replacing the cp. I had to do this process maybe twice per season.

This won't help. The issue is the compass heading is way off. That is unrelated to the chart plotter.

It is either calibration or it is some new hunk of metal or magnet near the flux gate compass.

[toddedger]

I had a customer/good friend call me up with the same problem. Turned out he had put two bicycles in the cabin right next to the fluxgate compass.

I once saw a Tiara that had the fluxgate mounted on an engine room bulkhead, right next to the Airconditioning electrical power box. Every time the AC compressor kicked on the autopilot changed course 10 degrees.

[Sandero]

Keep all ferrous metals and magnets especially away from fluxgate compasses.

[Dave-C]

Again thanks

We have a ST 7000 autopilot.
I believe I found the compass, it's wired to the autopilot computer.
No metal near it.
Following is what the manual states

3. 5 Automatic Deviation Correction

The ST7000 will correct the fluxgate compass for any deviating magnetic fields. This

should be carried out in calm conditions preferably in flat water.

•

To select compass adjust Push and hold Standby for 1 second.

•

Keeping boat speed below 2 knots, turn the vessel slowly so that it takes at least

3 minutes to complete 360°. Keep turning until the display changes to show the

amount of deviation the autopilot has corrected:-

Note:

lf the amount exceeds 15°, it is recommended the fluxgate should be re-sited.

•

Use the course change buttons to adjust the displayed heading until it agrees with

the steering compass or a known transit bearing.

Note:

000° is always followed by OFF. This will suppress the display of compass and

automatic headings on the control unit.

•

To exit compass adjust and store the compass settings push and hold Standby for

1 second.

•

To exit compass adjust without saving any new settings push Standby

momentarily.


question,
What can cause it to be sooo far off 120degrees all of a sudden, it worked one day and not the next??

Dave

[transmitterdan]

Dave,

There is also another compass calibration in the ST7000 mentioned in the instructions you copied. It is entered manually in degrees. Check what offset is entered. It's possible this got changed somehow.

Typically the flux gate compass will stay close to same deviation for years. The most common cause of sudden change in deviation is some new metal or heavy wiring has been added or moved. For example, inverter battery wires can cause compass deviation.

[ramblinrod]

Originally Posted by Sandero

and when you do this your waypoints and tracks disappear.

Save them to an SD first and then upload them again.

[ramblinrod]

Originally Posted by transmitterdan

Rod,

Raymarine chart plotters have had the "Goto Waypoint" feature for at least 15 years and maybe longer than that. The C series has this function. No route is required to head to a Waypoint.

I stand corrected.

With older Raymarine MFDs, the only way to steer to a waypoint is to set up a route and put the autopilot into "Track Mode" via the autopilot display head.

Newer MFDs (like the OPs) will also operate that way, but if "Autopilot Control" is enabled, the MFD can control the autopilot to steer toward a single waypoint.

[Dave-C]

Hello and thanks again,

We did the slow turn in a circle bit and adjusted the course change buttons until all was in agreement. Guess what, all is right in my displays world.
Never did find the compass, what I thought was it is just a relay.
I still don't understand how it got so far off overnight. We were thinking back to when it first got way out of whack. It was when we entered the Rio Dulce, that first night there was one heck of a lightning storm with numerous close strikes.
Could that have caused it??

Dave
S/V Argonauta

[ramblinrod]

Originally Posted by Dave-C

Hello and thanks again,

We did the slow turn in a circle bit and adjusted the course change buttons until all was in agreement. Guess what, all is right in my displays world.
Never did find the compass, what I thought was it is just a relay.
I still don't understand how it got so far off overnight. We were thinking back to when it first got way out of whack. It was when we entered the Rio Dulce, that first night there was one heck of a lightning storm with numerous close strikes.
Could that have caused it??

Dave
S/V Argonauta

If you have an EVO autohelm and are happy with the calibration and response, disable the auto-learn function.

[transmitterdan]

Originally Posted by Dave-C

Hello and thanks again,

We did the slow turn in a circle bit and adjusted the course change buttons until all was in agreement. Guess what, all is right in my displays world.
Never did find the compass, what I thought was it is just a relay.
I still don't understand how it got so far off overnight. We were thinking back to when it first got way out of whack. It was when we entered the Rio Dulce, that first night there was one heck of a lightning storm with numerous close strikes.
Could that have caused it??

Dave
S/V Argonauta

It's possible. Lightning might have caused something onboard to become slightly magnetized. Would be good idea to locate the flux gate compass and see what else is located nearby.

Glad you got it calibrated.

[ozsailer]

Hi Dave.
as per the previous post I would also highly reocomend finding where the flux gate compass is on your boat just to ensure nothing is around the compass and also it will assist in the future if you need to locate it. As for the question regarding lightening I would have to suggest it may well have an effect. Lightening in close proximity can have different effects around electronics and in some circumstance set up a electro magnetic field. You do not have to have a direct hit from lighening to have significant effects on your electronics.


Greg H
Sunshine