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13-07-2019, 17:56
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Deep Bay, Vancouver Island
Boat: 1966 29' Gulf Island Sloop
Posts: 15
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Standard Horizon chart plotter
Hello fellow boaters,
I have been using a Standard Horizon 190i GPS chart plotter for the past 7 years. I am the original owner. It did work flawlessly until recently. Suddenly it would not switch on when the engine was running. It still worked normally when the engine was switched off. I contacted Standard Horizon and explained my problem. Given the symptoms they assured me that I had an alernator problem and not an instrument problem. So I took my alternator in to a shop to have it tested. It received a clean bill of health. I checked the alternator output and it charges at 14.75 volts. My other instruments operate normally.
Any suggestions as to what is possibly causing my problem would be appreciated.
Thanks
West coaster
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14-07-2019, 04:40
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#2
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Maryland, USA
Boat: 58' Sedan Bridge
Posts: 5,418
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Re: Standard Horizon chart plotter
Does it work when the engine is running and you're still connected to shorepower or running a generator?
A thought: Your alternator may be working fine but enough of that current might not be getting to the plotter. You might put a meter on the charger power posts or lines, see what voltage at the charger really is.
-Chris
__________________
Chesapeake Bay, USA.
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14-07-2019, 06:25
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Deep Bay, Vancouver Island
Boat: 1966 29' Gulf Island Sloop
Posts: 15
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Re: Standard Horizon chart plotter
Thanks for your reply.
I do not have shore power or a generator, strictly 12 volt power. When the engine is running 14.75 volts registeres at the supply switch for the chart plotter. When the engine is switched off 12.5 volts registeres at the supply switch. Everything used to work fine, this is a condition that suddenly developed for an unknown reason.
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14-07-2019, 07:00
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#4
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: New Bern, NC
Boat: Shannon 43 Ketch
Posts: 246
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Re: Standard Horizon chart plotter
14.75 seems too much. I agree check the leads to the plotter for voltage drop.
__________________
Smooth sailing and fresh warm breezes,
Tony & Lisa
sv Marite
'87 Shannon 43' Ketch
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14-07-2019, 07:18
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Deep Bay, Vancouver Island
Boat: 1966 29' Gulf Island Sloop
Posts: 15
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Re: Standard Horizon chart plotter
Thanks. Will do some more checking. No luck so far.
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14-07-2019, 11:17
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Oregon City, OR
Boat: 37 Uniflite Coastal Cruiser
Posts: 799
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Re: Standard Horizon chart plotter
Quote:
Originally Posted by svMarite
14.75 seems too much. I agree check the leads to the plotter for voltage drop.
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That is not an unusual number for the output from a voltage regulator. And why would the voltage drop be so large when the alternator was running that it precluded operation of the chart plotter, while the voltage drop while under battery power alone would not be an issue?
Do other instruments such as your depth sounder still function normally while the engine is running?
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14-07-2019, 11:27
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Deep Bay, Vancouver Island
Boat: 1966 29' Gulf Island Sloop
Posts: 15
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Re: Standard Horizon chart plotter
Seems to me that the chart plotter is getting too much power. After the engine has been running and I shut it down, the chart plotter will not start. An hour later after the batteries have settled down the chart plotter works. The plotter seems to want 12 to 12.75 volts, more than that and it won't work.
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14-07-2019, 12:28
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Oregon City, OR
Boat: 37 Uniflite Coastal Cruiser
Posts: 799
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Re: Standard Horizon chart plotter
Quote:
Originally Posted by westcoaster
Seems to me that the chart plotter is getting too much power. After the engine has been running and I shut it down, the chart plotter will not start. An hour later after the batteries have settled down the chart plotter works. The plotter seems to want 12 to 12.75 volts, more than that and it won't work.
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But all boat 12V systems have a voltage outside of that range when the batteries are charging. You said your chart plotter worked well for years. I'm no electronic whiz but electronic devices typically have circuitry which maintains the input power characteristics they need within some reasonable band of operation. It sounds to me like something has failed inside of your unit.
As I asked earlier, do other electronic devices on your boat such as your depth sounder still function normally?
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14-07-2019, 12:39
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Deep Bay, Vancouver Island
Boat: 1966 29' Gulf Island Sloop
Posts: 15
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Re: Standard Horizon chart plotter
Sorry, I missed your earlier question. Yes, the other devices, depth sounder and auto helm still work normally. I didn't know if there would be a built in voltage regulator or not but from what your saying I should be contacting Standard Horizon again and ask them that question. They were so convinced it was my alternator that they really didn't want to discuss the matter further.
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14-07-2019, 14:48
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: New Bern, NC
Boat: Shannon 43 Ketch
Posts: 246
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Re: Standard Horizon chart plotter
Yes I too believe 14.75 seems too much power. Most electronic devices are rated 11.2 to 15v. Maybe you're at that limit.
Also, you're cooking your batteries. I'd have that Regulator checked or dial it back.
My AGM s dont like more than 14.4 for max charging. I burned up a battery because of over voltage charging,. .
__________________
Smooth sailing and fresh warm breezes,
Tony & Lisa
sv Marite
'87 Shannon 43' Ketch
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14-07-2019, 17:31
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Deep Bay, Vancouver Island
Boat: 1966 29' Gulf Island Sloop
Posts: 15
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Re: Standard Horizon chart plotter
Thanks for all input. I am going to contact Standard Horizon again and ask if too much power may cause the problem. I will report their response back here.
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14-07-2019, 17:55
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Kingston Ont Canada
Boat: Looking for my next boat!
Posts: 3,101
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Re: Standard Horizon chart plotter
I had a similar problem with my autohelm once. All voltages looked fine when measured. It was a loose wire (or broken wire that doesn't look broken).
I suggest you follow the power line and check all connectors. Give em a good wiggle. It may be just the vibration of the engine that is causing the bad connection.
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14-07-2019, 17:58
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Deep Bay, Vancouver Island
Boat: 1966 29' Gulf Island Sloop
Posts: 15
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Re: Standard Horizon chart plotter
Thanks, will give that a try
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15-07-2019, 05:02
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Baltimore Harbor MD
Boat: Catalina 270, 27 ft
Posts: 75
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Re: Standard Horizon chart plotter
A lot of electronic equipment have over voltage sensors that can trigger from a very short spike in higher voltage. Your alternator may yet be the culprit. It could be outputting very short high voltage spikes that are not being caught by a voltmeter set on the AC scale. How exhaustive was the test at the alternator shop? Unless an oscilloscope or peak measuring AC volt meter is used, you won't see the spikes that your chartplotter may be seeing. Sorry for the geeky reply but rather than make yourself crazy it may pay to look at the voltmeter again or at least ask the shop how they tested it. If the shop guy does not have an electronics background he will not know how to address this question. I have had this exact same problem in the land mobile radio industry. Many radios (including former SH models) have this voltage sense feature. The only other thing I can think of would be a grounding issue at the alternator.
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