Tacktick T120 - Wind direction problems

[R Camilleri]

I have a Tacktick T120 wind speed and direction transducer. The transducer is only showing two direction (13 o to starboard and 167 o degrees to port) when I rotate the wind vane through 360o. The 13o is probably the calibration offset due to the set-up on the mast. Therefore, currently I can only read apparent wind speed as the true wind speed requires the apparent wind direction (and boat speed) to be calculated correctly.

It could be that one of the hall-effect sensors on the wind direction board is not working properly or some corrosion on the circuit board. I already contacted the local raymarine agents but they said they raymarine no longer stocks the older tacktick pcb and the ones for the newer raymarine wireless models do not fit the older T120. The only option they gave is to replace the whole unit for about 500 Euro!

Any idea if it would be possible to repair the pcb or whether you know of any tacktick agents which may have some old T120 pcb still in stock? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[first.contact]

I had the same problem. There is a software fix. Send the unit back to Raymarine. I'm waiting for mine to come back fixed. I'll let you know how I go :/

[Mike OReilly]

Same problem here. Did Raymarine tell you to send it to them for the software fix?


Why go fast, when you can go slow

[first.contact]

Yes Mike ... I had to package it up and send it back.

This is the second unit from the same box that has had to be sent back within weeks of installation. The first problem was a dodgy display (characters missing) and now this.

So far Raymarine have fixed the issues, but I installed this in August and I'm still sitting against the dock waiting for the products to be fixed and returned to me ... rather than floating around the Whitsundays.

I'm still waiting for the MHU to come back ... two weeks now since I sent it in for "a quick software update."

[Mike OReilly]

Thanks First, although I'm a bit doubtful our issue is software related. Doesn't make sense that it would suddenly go on e fritz like this after over a decade of use. I suspect the directional transducer is screwed.

On ours the speed works (although the rotating cups seize up every once in a while ... probably deteriorating bearings). It's just the directional sensor that shows either one direction or another.


Why go fast, when you can go slow

[GILow]

Not sure if it is a similar problem but our st60 is doing something similar. It only shows wind directions coming from the starboard arc. I connected up the multimeter to the wires from the mast sender and they were sending readings consistent with a failed Hall effect sensor.

The point being it is a pretty simple set of readings to take (at least on the st60+) if you have a multimeter on hand.

Of course I still have to get up there and fix/replace the darn thing. I sure miss it.

Matt


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[GILow]

BTW I did find a uk eBay seller with the pcb for the st60 sender going quite cheap but the Hall effect sensor was a pretty common chip (Philips from memory) so I am hoping to replace it directly.

Matt


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[first.contact]

Success. The T120 has returned from Raymarine with an update to the software and now it points to the wind accurately around 360 degrees - no need for calibration, so for me it's been a happy outcome.