[C320-list] Raymarine Autopilot failure

[Chris Burti]

Give Raymarine tech support a chance, they do a super
job. E-mail them but include your telephone number. 

They can tell you where the most likely cause is.

I had a lightning strike and they went through a
logical procees of elimination to help me try to avoid
unnecessary expense.

All my instruments were turned around in under a week
and repairs are $199 each including shipping and
replacement if required.

cb

--- Ben Waltuck <benw at sun.com> wrote:

> The autopilot is one of my favorite toys on the boat
> since it allows me 
> to move around and play with my other toys on the
> boat.
> (raymarine st6000 wheel drive)
> I was out for a sail this morning, and my autopilot
> will not turn to the 
> right.
> I can engage the unit, and it will make steering
> corrections to the 
> left, but never turns the wheel back clockwise, so I
> eventually get far 
> enough off course that it alarms.
> Given that it does turn left and is aware of going
> off-course, it seems 
> that the control unit is good and the drive unit is
> bad.
> 
> Do the drive motors have a limited lifespan?  I ask
> because West Marine 
> sells a replacement motor drive:
>
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product/10001/-1/10001/68043/10001/734/628/3
> Has anyone else had their motor burn out, and did it
> burn out in one 
> direction only?
> Is this the kind of thing worth sending to raymarine
> for out-of-warranty 
> repair?  A new drive unit is $500, so replacing it
> wouldn't be the end 
> of the world, and I'd rather not be without the unit
> for several weeks 
> while they fix it..
> 
> What's most puzzling to me is that there are 2 wires
> that connect to the 
> motor drive unit on the wheel.. so I assume that
> it's just reverse 
> polarity to turn different directions.  Based on
> that assumption, it 
> makes no sense to me how a motor can function in
> direction but not the 
> other.
> With the power to the unit off, I can engage the
> unit and spin it both 
> ways against the friction of the motor.. so I think
> I've ruled out a 
> mechanical blockage.
> 
> Has anyone had the drive unit fail on their
> autopilot, and did it fail 
> in only one direction?
> 
> I did get the "low batt" error message once when I
> was far off course, 
> so I'm wondering if that means that it was "trying"
> to turn right..
> 
> Any advice would be greatly appreciated..
> 
> Thanks
> 
> 


Chris Burti
"Commitment"
Catalina 320, #867, 
Farmville, NC

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