[C320-list] ST 4000 autohelm problem

[Monte B.]

Quentin'

On my boat the stepper motor or drive motor or however you wish to term is
powered off a breaker labeled autopilot. If I don't turn on this
breaker/switch the autopilot will function normally until a large rudder
command is initiated and then the motor will stop. The seatalk will power
the motor till it runs out of amps and will then shut down. The drive motor
is designed to be on a separate power source for the amperage draw. I
ordered my boat with the ST4000+ and guess that the installer labeled the
breaker but the essence is the drive motor should have its own power source.

Monte
Laima #620

-----Original Message-----
From: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
[mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Quentin Murphy
Sent: Wednesday, May 21, 2008 10:40 AM
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] ST 4000 autohelm problem

I just completed running wires down the pedestal through the starboard guard
for a GPS antenna, remote mike and nema connections.  I noticed a twelve
gauge dedicated cable to power the auto-helm that was separate to that to
power the rest of the instruments (which goes to one of the "Ray Talk"
three-pin connectors).  One cable goes to a breaker labelled something like
"Instruments" and the other goes to a breaker labelled "Auto Helm".  I
presume this second breaker is the one you're referring as a "new circuit
breaker".  Or do you have two breakers for the instruments so the
instruments are fed both ways (as Ray Marine recommends for boats with more
than five instruments) and another breaker again to power the step motor?

Quentin Murphy
Celtic Knot #667


-----Original Message-----
From: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
[mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com]On Behalf Of
crashley at gte.net
Sent: May 20, 2008 9:51 PM
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] ST 4000 autohelm problem


Same here. I ran a separate power feed from a new circuit breaker.

CRA
Rosebud #882

----- Original Message -----
From: "Kirk McCullough" <kirk.mccullough at telus.net>
To: <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 20, 2008 9:34 AM
Subject: Re: [C320-list] ST 4000 autohelm problem


> When I installed my ST4000+ a number of years ago, I ran a dedicated power
> line from the electrical panel, and installed a breaker dedicated to the
> AP in the panel. I used 12 GA wire.
>
> Kirk
>
> #!24
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Bruce Heyman" <bruceheyman at cox.net>
> To: <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
> Sent: Monday, May 19, 2008 6:51 AM
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] ST 4000 autohelm problem
>
>
>> The stepper motor that they use for the Auto helm draws a lot of current.
>> Depending on the quality of your connections and the dimension of your
>> wires
>> this will cause a voltage drop.  Once you get down to about 10 volts most
>> GPS I've seen will reset.  Same with the instruments.  I'm pretty sure
>> that
>> the manual recommends an isolated 12v feed for the motor.
>> Put a DVM on the 12v feeding the GPS and watch what happens when you
>> switch
>> on the auto helm and the stepper motor turns on.
>> Bruce
>> Somerset #671 SoCal
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
>> [mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Gene
>> Musante
>> Sent: Saturday, May 17, 2008 4:05 AM
>> To: Catalina, 320 intl
>> Subject: [C320-list] ST 4000 autohelm problem
>>
>> Hi,
>>
>> I mounted up my boat's wheel for the season and connected the servo motor
>> to
>> it's electrical connection on the pedistal.  When I switched the power
>> on,
>> my power kept switching off and on at about a 1 second frequency on the
>> autohelm display and my tri-data display.  My GPS, which is connected to
>> the
>> same power feed was having the same problem.  I disconnected the servo
>> motor
>> electrical connector, and the power came on and stayed on.
>>
>> My hunch is that the servo motor may be defective, but it was working
>> fine
>> in the fall before I dismounted the wheel, which I store inside the boat.
>> I
>> am going to dismount the wheel and re-assemble the whole works to see if
>> this could have been caused by a mechanical problem.  I forgot that the
>> wheel lock was on when I first switched on the power which may have
>> caused
>> the problem initially.
>>
>> Has anybody seen this problem on their boat?Gene Musante  617-755-0680
>> gmusante at msn.comAFFINITY Hull #68
>>
>>
>>
>> --
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>>
>
>