[C320-list] ST 4000 autohelm problem

[crashley at gte.net]

Quentin,

I believe that the "new" breaker was for the high current connection to the 
ST4000 only. I'm not sure, but the readout might be powered by the Seatalk 
connector along with the other instruments that are connected to a separate 
"Nav Instruments" breaker. I don't think I've ever just turned that one on 
by itself to see if the ST4000 readout comes on.

CRA
#882

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Quentin Murphy" <qmurphy at sympatico.ca>
To: <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
Sent: Wednesday, May 21, 2008 8:40 AM
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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>>> 5/20/2008 6:45 AM
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>