[C320-list] ST 4000 autohelm problem

[Bill MacRae]

Several years ago I had a problem similar to yours.  In the beginning of the season, I turned the autopilot on but it did not do the self check and didn't work.  I believe the display had the word "WHEEL" in your case it is GPS.  I took the motor apart and found that the end cap at the end of the motor where the plug goes in, twisted in the motor housing and had 2 bare wires touching each other.  I reassembled with the wires not touching and it worked fine.  If I recall correctly, the end cap is not captive to prevent it from spinning and it can easily turn when you put the plug in and twist it counter clockwise to lock the plug.  You can easily check this by holding the motor housing and turn the end cap clockwise (looking at the motor end) a little to separate the wires and turn the power on and if that was the problem it would do the self test.
 
Bill
 
 
 
 
> From: qmurphy at sympatico.ca> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com> Date: Thu, 22 May 2008 09:01:14 -0400> Subject: Re: [C320-list] ST 4000 autohelm problem> > Monte,> > Thanks for your reply. This explains why the Auto Helm works when either> breaker is turned on. As you noted, the "Autopilot" breaker is the one> connected directly to the power (+ & -)plug-in socket on the back of the> auto helm instrument while the other breaker is indeed connected to the Sea> talk bus which connects all the instruments. I presume the labels for the> breakers are the same for our model of boat as specified by Catalina (maybe> with slight changes over the years of production).> > 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 Monte B.> Sent: May 21, 2008 10:06 PM> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com> Subject: Re: [C320-list] ST 4000 autohelm problem> > > 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> >>> >>> >>> >> --> >> No virus found in this incoming message.> >> Checked by AVG.> >> Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.23.21/1456 - Release Date:> >> 5/20/2008 6:45 AM> >>> >>> >> >> 
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