I have an ST4000 autohelm.

I call it 'Marvin' after the character in 'Hitchhikers Guide' as it has
a brain the size of a planet, but doesn't work.

The fluxgate compass is under the steps into the cabin, well away from
metal.

When Control Head is switched on the display reads 331deg, regardless of
which way I am heading.

If I turn it to anywhere else, it will show the reading I select but
perform the same anticlockwise turn, gradually getting tighter and
tighter turn, with the helm hard over till I get fed up and turn it off.

Looking at the troubleshooting guide, I have tried to re-calibrate the
compass by putting it into calibrate mode and turning slowly 360deg thro
3 mins to no avail. Makes no difference.

I tried the 'setup' pages in the manual, but when I try to follow the
illustrations of what should be displayed, it doesn't match. Leaving me
confused.

Anyone help me out here? Does the ST4000 have issues? Google doesn't
help at all.

Any input will be gratefully received.

Molesworth

"Molesworth" wrote in message
...
I have an ST4000 autohelm.

I call it 'Marvin' after the character in 'Hitchhikers Guide' as it
has
a brain the size of a planet, but doesn't work.

The fluxgate compass is under the steps into the cabin, well away from
metal.

When Control Head is switched on the display reads 331deg, regardless
of
which way I am heading.

If I turn it to anywhere else, it will show the reading I select but
perform the same anticlockwise turn, gradually getting tighter and
tighter turn, with the helm hard over till I get fed up and turn it
off.

Looking at the troubleshooting guide, I have tried to re-calibrate the
compass by putting it into calibrate mode and turning slowly 360deg
thro
3 mins to no avail. Makes no difference.

I tried the 'setup' pages in the manual, but when I try to follow the
illustrations of what should be displayed, it doesn't match. Leaving
me
confused.

Anyone help me out here? Does the ST4000 have issues? Google doesn't
help at all.

Any input will be gratefully received.

Molesworth

Backwards. You got the friggin thing installed backwards. Maybe the
drive unit polarity is wrong. Maybe the EC is facing backwards instead
of forward.

Wilbur Hubbard

"Molesworth" wrote in message
...
I have an ST4000 autohelm.

I call it 'Marvin' after the character in 'Hitchhikers Guide' as it has
a brain the size of a planet, but doesn't work.

The fluxgate compass is under the steps into the cabin, well away from
metal.

When Control Head is switched on the display reads 331deg, regardless of
which way I am heading.

If I turn it to anywhere else, it will show the reading I select but
perform the same anticlockwise turn, gradually getting tighter and
tighter turn, with the helm hard over till I get fed up and turn it off.

Looking at the troubleshooting guide, I have tried to re-calibrate the
compass by putting it into calibrate mode and turning slowly 360deg thro
3 mins to no avail. Makes no difference.

I tried the 'setup' pages in the manual, but when I try to follow the
illustrations of what should be displayed, it doesn't match. Leaving me
confused.

Anyone help me out here? Does the ST4000 have issues? Google doesn't
help at all.

Any input will be gratefully received.

Molesworth


Is this a new or recently modified installation, or have you had it for a
while and now things are screwy?


--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

In article ,
"Capt. JG" wrote:

"Molesworth" wrote in message
...
I have an ST4000 autohelm.

I call it 'Marvin' after the character in 'Hitchhikers Guide' as it has
a brain the size of a planet, but doesn't work.

The fluxgate compass is under the steps into the cabin, well away from
metal.

When Control Head is switched on the display reads 331deg, regardless of
which way I am heading.

If I turn it to anywhere else, it will show the reading I select but
perform the same anticlockwise turn, gradually getting tighter and
tighter turn, with the helm hard over till I get fed up and turn it off.

Looking at the troubleshooting guide, I have tried to re-calibrate the
compass by putting it into calibrate mode and turning slowly 360deg thro
3 mins to no avail. Makes no difference.

I tried the 'setup' pages in the manual, but when I try to follow the
illustrations of what should be displayed, it doesn't match. Leaving me
confused.

Anyone help me out here? Does the ST4000 have issues? Google doesn't
help at all.

Any input will be gratefully received.

Molesworth


Is this a new or recently modified installation, or have you had it for a
while and now things are screwy?

Bought the boat about a month ago with it already installed. The boat
has been sitting for at least 6 months tho.

Molesworth

"Molesworth" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Capt. JG" wrote:

"Molesworth" wrote in message
...
I have an ST4000 autohelm.

I call it 'Marvin' after the character in 'Hitchhikers Guide' as it has
a brain the size of a planet, but doesn't work.

The fluxgate compass is under the steps into the cabin, well away from
metal.

When Control Head is switched on the display reads 331deg, regardless
of
which way I am heading.

If I turn it to anywhere else, it will show the reading I select but
perform the same anticlockwise turn, gradually getting tighter and
tighter turn, with the helm hard over till I get fed up and turn it
off.

Looking at the troubleshooting guide, I have tried to re-calibrate the
compass by putting it into calibrate mode and turning slowly 360deg
thro
3 mins to no avail. Makes no difference.

I tried the 'setup' pages in the manual, but when I try to follow the
illustrations of what should be displayed, it doesn't match. Leaving me
confused.

Anyone help me out here? Does the ST4000 have issues? Google doesn't
help at all.

Any input will be gratefully received.

Molesworth


Is this a new or recently modified installation, or have you had it for a
while and now things are screwy?

Bought the boat about a month ago with it already installed. The boat
has been sitting for at least 6 months tho.

Molesworth


Sound like it's defective, but you could try the other suggestions.


--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

Molesworth wrote:
I have an ST4000 autohelm.
When Control Head is switched on the display reads 331deg, regardless of
which way I am heading.

I had a similar problem develop with an ST-3000. Fortunately, it was
still under warranty, so I sent it back and they replaced the compass unit.

In article ,
Dan Best wrote:

Molesworth wrote:
I have an ST4000 autohelm.
When Control Head is switched on the display reads 331deg, regardless of
which way I am heading.

I had a similar problem develop with an ST-3000. Fortunately, it was
still under warranty, so I sent it back and they replaced the compass unit.

And there is no way to service it yrself? I have been told that it may
well be this item thats at fault.

Molesworth

....
When Control Head is switched on the display reads 331deg, regardless of
which way I am heading. ...

Try tapping it or moving it about somewhat vigorously. You need to
show it that you are in charge. Also the gimbals sometimes stick and
cause exactly the problem you are having.

-- Tom.

In article . com,
" wrote:

...
When Control Head is switched on the display reads 331deg, regardless of
which way I am heading. ...

Try tapping it or moving it about somewhat vigorously. You need to
show it that you are in charge. Also the gimbals sometimes stick and
cause exactly the problem you are having.

-- Tom.

There are gimbals in the control head?

Molesworth

On Fri, 23 Mar 2007 19:34:04 -0500, Molesworth
wrote:

In article . com,
" wrote:

...
When Control Head is switched on the display reads 331deg, regardless of
which way I am heading. ...

Try tapping it or moving it about somewhat vigorously. You need to
show it that you are in charge. Also the gimbals sometimes stick and
cause exactly the problem you are having.

-- Tom.

There are gimbals in the control head?

Molesworth

No, not in the control head, but in the fluxgate compass module.

When I first installed my autopilot, the fluxgate compass capsule
inside the housing had somehow got tangled up in the wiring so it was
held at a strange angle - gave _very_ peculiar readings.

I opened the compass housing and untangled things so that the compass
capsule was free to move - that fixed the problem.



--
Peter Bennett, VE7CEI
peterbb4 (at) interchange.ubc.ca
new newsgroup users info : http://vancouver-webpages.com/nnq
GPS and NMEA info: http://vancouver-webpages.com/peter
Vancouver Power Squadron: http://vancouver.powersquadron.ca