Testing speed and wind instrument connections

[pbyrne]

I dried out the speed transducer for a month in the hull, and replaced the outter o-ring which had cracked, and reinstalled all on the hard; cleaned the heck out of it too.  Should be no water in the transducer area.  From what I understand the transducer can be removed in the water, cleaned and replaced, so getting wet is part of the design.  I had it working intermittently yesterday showing 5-6 knots.  Nothing most of the time and at low speeds.

Didn't have a problem last year with the wind instruments but MIA yesterday for apparent wind. 

The mast comes down every year, instruments are removed and stored in boat for winter, and this year due to a leaking pedestal guard, I disassembled the wiring for the pedestal (in aft berth), cleaned with brass brush, contact cleaner and applied Boeshield T9.

Masthead wind instrument connection, mast base, and the afore mentioned pedestal connections below in aft berth were all brass brushed (as possible), contact cleaned, and T9'd.

Any ideas where the issue might be?  I can't check the mast base, no access port, and no way to drop the mast.

What I can do is put a meter on the wiring and see what it shows, but I could use some guidance on what's what and what to look for in the wiring.

I'm ready to evaluate a wireless solution and replace the lot! :)

[mregan]

Give
DMImarine.com a call.  774-213-9744.  They refurbish the original Datamarine units and should be able to point you in the right direction. 

[KWKloeber]

I believe that the SR Mariner instruments had very similar troubleshooting (maybe some values are different) -- so if it's any help to you to look thru the wind speed (AWS) and knot/log meter (DK) manuals they are on the website.
https://srinstruments.com/manuals#mariner_manuals   

[Ron Hill]

pby : I've always had good luck in lubing electrical connections with Radio Shack "Control/Contact Cleaner & Lubricant" (the old turner cleaner).

You didn't say the brand of your instruments ??   Unless the wireless (especially British) have gotten MUCH more reliable, I'd stick with wired instruments!

A few thoughts

[tonywright]

Hi Peter

Hope you got your instruments working, but a couple of thoughts:

The paddlewheel for the boat speed can easily get fouled. This will cause it to stop turning at low speeds as you describe. When you do not have that instrument, the Raymarine system will not show true windspeed or direction, but should show apparent.  If you are not getting any reading, check to see if the anemometer is turning. The spiders at our club love to build webs up there.  A good windspeed is needed to fix that problem.

Glad to have a chat next time we meet at the club...I have a couple of other ideas.
Tony

[captran]

Today when we left a dock the knot meter was reading zero.  I stopped and backed it up a half knot and it started working fine.   seems like that is a frequent problem, even when underway sometimes I pick something up.  As to wind speed, I had a weird experience today.  Been working fine the past several weeks and today started her up and as I pulled away the wind speed AND autopilot both appeared they had no power, not registering anything.  (my boat is 3 years older than yours).  Sailed to Anacortes and started to make some calls, but in the mean time took some readings at the bus bar that attached my mast lighting and wind speed.  the cabling coming from the mast is blue and red and the cabling to the instrument is green and red... The reds "in" and "out" are on the 5th bus bar screws, and the 6th bus bar has the blue "in" (from the mast) on the top and the green out on the bottom.  When I put them on the multi meter the number 5 (red-red) read a steady 6.2.  The other seemed to vary from .8 to 2.0 depending on wind speed.  After checking a few cables under the pedestal just happen to glance at the wind speed and autopilot.  Both were on and working.  I have no idea why. I checked the in out screws on the bus bar and they were totally tight. and unfortunately didn't look at the wind speed until all done with all my fiddling, so no clue as to why mine started working.