st4000 autohelm

[Mike]

The ST4000 autohelm (1993) tacks corrects only to port.  Switched wire connections on drive motor and then will tack to starboard. Has anyone ever had this problem and is there a fix?  Thanks to all for all the help and valuable info. over the past years.

[sail4dale]

yep  same deal .... haven't switched wires .   Raymarine hasn;t offered any solutions that work .... athey sayre calibrate the wind direction ???? as if that would help?

[Ken Juul]

This is supposition, could there be a logic circuit that won't let the boat tack if the wind is not correct?  If the auto pilot always thinks the wind is on the port side no need to tack to the right.

I've never had a wind sensor for my autopilot so don't have a clue what problems they can cause.

[Mike]

Ken:  The wind did start to act up first, that is I could never adjust the wind instrument to track correctly to the apparent wind.  Last summer I would get it set on one tack and then tack and it would be off.  This is all without the autopilot en.  How the wind got screwed up is beyond me.  I'm still on the hard now and adjusted the wind again today.  Each time I turn on the wind it is out of wack.  I think your possibly right about an internal logic cause.  If it is out of sink then the autopilot will not respond to changes in the boats course. When the autopilot use to work I could only set it to a compass setting.  Thanks for your input.   

[Jim Hardesty]

Guys,  Think that I said this in another post,  my st4000 works a bit better set to the wind function.   Just wanted to say that the st4000 will work with the wind.  It's nice to use sometimes...sometimes surprises...the wind here will change as much as 180.  Jim

[Roc]

A few years ago, I had a similar problem.  The motor would only turn in one direction and not the other.  I sent the display back to Raymarine, and they fixed it.  Forgot what the fee was, but it works fine now.  Call their product support and talk to them about your situation.

[Mike]

Thanks Roc.  I'll give them a call tomorrowl   Thanks for your input.  Mike