Raymarine autopilot losing configuration

[ptgray]

I have had a Raymarine X10 Corepack coupled with a rotary drive and ST6002 head on my sailboat for the past few years. It now keeps losing the configuration information. It seems that every time I go to use it, I have to, at a minimum, run through the Sea Trial swing compass routine. On a trip to Block Island last week, I lost the configuration twice in two days.

I use the autopilot relatively infrequently, generally only on "trips." It is on a separate breaker, and usually kept powered off.

Is there an internal battery that is used to save the setup info? I have looked in the Raymarine manuals and the FAQ's on their web site and can't find anything. I have spent half the day on hold with their tech support, but can't hang in there any more today.

Any idea??

Paul

[Mirari]

Raymarine when it comes to Autopilots are the worst. Not only do their products fail at a high rate but customer service is not the best. I frustrated myself with several Autohelm/Raymarine autopilots before seeing the light. The last one worked for a grand total of 6 days. I declined the offer of repair and instead returned it. I'm installing a Simrad below deck unit now and hope that will be a bit more dependable. Of course for the ultimate in dependability go for a wind vane!

[CaptainDan99]

I am not sure about the X10, but none of their earlier computers use internal batteries. The data is stored on an EEPROM chip. Make sure you exit any setup program according to instructions to save the changed data.

[Omatako]

Originally Posted by Mirari

Raymarine when it comes to Autopilots are the worst.

It is indeed interesting how different folks have different experiences.

I have an ST6002 and have sailed many 1000's of miles with it including ocean passages, I use it just about every time I go sailing and I have never had a single moment of trouble with it. In fact I believe it to be the most reliable piece of kit on my boat.

As it happens I have two friends that have done several ocean crossings each, also have ST6002s also use them almost every time they go sailing and we often discuss how good these things are.

Are you sure there isn't something else on your boat that is possibly going to cause a problem with whatever AP you install?

To answer the OP, I don't know whether there is an internal battery or not on the AP but I know that many times I have completely removed all form of electrical power from my boat (physically removed all batteries) for assorted reasons and I have only once had to re-programme the AP and that was when there was a problem with the location of the fluxgate when I originally bought the boat, caused by the previous owner/installer.

I had a serious charging problem once, got a huge voltage surge that blew other instruments out and the AP survived with no problem. And when the batteries are getting to the absolute end of their capacity, the last electrical device that stops working is the AP and even then it gives a warning that it is going to shut down.