First, carefully check all your connections. Next, with the autopilot on, check the voltage at the control head.

Next check the fluxgate. Use an Ohm meter on low scale. Readings can be off +/1 one ohm

Red to Green
4 ohms
Measurement is taken between the two colors

Red to Yellow
4 ohms

Green to Yellow
8 ohms

Screen to Blue
8 ohms

All other combinations
Open Circuit

 

"Low battery" could be just that, a low battery. My VHF kept displaying low battery even after putting the charger on it over night it would still read "low battery" and the charger would read "CHARGED". I took the word of the VHF and replaced my 5 year old batteries and now the radio works fine.
Speaking of the CHARGER, guess what? There is something in that unit that totally screws with the fluxgate and puts the compass way off course and it affects the compass from almost anywhere on the boat, I have to take it off the boat and now I will have to go out and re-calibrate the fluxgate.
Oh yea, I have the RayMarine ST4000 MKII+ and it still works fine so I don't want to replace mine either. Have you tried locking the clutch lever into place, the one on the steering wheel disc? That will engage, dis-engage the the autoplilot lock. If that is not the problem search around your boat for some electrical appliance or cable that might be affecting the compass. The ST4000+ was and still is a solid product and you would be better off if you could trouble shoot the problem and keep it.

 

I have the same autopilot since many years and same problems today I am supposed to work on it this WE so will let you know
But for sure Low bat is Low bat The fact that you keep engine running means nothing If the battery is dead/ dead it will act as a buffer
Try connecting autopilot to start battery and see if there is a difference ?
Check all your wires In some case Low battery could also mean "Not receiving enough juice "

 

The low battery error message can also be caused by problems in the control head and be unrelated to the battery condition.

 

So mine was really acting
From low battery to no data I believe I got every message possible!

I bought a spray can of electronic cleaning stuff at Radio shack, unplugged and cleaned every coonector, at the head, the drive and the battery Even some of the glass fuse had condensation inside

Looks like it is working well now !

 

I got the "low battery" reading as well. I had the Raymarine repair guy on my boat. He took all sorts of readings checked my connections and called Raymarine. They said the unit has issues and could be sent in for repair but they could not guarentee they still even had parts. They offered a reconditioned one or a new model at a discount. I'm waiting for prices.

This unit and issue has come up on a nimber of blogs I've read. Ths consensus is to replace it. The new unit comes in two parts and is supposed to be better built since they did not try to cram all the necessary stuff into that 1 small box.

 

Timely Question

My ST4000+ Autopilot Control is also giving me "Low Battery" on the Head Unit Display and not driving the Motor to the Wheel Mount.

Here are my symptoms:

1) Unit On in "STANDBY" mode never reads "Low Battery"
2) When Engaging "AUTO" mode, "Low Battery" comes on in 15 to 30 seconds after the "AUTO" mode is switched on.
3) Pressing "STANDBY", While "Low Battery" is showing, clears the "Low Battery" message and puts "STANDBY" back on display.
4) In the short time after I push "AUTO" and then +10 several times to change heading, drive motor does not spin. Tested motor with 9V and it spins well.
5) Pulled off connecteor to head unit from both drive and power, inspected, and then reinstalled. Minimal corrosion seen.

Did not test voltage to unit from battery because VOM wasn't working (dead battery).

Unit worked well last year and then quit about halfway through season.

I will look at the resistance measurements given by CaptainDan 99 next, but I am frustrated that I can't get this thing working. IF I have to replace the head, can I do so without a new flux gate and wheel drive?

Thanks.

DrB

 

Low Battery?

Since you are getting the "low Battery" only in "AUTO" I suggest getting your meter working and testing the voltage at the control head when in auto. I believe that it will not show Low Voltage until the voltage gets well below 12 volts.

I may be able to help with a repair or replacement head if needed and yes, if you replace the head, you can use your present drive and fluxgate if they are OK.

You may also want to check the amp draw on your motor.

 

DrB,
I am having the same exact problem as you, the thing worked in January for the seatrail so I believe the unit is probably ok but who knows. I have undone all connections, lubed everything with wd-40 and insures the connections were tight. I've replicated the problem sitting at dock connected to shore power, while motoring, and on batteries. Will go over connections once again and clean spade connections with with a chemical cleaner. Keeping my fingers crossed..
MJ

 

Sad to say I also am dealing with this same exact problem. Looking to check all the wiring next. New boat to me. The former owner says it definitely worked. It had been sitting on the hard for the last two seasons. So........:hammer

 

Follow-Up. I think mine is Kaput

So as a follow-up, I got my VOM fixed with a new battery. Tested the volts to the motor while my wife pressed +/- 10 deg on the course while in AUTO mode on the control. I got intermittent 0 to 2 V, more times 0 than 2. Power to unit is 12V. Unless the conductivity of the wire from the control head to the motor is intermittent, I think the unit is done.

So it is off to find a new control head unless someone has any other ideas.

DrB

 

Re: Follow-Up. I think mine is Kaput

​

So as a follow-up, I got my VOM fixed with a new battery. Tested the volts to the motor while my wife pressed +/- 10 deg on the course while in AUTO mode on the control. I got intermittent 0 to 2 V, more times 0 than 2. Power to unit is 12V. Unless the conductivity of the wire from the control head to the motor is intermittent, I think the unit is done.

So it is off to find a new control head unless someone has any other ideas.

DrB

OK, i know this is an old post, but let me put something straight. The ST4000+ outputs pulses to the motor. A simple voltmeter will not give you correct reading on that, and you will probably see something around 2V.

Since I was just repairing a faulty control head I got for a couple of buck on ebay, I found a thing, which might be a design problem. If the brass studs are screwed in to hard to the instrument, the case will crack and water can ingress from the behind. This particular instrument got a couple of drops of salty water just next to some of the analogue circuitry (that is where the screw is), which is even more sensitive to stray currents caused by the water. I soaked the circuit board in distilled water, then in isopropyl alcohol, dried it, patched the solder mask on the circuit board and epoxy'd the crack on the case, and now I have a working instrument

It is fairly easy to disassemble a ST4000+, worth checking for water ingress.

 

I came across this thread via a google search. My ST4000 has the exact symptoms as listed in DrB's thread. Was there a solution?

 

Leegauge,

I called Raymarine and the told me to send the unit in and they would test and evaluate. If it was fixable, they would tell me how much and if I authorized it, fix. It turned out that my CPU board was shot.

The replaced and charged me $275. They had it turned around in under 4 days. However, I live pretty close to their service center in New Hampshire.

CaptainDan99 I believe also can fix these things, and may be able to do it at a lower cost, but since Raymarine is so close, I gave them first shot. You could PM CaptainDan99 and see what his cost would be if you had to replace the CPU board. $275 included the shipping back to me also.

DrB

 

Leegauge

If you have checked the 12 volt supply at the head and it is OK, the "Low Batt" message is the result of a problem inside the control head. It is usually caused by a component that has shorted somewhere on the circuit board and is not caused by one specific problem. I repair autopilots and can probably fix it. You can contact me through Sailnet.

CD

 

Seems as tho that unit was not the best. HERE is another thread at another forum about someone with some issues and an ST4000+ unit. Along with how he fixed it. Not saying any of the above peoples problem is equal, just another person with issues.

marty

 

Please forgive my ignorance, people, but although mechanically minded ( I have just installed a new diesel engine in my sailboat - 35 ft Bruce Roberts), I am a complete beginner when it comes to Autohelm ST4000, which came with the boat and was probably installed over 15 years ago. To start with, when the engaging lever is up and I press +10 or - 10 on the control panel, the motor whirrs but the wheel doesn't turn at all, and certainly not the required 10 degrees + or -. This I take to mean that there is a clutch or a belt slipping inside the unit. Any tips before I start to take this thing apart to find the problem? Are there still parts available?....many thanks for your patience people.

 

Ashley,
Welcome to sailnet. The ST 4000 is no longer manufactured or supported by Raymarine. Look through this thread and you will see that member CaptainDan99 repairs these units and he may have parts as well if you contact him.

As for your question about operation, the clutch lever should be in the DOWN position (I am assuming you have a wheel pilot) and all tension off the wheel lock. In this configuration pushing the + or - 10 should cause the wheel to turn. It won't turn much and it may move in small jerking motions, that is normal. If yo still get the whirring and no movement when the lever is locked down then you probably have a broken gear or belt inside the wheel drive unit. Remove your wheel and there are a few screws on the back of the wheel pilot that allow it to separate into two halves.

Good luck and et us know what you find.

 

Thank you Silvio. Well I have got the wheel off, and in fact the motor with it. BUT, don't laugh, there don't seem to be any screws at the back holding the two parts togther! It looks like it could be a push fit to me, do the two halves maybe pop apart? I can see the shredded remains of what looks like a belt through the gap. I don't want to break the unit by forcing it so do you know if some models just pop apart under pressure?

Many thanks.

Ashley

 

Here is a picture of the wheel assembly. The same screws that mount the wheel pilot to your steering wheel may be what holds it together.

Wheelilot | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

The two halves snap together. No bolts or screws. Use several large screwdrivers a few inches apart and twist the screwdrivers. The two halves should pop apart. If the belt is shreaded, carefully check the pinion gear that drives the belt. The wires inside the belt can cut into the gear and ruin it. Early gears were plastic and often crack.

 

Hey CaptainDan99, I was hoping you would jump in here.
Thanks!

 

Hallo again Silvio,

Here is the thing. The ring popped open under pressure, as I suspected, with the ring held in place by the groove in which the satellite rollers run within the unit. However, the problem is that on three of the rollers, the plastic lug around which they spin has broken off from the body. And there is also a roller missing. The toothed belt is also worn out and shredded, as I suspected. I am wondering whether it would be possible to repair the broken lugs locally by drilling in through the back of the unit and bolting a new lug (one made to fit) through from the back, plus I could get another roller made out of nylon, I think, - the local lathe operators in Brazil are quite resourceful. THe problem will be the toothed belt, as to find one in the local market will be very difficult if not impossible.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

Ashley

 

The belts are available on Ebay. Search ebay for " autohelm belt".

The part number is D169.

 

Hi Captain Dan,

Access to sailnet appears to have been blocked here in Brazil over the last month...God knows why. Did you ever reply to my last post? I have come to the conclusion that I can repair the broken rollers by fixng bolts through the back of the plastic ring and make a new roller out of nylon....but the problem is finding a new toothed belt...do you have any for sale?

Thanks, Ashley

ashley dot huggins at terra dot com dot br

 

I have belts and pinion gears, but I am sailing in MX.

Try EBay, search "autohelm belt"

 

What about pinion gears for the RS-555SH Motor in the tiller drive?

 

What model tiller?

 

The gear (14 teeth) that presses on the Q114 Motor spindle of the Z327 Tiller Autopilot in the ST4000+ system.

I have the old gear from the old motor + a new Mabuchi RS-555SH motor. However, the old gear appears worn and freely spins on the shaft of the new motor. I'm looking into possible new gear sources before trying to fix the old gear to the new motor and possibly ruin both.

Raymarine Dealer quotes Q114 motor for about $100.00. I've heard that it's possible that newer Q114 parts come with 19T gear instead of 14T. Dealer wasn't able to confirm which. In any case, for that price I will junk the ST4000+ and look into a new ST2000.

Some of the RC model gears look like promising substitutes and inexpensive enough to experiment with. The gear appears to be similiar to 3.17 mm shaft, 0.5 Modulus, 14T brass. But do you have access to the correct gear?

Thanks.