Hi All,

I have a Raytheon Autohelm 1000 which came with the boat. I installed it but I am not getting any response from the unit. Tested it in both polarities and the cabling is getting a circuit into the unit so I am thinking the board has failed. Can these units be repaired and if so can anyone recommend a repairer in Sydney..... or is it a case of replacing it completely?

Until then, grandma is my autohelm and she is happy enough but when we are beating into it the helm can get tiring.

Cheers

Autohelm 1000:


Autohelm 1945:

It's possible that the main PCB has failed, but the most likely cause is a connection or cable fault. Have you opened it up to confirm power is getting to the PCB? If the PCB is gone, forget about repair - I priced a board for an ST2000+ and it came to not much less than a new unit shipped from the USA.

Cheers, Graeme

Fair chance it's knackered, none are particularly water proof ?? stick with the auto helm 1945

I had one fail also and as I was cruising I just replaced it.

But an electronic wizz mate of mine fixed it when I returned home. Seems one capacitor had failed [cost $3.50] which was not the problem but the replacement of it was as the thing had been soldered together with hot air and the wiring was very fine. It took him over a day to repair which at commercial costs you might as well buy yourself a new one.

Yep so it looks like replacement is the better option. Particularly since I don't know where I would get it fixed and its age means something else could fail the next day. Better to get a new one and get the mileage from it.

Thanks gents.

Any feedback on which is the better tiller pilot?
Seems to be only two available, Simrad and Raymarine/Raytheon.

There have been a few threads that addressed the pro's and cons of each. I currently own and have done repairs to both, happy to chat if you pm me.

Cheers, Graeme

There is another brand that looks way better and not a lot more expensive, look up pelagic autopilots

stick with the 1945 model ....... this one will keep both you and the boat on the straight and narrow !!

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vSandS said..
stick with the 1945 model ....... this one will keep both you and the boat on the straight and narrow !!

Nothing beats hydrolic and a remote wireless control. I remember a passage across bass strait on my last yacht trying to replace worn plastic cogs on my st4000 !

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SandS said..
stick with the 1945 model ....... this one will keep both you and the boat on the straight and narrow !!

Yeah but then I get stuck making the coffees.....

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troubadour said..
Any feedback on which is the better tiller pilot?
Seems to be only two available, Simrad and Raymarine/Raytheon.

I think I will just get this one. One special at WW at the moment. I am a lazy shopper.

www.whitworths.com.au/catalog/product/view/id/581/

There are two simrad Tp (22 and 32) autopilots for sale on gumtree right now

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Bushdog said..
And buy or make one of these:
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Raymarine-ST1000-ST2000-and-Simrad-TP10-TP22-TP32-Tiller-Pilot-Weather-Covers/143003207043?hash=item214ba7c583:g:97UAAOSw5dNWllWg

Ok I would have thought a tiller pilot would have been weatherproof?

I wonder if the remote control (wired) from my old unit will plug into the new one.....

Looking at the specs it makes sense to get a ST1000 since the fittings and distances are the same as the old one.

Thanks for the feedback on the TP's. I agree the best auto pilot is the human one but there are times when single handing that it would be awesome to have a helper!! No one else to make the brews when single handed.

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FelixdeCat said..

Bushdog said..
And buy or make one of these:
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Raymarine-ST1000-ST2000-and-Simrad-TP10-TP22-TP32-Tiller-Pilot-Weather-Covers/143003207043?hash=item214ba7c583:g:97UAAOSw5dNWllWg

Ok I would have thought a tiller pilot would have been weatherproof?

I wonder if the remote control (wired) from my old unit will plug into the new one.....

Looking at the specs it makes sense to get a ST1000 since the fittings and distances are the same as the old one.

The ST1000+, ST2000+ and the Simrad TP's all fit the same fittings and are "drop-in" replacements except for the electrical connections.

The ST's plugs are the same. The TP22 and 32 are the same, the TP12 is unique..

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FelixdeCat said..

Bushdog said..
And buy or make one of these:
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Raymarine-ST1000-ST2000-and-Simrad-TP10-TP22-TP32-Tiller-Pilot-Weather-Covers/143003207043?hash=item214ba7c583:g:97UAAOSw5dNWllWg

Ok I would have thought a tiller pilot would have been weatherproof?

I wonder if the remote control (wired) from my old unit will plug into the new one.....

Looking at the specs it makes sense to get a ST1000 since the fittings and distances are the same as the old one.

Felix, a while ago someone on the forum said that rain gets into the unit through the pushrod opening.
I think they solved the problem by encasing the unit in a plastic bag. So Bushdog has the right idea.

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samsturdy said..

FelixdeCat said..

Bushdog said..
And buy or make one of these:
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Raymarine-ST1000-ST2000-and-Simrad-TP10-TP22-TP32-Tiller-Pilot-Weather-Covers/143003207043?hash=item214ba7c583:g:97UAAOSw5dNWllWg

Ok I would have thought a tiller pilot would have been weatherproof?

I wonder if the remote control (wired) from my old unit will plug into the new one.....

Looking at the specs it makes sense to get a ST1000 since the fittings and distances are the same as the old one.

Felix, a while ago someone on the forum said that rain gets into the unit through the pushrod opening.
I think they solved the problem by encasing the unit in a plastic bag. So Bushdog has the right idea.

Cool. I will order one of those covers then. I am getting a bit tired of making everything from scratch :)

Select to expand quote

FelixdeCat said..

samsturdy said..

FelixdeCat said..

Bushdog said..
And buy or make one of these:
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Raymarine-ST1000-ST2000-and-Simrad-TP10-TP22-TP32-Tiller-Pilot-Weather-Covers/143003207043?hash=item214ba7c583:g:97UAAOSw5dNWllWg

Ok I would have thought a tiller pilot would have been weatherproof?

I wonder if the remote control (wired) from my old unit will plug into the new one.....

Looking at the specs it makes sense to get a ST1000 since the fittings and distances are the same as the old one.

Felix, a while ago someone on the forum said that rain gets into the unit through the pushrod opening.
I think they solved the problem by encasing the unit in a plastic bag. So Bushdog has the right idea.

Cool. I will order one of those covers then. I am getting a bit tired of making everything from scratch :)

I think the idea is that when the pushrod is pulled back into the unit it does'nt take the rain drops in with it so whoever
the forum member was taped the plastic bag opening onto the end of the pushrod to keep it dry and as the rod went in
and out it concerteenered ? the bag with it. Make sense ???.