Faulty ST60 Wind Instrument

[MarkTheBike]

If anyone has a spare ST60 wind dial unit, perhaps after an upgrade, I would be interested in purchasing it. I'm too embarrassed to explain what I've done to mine but it isn't working any more. I'm in the Plymouth area. If you have one, let me know how much you want for it and I'll collect if local or cover postage.

[tiger79]

There's one on eBay now - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/raymarine-st60-Wind-Display-Unit-/142111391095

[Nigel]

They normally got for just over £100 on eBay.

Come on, what did you do?

[MarkTheBike]

Come on, what did you do?

You really want to know?

Ok, a couple of weeks ago I had the standing rigging replaced so mast was unstepped (electrics disconnected by me, no problem, lots of photos beforehand). The guys removed the masthead stalk as part of the unstepping and so that I could WD40 the bearings (done that before, works well). All done, mast restepped and the stalk replaced. Couldn't rewire for a week or so but managed it a couple of days ago. All lights work ok and all instruments, except for the dear old Windyometer, which was showing 2 dashes in the window so it was alive but not getting a signal. First thought was stalk not fitted correctly but quite honestly, it's foolproof(ish?). I had the installation user guide, which gives colours but not voltages or which wire does what (details below for info). Anyway, I had a digimeter so, set to 20v DC, I tested Red/Shield - steady 7.45v. Should it be 7.45v or 12v? I didn't know, and should have stopped there until I'd found out but no... I carried on. Next tried Red/Blue (neutral, right? No, as it turns out...). I watched the voltage drop over a couple of seconds from 7.45v to about 0.8v. It didn't click at the time but that was probably the feed circuit burning out. Couldn't get anything to give 7.45 after that so went home to see what I should have done. Back yesterday with all the info and tested all the instrument head units. SeaTalk was a steady 12.5v DC as expected but the Red at the back of the Wind Head unit only gives about 0.8v. It should be 8v so I'd say it's blown. Wind also doesn't show up in the ST60 Multi either, which I assume means that it's not SeaTalking any more.

Why am I embarrassed? I know everyone makes mistakes but last year I worked out and rewired all the instruments, etc. with the correct gauge, tinned wire (replacing Opal Marine's absolute crap installation), and it all worked first time so this amateurish mistake is a slap in the face with a wet haddock. And we're off on a cruise next week.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

FYI: ST60 Wind

  Red:     +8v DC, main feed to masthead stalk.
  Shield:  common return
  Blue:    2v - 6v, port side directional element
  Green:  2v - 6v, stbd side directional element
  Yellow:  0v - 5v, wind speed, greater voltage = higher speed

[Nigel]

I've played around with these a bit, happy to take a look for you if you like.

[MarkTheBike]

I've played around with these a bit, happy to take a look for you if you like.

That is a very kind offer, Nigel. I've got to call the local Raymarine fixer-upper in Plymouth back tomorrow but if he sucks air through his teeth, I'll be back to you like a rocket. Obviously, I'd much rather get it fixed than have to buy a replacement although thanks, Tiger, for spotting the one on fleabay. At least they're out there and available if necessary.

Cheers

[Salty]

Thanks for the info in reply no 3 Mark, I need to check my windy omelet (b....... spellchecker!!) I meant windyometer, as it too is not working. I've been managing with a hand held meter, £17 off eBay, and it works ok, just not as convenient and only reads at hand held height so not quite as relevant as the one on top of the mast. Thanks again.

[MarkTheBike]

 

[MarkTheBike]

Raymarine dealer says the ST60 series is not longer supported (ST60+ is ok) so they won't look at it. Damn.

Nigel, PM sent.

[MarkTheBike]

I've been managing with a hand held meter, £17 off eBay, and it works ok, just not as convenient and only reads at hand held height so not quite as relevant as the one on top of the mast.

Hoick it up the signals halyard and use the binoculars... 

[Salty]

I've been managing with a hand held meter, £17 off eBay, and it works ok, just not as convenient and only reads at hand held height so not quite as relevant as the one on top of the mast.

Hoick it up the signals halyard and use the binoculars... 

During a long seafaring career I learned to judge the wind speed by the sea conditions. Ok it wasn't down to the nearest knot or three or four, but I think I'll keep the portable "windyometer" to hand rather than risk seventeen quids worth of precision(ish) instrument up some halyard. And I doubt if I could see it that far away anyway, even with the help of binoculars 👮

[MarkTheBike]

As a matter of interest, Salty, one of those would be a helpful addition to the unplumbed depths of the chart table. Is yours OK, and are they still available?

[Salty]

As a matter of interest, Salty, one of those would be a helpful addition to the unplumbed depths of the chart table. Is yours OK, and are they still available?

Mine is good, the only down side is that the wind speed in knots is several presses of a push button down the line, it's not the first in a line of options. Having said that, it's not difficult to find. The instrument will automatically power off if you leave it switched on, and it will save the peak wind speed if you make that selection. It also has several other options, but none have been of interest to me. Several sellers advertise this model, while other sellers offer alternatives.

[Nigel]

I've often wondered about putting the propeller on a rod of some kind to use for water speed.

http://r.ebay.com/wvsfy8

[MarkTheBike]

Mine is good, the only down side is that the wind speed in knots is several presses of a push button down the line, it's not the first in a line of options. Having said that, it's not difficult to find. The instrument will automatically power off if you leave it switched on, and it will save the peak wind speed if you make that selection. It also has several other options, but none have been of interest to me. Several sellers advertise this model, while other sellers offer alternatives.

Salty: bargain - ordered.

Nigel: We used a propeller-on-a-string log when I was doing my Day Skipper about +30 yrs ago. Wonderful thing, all polished brass. 

[Salty]

I've often wondered about putting the propeller on a rod of some kind to use for water speed.

http://r.ebay.com/wvsfy8

You could use an "L" shaped piece of glass or see through plastic tube, with the foot of the "L" pointing forwards. As you increase speed forwards, the level of water in the tube will rise up the tube by an amount relative to the speed. Then all you need to do is to add an echo sounder to the leg of the tube to tell you how deep the water is in the leg of the "L" and a computer to work it all out and presto, you have a speed indicating machine that has nothing at all to do with Mr H. Robinson 🤓🤓

[MarkTheBike]

hahahahaha. Salty, I did wonder why you would need a see-through tube if the readout is coming from an instrument. Then I realised that, being of an engineering mind, you had built in an analogue backup system in case the electronics fails. Brilliant.

[dawntreader]

What's wrong with the 'knotted string' method? works well for me 

[Mirror45184]

Apple cores off the bow and counting elephants is an effective method too

[Nigel]

[Update #1]

I?ve got the faulty ST60 Wind on my bench. I?ve isolated the fault, the transducer 0V pin is not working, I get the correct voltage using the power ground instead.
 
The test procedure for a faulty Anemometer is as follows:
 
Check L7 and R13 for open circuit. OK
8V supply at P7. OK
Check L4, R84 for open circuit. OK
0V supply at P11 present. NOT OK
Check L8 for open circuit. NOT OK, L8 IS MISSING!
Check around IC4b...
 
Inductor L8 joins the 0V bus to the transducer 0V pin. If I connect the 0V pin to 0V bus it springs back into life. I later discovered L8 stuck to the inside of the rear cover, it had got hot! This suggests that there has been a short between red and shield, perhaps on the wind vane cable, or in the vane itself.

[Update #2]

The Raymarine part number for L8 (and all the other inductors in this unit) is 9600L1. Unfortunately it doesn't give the value, but with a bit of detective work using the Service Manual for the new wind transducer (which uses 9600L1 and gives the value) I have discovered that it's a 1uH inductor, size measured at 1206 (3.2mm x 1.6mm). In this circuit it passes about 40mA, so twice that should be the bottom limit. Suitable candidate is Murata LQM31PN1R0M00#

[MarkTheBike]

Thanks for all the information, Nigel. Much appreciated.

When I went to the repair shop (Mount Batten Boatshed), Raymarine Repair Man said the digimeter shouldn't cause a problem. I might be wrong but I think the overheating MUST have been me effectively shorting the live and all the other pins. I watched the +8v fail while I was doing it. For me, that's too much of a coincidence.

I'll get down to the boat asap and put the digimeter across all the leads going up the mast to see if there's a short. If all appears OK then I'll reconnect it and see what happens.

This looks like the same one (from RS Components).

http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/multilayer-surface-mount-inductors/7867162/?searchTerm=LQM31PN1R0M00&relevancy-data=636F3D3126696E3D4931384E4B6E6F776E41734D504E266C753D656E266D6D3D6D61746368616C6C7061727469616C26706D3D5E5B5C707B4C7D5C707B4E647D2D2C2F255C2E5D2B2426706F3D313326736E3D592673743D4B4559574F52445F53494E474C455F414C5048415F4E554D455249432677633D424F5448267573743D4C514D3331504E3152304D3030267374613D4C514D3331504E3152304D303026
 

[Nigel]

The multimeter should not cause damage if you are measuring the voltage between the pins, unless you inadvertently shorted between them with the probe, or had the meter switched to a current range. The voltage dropping could have been a wind shift!

Just make sure to check for shorts before reconnecting.

I've ordered the replacement for L8 from RS (Murata LQM31PN1R0M00#), not the cheapest but I had a part-order in my basket. I will fit and return the unit as soon as the part arrives. Can you send me the return postage via PayPal at some point, I will leave it up to you to make a suitable donation for the repair.

Please send PayPal payment to: include your forum ID in the PayPal note field. Please make sure you send it via the link "Send money to friends and family" and use PayPal balance or a debit card, or I have to pay a PayPal fee.

[MarkTheBike]

The multimeter should not cause damage if you are measuring the voltage between the pins, unless you inadvertently shorted between them with the probe, or had the meter switched to a current range. The voltage dropping could have been a wind shift! Just make sure to check for shorts before reconnecting.

OK, understand that - I guess it's because there's a meter between one probe and the other so not a direct short. I definitely didn't short a probe across them, the probes are sleeved. Hmm, have to look at the wiring as it definitely wasn't a wind drop.

I've ordered the replacement for L8 from RS (Murata LQM31PN1R0M00#), not the cheapest but I had a part-order in my basket. I will fit and return the unit as soon as the part arrives. Can you send me the return postage via PayPal at some point, I will leave it up to you to make a suitable donation for the repair.

No probs at all, let me know the postage + component cost and I'll bung it on top.

[Nigel]

Part arrived and fitted. Soak tested for an hour, reassembled, tested for another hour.

Will be posted by Royal Mail Special Delivery later today, it should arrive tomorrow before 1pm (let me know if it doesn't), cost for RMSD is £7.25. Component cost was £2 for 10, I only used one! See Post #21 for payment details.

I must reiterate that you should check the transducer cable for short circuits. I've just tested a spare transducer; with my multimeter set to the 200kΩ range it measured between 20kΩ to 24kΩ between the red and the shield, depending on which way the meter leads were connected (but red to red is best with a digital multimeter).

[MarkTheBike]

Hi Nigel

Very many thanks and I will test the cable extremely carefully before rewiring it all. Thanks for the info, re. transducer resistance. Looking forward to the arrival of Postman Pat! Noted, re: payment details...

Thanks again

Cheers all

Mark