S1000 Troubleshooting

mcc272 · Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 8:35 pm Post subject: S1000 Troubleshooting

Now that we have launched and started to use the boat, I am trying to get the S1000 working and am running into trouble. The remote (with fresh batteries in it) keeps showing NO PILOT. The Course Computer has power to it and is energized as the green light is on. Occasionally when I start up the AP, I will be able to enter SETUP by holding STANDBY down for several seconds but more frequently, i will have NO PILOT and it will show SETUP UNAVAILABLE even when 5 minutes before, I had been able to enter SETUP and move the motor port and starboard with the wireless.

I do have the course computer wired to a Furuno 1834 for its GPS feed but can't even test that until I can get past the first problem. I do have 1834 properly sending position data to 2 VHFs. I tried disconnecting the data cable from the 1834 and that does not seem to make any difference.

Any clues?

Jazzmanic · Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 9:07 pm Post subject:

The NO PILOT message usually means that the S1000 course computer is not connected to the GPS properly, i.e. not communicating properly. Check your wiring connections to your Furuno to make sure they're "talking" to one another.

The other possibility is if you installed the emergency disconnect (the funny little yellow and red button), make sure that it is not engaged, which would disconnect the power to the S1000.

mcc272 · Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 9:32 pm Post subject:

Peter --

Thanks. The panic button is definitely not oushed in. As to the issue being the connection to the GPS, I am not sure. The manual says that NO PILOT means that, "The controller is not receiving data from the autopilot. Check connections and that the S1000 course computer is switched on." It makes sense to me that the issue is the wireless link between the remote and the course computer rather than the GPS data feed as it won't enter setup and you do not need the GPS feed to enter setup.

Very puzzling and I am wondering if either the remote or the course computer is bad. I checked the remote and I have 3 dots showing signal strngth which should be OK but for some reason the remote seems to be unwilling to communicate with the computer.

Jim

Captains Cat · Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 10:22 pm Post subject:

Jim, keep pushing buttons, I get the no pilot often and it will go away after awhile.

Charlie

tpbrady · Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2010 12:08 am Post subject:

Jim,

Having just completed an S1000 installation, "No Pilot" means the remote is not communicating with the autopilot. Anytime you first turn it on, you get that message and about 4-5 seconds later it clears and goes into "Standby". You should also see a signal strength bar to the right side of the remote display. I suspect you are getting a weak signal for some reason. The next time you are able to enter setup, look and see what the signal strength is.

You can quickly verify if you are communicating with the GPS when you are connected by hitting "Pilot". If you are talking to the GPS, it will say "No GPS".

Pete in NY · Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2010 5:53 am Post subject:

My unit behaves like Tom"s also. It has been a few years since I set mine up, but I seem to remember that I had to modify the nmea sentence being sent by my Garmin chartplotter to the S1000. Check the S1000 directions as to the exact data sentence it needs from the GPS and be sure it is the right one being sent from the GPS to the S1000 on the GPS's setup page. It may be different than what the VHF needs.

flrockytop · Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2010 8:00 pm Post subject:

mcc272 · Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2010 9:13 pm Post subject:

Thanks for all the advice and comments. I must not have been completely clear. The problem is before I get to think about the GPS connection. I simply cannot get the remote to talk to the course computer in spite of the course computer being energized (green LED on). Raymarine wrote me back and told me to enter SETUP, deregister the remote and reregister it to the course computer. That might work but to get to SETUP, the remote has to first connect to the course computer. Searching on The Hull Truth finds a number of cases that resemble my issue where it turned out that the antenna in the course computer, through which the course computer connects to the wireless remote, was partially disconnected as it is just a snap in fit on the circuit board. One of those times, the poster was guided through the process by a tech at RayMarine but unfortunately, there is no longer a way to talk to a person, only the automated e-mail exchange which is slow. Tomorrow, I am going to open the case and check to make sure the antenna is properly connected.

Jim

mcc272 · Posted: Sat Aug 21, 2010 11:10 am Post subject:

I opened the case. In the event that you need to do it, remove the computer from its mounted position. On the backside of the case is a little plastic pin pushed into the back plate. On mine, it was round, black and shiny and about 1/4". You would not know it was a pin as all you see is the flat head against the case. At any rate, pull it out and then the clear plastic shroud protecting the wires can be removed as well as the cuircuit board.

On my unit, the antenna is a vertical 2 1/2" antenna that clips to the circuit board at its bottom end with 2 prongs. They were through the circuit board properly but I was surprised that they do not hold the antenna more tightly to the board as it makes contact with a copper patch on the board and I think that a tighter connection would be better.

Still nothing more than NO PILOT and SETUP UNAVAILABLE after lots of button pushing. More questions into RayMarine through their creaky e-mail tech support system. Reminder to self -- next autopilot should come from a manufacturer that has actual humans that can be reached by telephone rather than only by an automated e-mail system.

tpbrady · Posted: Mon Aug 23, 2010 12:53 am Post subject:

Jim,

I called Raymarine from my boat 3 weeks ago when I first started up the autopilot. Whenever I hit pilot it would go to full right turn. It seems the motor wires were reversed. I think I spent about 5 minutes on hold.

Tom

mcc272 · Posted: Mon Aug 23, 2010 2:19 pm Post subject:

Finally got tired of waiting on the e-mail process and after checking the "Contact Us" part of the web site, called the main number rather than following instructions to the Tech Support part which takes you back to the web site. Lo and behold, a real person, just like Tom got but they were busier today. The wait was 15 minutes. At any rate, he sent me out to the boat and walked me through a bunch of things before declaring that there was nothing more to be done and that the unit had to be returned for service. I just put it in overnight mail bound for New Hampshire. Thanks for all the advice and counsel.

Jim