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Random Quote: Ignorance can be fixed, stupid is permanent.
After entering a way point on my E120 Raymarine it engages the Raymarine auto pilot and promptly follows the course. Anywhere from 10 to 30 min in route to way point I get a message NOT FOLLOWING WAY POINT. Auto pilot continues on course and present position has not been lost. Then I can re enter the way point and the same thing happens. Does anyone have a solution?
I dont have an answer for but I do have the e120s with the x10/st70 AP and it works perfect. Over the years I have always had good quick reponses from Raymarines answer forum from their site. Register and post the question there,you will get a response in <24 hrs.
I am confused. Does it really say NOT FOLLOWING WAY POINT? A way point. Is fixed. You either navigate to or from it or you navigate an arc around it. How can you follow something that is fixed?
After entering a way point on my E120 Raymarine it engages the Raymarine auto pilot and promptly follows the course. Anywhere from 10 to 30 min in route to way point I get a message NOT FOLLOWING WAY POINT. Auto pilot continues on course and present position has not been lost. Then I can re enter the way point and the same thing happens. Does anyone have a solution?
If I understand correctly, it sounds like you are drifting so far off course or the cross track error (XTE) is too great, that the pilot will not continue on it's current route. Usually, you will get a XTE alarm.
Several things can cause the system to track funny. Like all AP's, if your compass ball, once calibrated, falls victim of having NEW ferrous metal introduced within it's field of influence--I will act wacky! Make sure you didn't place a tool bag, overnite-bag, etc. too close to where the ball is mounted.
Second. Man, I wish I was there. These things are generally pretty easy to diagnose, but we really need accurate info. What does it say when it fails? Does the XTE grow steady and never decrease? Did you inmstall or did a dealer install?
You may need to simply re-calibrate your system. I wonder though...What pilot do you have? Is this an S1000?
You are correct--the cross track set and drift does track off course but I can reset the cross track before the auto pilot reaches its preset perimeters or disengage the auto pilot from its directional interface with the GPS data and the way point is still lost. I do think there could be a problem with auto pilot but even if I place the auto pilot in standby and manually steer the vessel the way point is still lost, however keep in mind the GPS does not lose its present position. A Raymarine Tech installed the electronics according to the dealer. The installer located the fluxgate compass in the bilge area at the stern of the boat. I questioned the installer about that location as it has been my understanding that the compass should be located amid ship and close to center line of the vessel. The only thing close to the auto pilot compass is the transducer which may cause some sort of interference. I've discussed this issue with a local Raymarine Tech but I can't reproduce the problem dockside and the Tech for health reason cannot sea trial the boat.
Your issue IS the XTE...Ok, now we're getting somewhere.
If you just pick a heading and hit AUTO, will it track straight? (Not using a waypoint, just point and auto) does it go straight?
Were you there when he swung the AP in the three circles? Do you remember what the DEVIATION number was?
I have never mounted a compass in the stern. That sounds really odd to me. What kind of boat/length is it?
You may simply need to relocate the compass and seatrial again..
Can you tell me if you have the newer system that is rudderless? What AP did you buy? S1G, X-10, etc..
Answers:
(1).No, I can set a course to a cursor position and press auto- the AP tracks to cursor for a while then message not following appears. But if I manually set the AP on a bearing it will hold its course until placed in standby mode.(2).Was not present when AP was swung. (3). Deviation is set at 5. (4) Boat is an Open Express 36. (5). I am not familiar with the Rudder Less AP. (6). AP is a Raymarine ST6002+S2G Type. E120 has current updates.
I like your thinking but I don't believe this (nmea data collision) is his issue.
He is suffering from either a bad install or a bad setup. I am absolutely sure.
You need to get the boat top a person who install AP's more frequently. Or at least, get someone else onto your boat with fresh eyes. What you are exp is NOT typical. It doesn't sound like a faulty (or dead) componant. The display would likely tell you that.
I need you to look at a known good compass or handheld GPS and determine if the heading presented on the plotter/AP display is accurate. It sounds like it may be off. The pilot will NEVER work right. It's evidence that it won't hold a course WITHOUT a waypoint. That means you can remove all other componants out of the equasion.
AP Compass
Rudder ref unit
S1G course computer
The only thing that tells your pilot where you are HEADED is the compass. You either have a bad compass, it's aligned wrong, or its physically mounted in the wrong place. IF THE DEVIATION when seatrialed passed, you either have a change in the compass's sphere of influence (ferrous metal) due to NEW metal in the area, or it was never setup correctly when underway and the HDG (heading) is off some 4-8 degrees.
Again, I'm worried about who installed your AP...These are rookie issues.
It sounds like the pilot is working fine........(you say when you ask it to hold a heading it works until you hit standby) The problem seems to be with the communication with the plotter! Tracking to a waypoint or the curser is a plotter / pilot communication thing. Check those connections.........
Did it ever work right?
Did you add or remove something on the boat and it starrted?
It sounds like the pilot is working fine........(you say when you ask it to hold a heading it works until you hit standby) The problem seems to be with the communication with the plotter! Tracking to a waypoint or the curser is a plotter / pilot communication thing. Check those connections.........
Did it ever work right?
Did you add or remove something on the boat and it starrted?
Electronic History: Purchased the boat new 2007 with all new Raymarine electronics, DSM 300, E120, Sea Talk, 600 watt shoot through transducer, 48 Radar w/array antenna and AP. When I first got the boat the GPS/AP worked fine for about 6 months or 100 hr. The only problem I had was with a 600 watt shoot through transducer malfunctioned in deep water 300'-600' blue water fishing. Dealer could not find a problem. Then the E120 display blanked out and the Radar failed. Raymarine replaced the Radar antenna and I had a local Raymarine Tech install repaired antenna, replace an improperly installed 600 w transducer w/ a 1000 watt transducer and install a second E120 slave. Also added a Raymarine Sirrus Weather Receiver. All previous problems with the exception of not holding a way point were resolved. Since that time about 270 hrs all has worked OK except occasionally I have an amber light on the DSM which I unplug and re power and the green light appears with DSM working. I have all updates installed as they are issued. At this time I just can't seem to get the AP and GPS to maintain a way point. I can navigate by continuing to re-enter the way point as it is intermittently lost. Just frustrating but it must be something simple that we just keep overlooking.
In post 5 you say that even when manually steering to a way point you get a message saying off course! I believe when the plotter senses a flux gate compass it uses it all the time not just while tracking. Disconnect the flux gate and try the manual thing. I think your system will work fine now! If it still doesn't work then you can rule out the flux gate or any other part of the pilot and focus on the plotter. At this point my guess is the flux gate is bad!
In post 5 you say that even when manually steering to a way point you get a message saying off course! I believe when the plotter senses a flux gate compass it uses it all the time not just while tracking. Disconnect the flux gate and try the manual thing. I think your system will work fine now! If it still doesn't work then you can rule out the flux gate or any other part of the pilot and focus on the plotter. At this point my guess is the flux gate is bad!
Thanks-- I'll try that and thanks for everyone's help--hope everyone enjoys the Super Bowl.
I know what your problem is. Its with the Course Computer. Send CC to Raymarine for repair & I know problem will be solved. It is not a installation or E 120 problem.
If you are not using the track setting but running on Auto, it will not maintain a direct line to the waypoint. Put the waypoint in, turn the boat to the course, hit auto then Track. It will beep 3 times and you hit track again and it works. You can also get an autopilot popup on the 120 screen.
__________________ Capt Steve
34' Calvin Beal Custom-465 Yanmar
Fishing platform
Raymarine E120 Not Following Waypoint 
