Raytheon Marine ST2000+ not working

[brandtj]

I just took a trip to Catalina and the ST2000+ autohelm suddenly stopped working. Every now and then it will function properly, but the majority of the time It just won’t catch and won’t push/pull. I took the casing off so I could see what was happening and it looks like the motor just isn’t functioning. I get a grinding sound but the shaft isn’t moving at all. I don’t know much about electronic repair, but does this sound like a fix I can do myself? It is repairable? What would that repair look like?

Thanks for any help,
Brandt

[BugzyCan]

I bought a used one from a nice fellow on here, and it didn't work, although he said it worked fine for him years ago, when I opened it up, the motor was rusted solid, and the electronic panel had obvious water damage, that apparently sneaks in through the buttons on the top.
I bought a new motor for about $100, which allowed the piston to move out/in, but the electronic panel had no display, so I sent it to a repair place and they swapped out the display chip for $150, but that did not fix it. When I plugged it in after the "repair", the unit started smoking and a few of the chips melted. I ended up with an expensive box with a new motor inside. The original seller did give me my money back, but I was still out of pocket about $250.

I bought a new ST2000+, and this one I keep inside a plastic bag all the time, especially when out at sea.
The parts inside are super easy to swap out, don't be afraid to try swapping out your motor if you think that is it, but I would pull out the circuit board and have a close look, it may be similar to mine. You may also want to confirm it is not an electrical issue, the connector can build up rust inside and affect it, or you may have a loose wire someplace.

The board can be purchased separately, but it costs about 3/4 the cost of a new unit, so not worth it IMO.
I actually have a second new ST2000+ sitting across the border that I cannot retrieve until they open the border again, but that may not be for a long time the way things are going so far in USA.
If you think you need a motor, I could sell you the new one I bought for $50.

[brandtj]

Originally Posted by BugzyCan

I bought a used one from a nice fellow on here, and it didn't work, although he said it worked fine for him years ago, when I opened it up, the motor was rusted solid, and the electronic panel had obvious water damage, that apparently sneaks in through the buttons on the top.
I bought a new motor for about $100, which allowed the piston to move out/in, but the electronic panel had no display, so I sent it to a repair place and they swapped out the display chip for $150, but that did not fix it. When I plugged it in after the "repair", the unit started smoking and a few of the chips melted. I ended up with an expensive box with a new motor inside. The original seller did give me my money back, but I was still out of pocket about $250.

I bought a new ST2000+, and this one I keep inside a plastic bag all the time, especially when out at sea.
The parts inside are super easy to swap out, don't be afraid to try swapping out your motor if you think that is it, but I would pull out the circuit board and have a close look, it may be similar to mine. You may also want to confirm it is not an electrical issue, the connector can build up rust inside and affect it, or you may have a loose wire someplace.

The board can be purchased separately, but it costs about 3/4 the cost of a new unit, so not worth it IMO.
I actually have a second new ST2000+ sitting across the border that I cannot retrieve until they open the border again, but that may not be for a long time the way things are going so far in USA.
If you think you need a motor, I could sell you the new one I bought for $50.

thank you for the info.

Is there any way I could send a video of the problem? If you have replacement parts I’d like to buy them off you, just want to try to make sure I buy the correct parts.

[BugzyCan]

Originally Posted by brandtj

thank you for the info.

Is there any way I could send a video of the problem? If you have replacement parts I’d like to buy them off you, just want to try to make sure I buy the correct parts.

You could post it on youtube and send me a link if that would work for you. Or someplace else that is free. If the video is short you could email it to me too. I think email has a max 5mb limit. Another option would be to put it on OneDrive and then share it with me.

[brandtj]

Originally Posted by BugzyCan

You could post it on youtube and send me a link if that would work for you. Or someplace else that is free. If the video is short you could email it to me too. I think email has a max 5mb limit. Another option would be to put it on OneDrive and then share it with me.

Ok I just uploaded it to YouTube. LCD works, buttons work, sound works, but it just won’t crank which leads me to believe it’s the motor. Let me know what you think: https://youtu.be/uEdWGsQ9DtA

Thanks

[BugzyCan]

Originally Posted by brandtj

Ok I just uploaded it to YouTube. LCD works, buttons work, sound works, but it just won’t crank which leads me to believe it’s the motor. Let me know what you think: https://youtu.be/uEdWGsQ9DtA

Thanks

On the end of the motor is a small gear that mates with the gear inside. I think there is a small pin holding that gear on. From your video, it sounds as though that gear may have come loose. Try taking the motor out and see if that gear is attached securely to the motor shaft. Maybe it just needs a new pin. It does sound like the motor is working, it just isn't always turning the assembly.
While you have it apart, take the gears out and lubricate everything in there, and check the belts, maybe one of them is stretched. You can replace all of the belts, they are not too expensive.
The good news is, this doesn't look to me like an issue with the main board.