Having problem with pilot. Checked fluxgate compass wires and all wires test correct. Pilot works but compass is about 90 degrees off. Also Axiom does not recognize that a pilot is connected. Upgraded the Axiom software and assume the Axiom upgraded the ST70 and X10. Tried to run the commission routine on the ST70 but the display will not let me select options and will not let me do the drive the boat in a circle thing to commission the pilot. Please let me know next steps to test or repair. Sent X10 to Raymarine last summer and it came back no repair needed. However, problem still exists. Could it be the ST70 control head?
Hello John,
If the pilot works normally except for the heading offset then almost certainly there's no fault.
Fluxgate-compass based pilots like yours don't detect where north is as such, they just detect a relative change in heading. We programme an arbitrary factory default that gives roughly-correct heading when the fluxgate is mounted in one orientation (on a transverse bulkhead facing forward, from memory), however when mounted facing port or starboard the heading will be approximately 90 degrees out, and when facing aft the heading will be 180 degrees out. It's a normal part of installation to set the correct compensation offset, but it seems that your pilot has lost that calibration and needs to be re-configured.
When you say that the pilot will not let you select options, how far do you get? At what point does it go wrong? Can you get into Seatrial Calibration? Remember that you can't calibrate the pilot when it's in use (Auto/Track/Vane/Power Steer modes), you must be in Standby.
The problem is definitely not the ST70, that's purely a display and has no intelligence inside and stores no pilot calibration. Like I say, if the pilot works otherwise then I'm pretty confident there's no fault.
Regards,
Tom