PG-700 compass

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Anonymous

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Can anyone share useful information on this PG-700 Furuno compass issue?

Our PG-700 compass sensor is located below a wardrobe in the forepeak close to the side of the boat and has worked fine integrated with our NN3D system.

In hindsight I have noticed this occurance before but it did not cause any on-going problem and following a normal Shut-down/Restart the system worked as normal.
However, in the last few days we moored alongside a wall faced with heavy metal shuttering and this time it caused a major issue with the NN3D system.

Approaching this mooring the PG-700 sensor came within 18 inches of the metal shuttering and almost immediately set off a loss of heading warning from the MFD’s.
The first problem was I was unable to silence the warning noise (Menu or Cancel buttons only momentarily silenced the warning) but later as I looked around the NN3D system I could not access some of the pages and routes. This restricted access was different on the Master and Slave displays.

Finally after moving position I reset the PG-700 by following the instruction manual for the steady red warning and after a restart, the system came back to normal but with a 20 degree compass deviation error.
I have temporarily followed the Heading Adjustment procedure but will carry out a full Compensation of deviation in open water.

My question is has anyone come up with any “preventative” ideas to try and stop a re-occurrence of this and secondly with the system shutdown but moored alongside this type of metalwork is there a likelihood of a longer term issues?

This is awkward because it does not seem acceptable to turn on the equipment before leaving the mooring because of repeated warnings and you cannot work on routing and planning etc. whilst alongside?
 
".....sensor is located below a wardrobe in the forepeak close to the side of the boat."

Preventive- try to relocate the compass to a more suitable location, not nearest the outermost hull side, so as to lessen the effect of the metal bulkhead where the vessel is currently moored.
Be sure to follow instructions on Page 1 of installation manual regarding choosing a mounting location.

20 degree deviation after compensation- Was the vessel still at the mooring (next to the metal bulkhead) when this adjustment was performed?
 
Thank you Flatline for responding, the PG-700 installation passed the “compass location instructions” and this is only a problem when approaching, or alongside a mooring with heavy shuttering or metalwork - floating metal tanks supporting pontoons ETC.
As we move to different locations, quite a lot of moorings are alongside metal shuttering and my real concerned is if permanent damage is being caused by mooring alongside steelwork with the system turned off?

I take your point Flatline regarding - “20 degree deviation after compensation- Was the vessel still at the mooring (next to the metal bulkhead) when this adjustment was performed?”
I cannot remember the exact sequence of bring the system back to normal but I have a feeling I was not entirely sensible!
 
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