My attention was drawn to a earlier post about the FAP-711C Drive Unit Error.
My FAP-711C puts out the same Drive Unit Error every once in a while.
The Furuno AP pilot in my case is used to drive a slim (58 x 13.2 ft) and light weight motor vessel (16 tons with full payload). The ship was launched two years ago in July 2017. We are blue water sailors.
The Furuno AP unit system has been professionally designed and installed by a Furuno dealer.
The FAP-711C (running 6454007-01.24) is directly connected to the FAP-7002 processor unit (running 6454021-01.06). Linked to the processor unit (24V) is a Furuno reversible pump (24V) to drive a 250 cc ram cylinder. The processor unit is linked to the CANbus (12V) as is the heading sensor PG700 fluxgate compass. Part of the system is also a FAP-6112 RRU. Linked to the CANbus is a Furuno GP33 and a Navnet TZTL12F and a DRS4DNXT radar.
All the required FAP-711C init sequences have been successfully executed i.e. dockside setup, ships characteristics, sea trial etc..
The electrical system contains a 525 Amps/ 24V battery system. The main engine is equipped with a second alternator which is set to produce 29V for the first 4 hours. After that it will put out 27V.
The AP system starts up fine (all OKs) and the diagnostic tests show no (potential) problems. The AP does its work flawlessly (in ADV AUTO mode and both in NAV/ECO and NAV/XTE mode) except for the fact that it intermittently puts out a Drive Unit Error. To be more precise.
It generated this error message twice last year (2018) when we were sailing on the North Sea with Beaufort 5,6 on the beam (our maiden trip). I did report the error message to the dealer but he was not able to assist me. He had not seen this error message before.
However, this year the 711C did put out this error message roughly two times a week for the last 4 weeks. I have tried to associate its behavior to rough (weather/wave) conditions and/or to AUTO and/or NAV mode but I found no repeatable pattern. I also looked at the rudder movements but they are not excessive. Also the pump does not get hot. Last week with light winds and following seas and running in ADV AUTO mode the fault happened after half an hour after starting the system.
What I would like to know is how what causes this error message to be put out by the 711C? Is it possible that the unit is experiencing out of bounds conditions (hydraulic pressure, temperature or under/over voltage level?) and only puts out the Drive Unit Error message if the condition count exceeds a preset level? Once I understand by which conditions this error is produced it is probably much easier to remedy this issue.
Your advice is highly appreciated.
Kind regards,
Rob Westermann
My FAP-711C puts out the same Drive Unit Error every once in a while.
The Furuno AP pilot in my case is used to drive a slim (58 x 13.2 ft) and light weight motor vessel (16 tons with full payload). The ship was launched two years ago in July 2017. We are blue water sailors.
The Furuno AP unit system has been professionally designed and installed by a Furuno dealer.
The FAP-711C (running 6454007-01.24) is directly connected to the FAP-7002 processor unit (running 6454021-01.06). Linked to the processor unit (24V) is a Furuno reversible pump (24V) to drive a 250 cc ram cylinder. The processor unit is linked to the CANbus (12V) as is the heading sensor PG700 fluxgate compass. Part of the system is also a FAP-6112 RRU. Linked to the CANbus is a Furuno GP33 and a Navnet TZTL12F and a DRS4DNXT radar.
All the required FAP-711C init sequences have been successfully executed i.e. dockside setup, ships characteristics, sea trial etc..
The electrical system contains a 525 Amps/ 24V battery system. The main engine is equipped with a second alternator which is set to produce 29V for the first 4 hours. After that it will put out 27V.
The AP system starts up fine (all OKs) and the diagnostic tests show no (potential) problems. The AP does its work flawlessly (in ADV AUTO mode and both in NAV/ECO and NAV/XTE mode) except for the fact that it intermittently puts out a Drive Unit Error. To be more precise.
It generated this error message twice last year (2018) when we were sailing on the North Sea with Beaufort 5,6 on the beam (our maiden trip). I did report the error message to the dealer but he was not able to assist me. He had not seen this error message before.
However, this year the 711C did put out this error message roughly two times a week for the last 4 weeks. I have tried to associate its behavior to rough (weather/wave) conditions and/or to AUTO and/or NAV mode but I found no repeatable pattern. I also looked at the rudder movements but they are not excessive. Also the pump does not get hot. Last week with light winds and following seas and running in ADV AUTO mode the fault happened after half an hour after starting the system.
What I would like to know is how what causes this error message to be put out by the 711C? Is it possible that the unit is experiencing out of bounds conditions (hydraulic pressure, temperature or under/over voltage level?) and only puts out the Drive Unit Error message if the condition count exceeds a preset level? Once I understand by which conditions this error is produced it is probably much easier to remedy this issue.
Your advice is highly appreciated.
Kind regards,
Rob Westermann