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Horizon knotmeter

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sfsmith
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USA
123 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/27/2010 : 09:26:26

Anybody have experience with the Horizon SL45 digital speed log? It was made by Standard Communications in the late '80s. It worked OK until a couple of weeks ago, when it started registering speeds of +/- 18 knots. I've tried recalibrating it according to the manual, but with no good results. Once I get it down to 10 knots, it starts cycling up and down between 10.0 and 11.9. Restarting it made no difference.

Solomon Smith
TANGO 89/WK/TR/#5942
Petoskey, Michigan

Edited by - on

frog0911
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1349 Posts

Response Posted - 06/27/2010 : 17:19:50

You might check your paddle wheel to see if the magnets are still there. If one is gone the knot meter will read incorrectly

Edited by - frog0911 on 06/27/2010 17:21:05

aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 06/28/2010 : 10:57:07

I installed that model when I purchaed my boat in 1989. The paddle wheel is mounted, and rotates,in a housing which is inserted into the thru-hull tube. Check to see if the wheel housing in the through hull has been rotated a bit. Just a small accidental twist will effect the way the paddle wheel spins and thus the reading it sends to the instrument.

Edited by - aeckhart on 06/28/2010 10:57:52

sfsmith
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USA
123 Posts

Response Posted - 06/28/2010 : 14:40:21

Thanks for the advice. I'll check it first chance I get to anchor out in clear water. The marina water's too scuzzy.

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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5368 Posts

Response Posted - 06/28/2010 : 17:08:56

Now I might be wrong on the model you have, but on my paddle wheel, if I pull a retaining pin out of the thru-hull body, I can remove the paddle wheel and its cylindrical housing in one pull. Only problem is then I'll have a 2" hole in the hull filling the boat up with water.

Now in my case, there is also a plug that I can replace the paddle wheel housing with. This plug is intended to allow you to remove the paddle wheel housing to clean it or maintain it. When my paddle wheel gets clogged with marine growth this August, I plan on performing this ritual to clean it out.

The pin allows you to insert the paddle wheel forward, or in reverse, but does not allow the wheel to be rotated by any other amount. So perhaps yours is different than mine.

If you remove the paddle wheel, you can check it to see whether you've lost a magnet, or whether its clogged, or if its broken in any way. You can keep it hooked up to the display, then blow on it to see whether it is behaving erratically as you said.

Also, do you have any marine growth below waterline on your hull? Any chance the water's laminar normal flow is being affected by turbulence caused by the marine growth? There's always a chance that this could be happening, however remote...

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sfsmith
Navigator

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USA
123 Posts

Response Posted - 06/29/2010 : 07:17:21

Thanks again. I'm hesitant to pull out the paddle wheel, but I think you're right. The boat came with a plug like that, which is still in the V-berth compartment. There's plenty of seaweed and stuff in the water at the marina, so I'm going to check the outer hull side first to see if something has fouled the paddle wheel. If not, I might try the plug idea.

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klassi1
1st Mate

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88 Posts

Response Posted - 06/29/2010 : 07:34:59

Standard Horizon nolonger supplies parts for their instruments. But you can contact Gemeco Marine Accessories at 843-210-7000. They have replacement parts and are very helpful.

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Stu Jackson C34
Admiral

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844 Posts

Response Posted - 06/30/2010 : 12:00:42

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by sfsmith
 I'm hesitant to pull out the paddle wheel, but...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

There are usually a few things on boats that folks are hesitant to do the first time. Bleeding my diesel engine in 1998 on our new-to-us boat was one of 'em. For some it's anchoring, who knows?

Don't be hesitant. YOU can do it! You should learn how to do it. It's not that hard. Don't put it off. If it's simply gunk on the paddlewheel, think of how much LESS stress you'll be under: no worrying about buying and installing new equipment, and paying for it, no worrying about hauling the boat out in the middle of the season, the list goes on...

Just have a big towel handy!

This is one thing I put off, too, until a friend drove our boat over some logs in a rip tide spot which stopped the knotmeter altogether. I liked having it, so I learned to fix it.

Edited by - Stu Jackson C34 on 06/30/2010 12:17:03

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 06/30/2010 : 12:10:23

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Stu Jackson C34
 . . . There are usually a few things on boats that folks are hesitant to do the first time . . . You should learn how to do it . . . It's not that hard . . . <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Most things are much simpler than they first appear!

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">. . . Don't put it off . . . <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
You won't learn any younger!

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sfsmith
Navigator

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USA
123 Posts

Response Posted - 05/28/2011 : 14:49:48

A follow-up to my original post: I removed the paddle wheel, scraped a bit of paint off, cleaned it thoroughly, cleaned the through-hull housing and put it all back together. No change. I wasn't sure what to look for in the way of missing magnets, but I didn't see any holes or anything missing. So I did another Web search and found that Standard Horizon has an online site. They responded quickly and helpfully. They advised me to wire the SL45 (knot meter) and DS45 (depth gauge) separately instead of together, as they were. I did, and that seems to have solved the problem. I haven't had a chance to recalibrate it yet, and I'll do another follow-up if that doesn't work. But I thought anybody else here with Standard Horizon instruments would want to know about standardhorizon.com.

Edited by - on

calden
Navigator

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USA
194 Posts

Response Posted - 05/30/2011 : 17:36:58

When I bought my boat last year ('83) I found the knotmeter did not work. I pulled the paddlewheel out to check it. Although I rehearsed the motions I was still surprised that the volume of water that gushed in. Now THAT was an experience - intentionally opening a hole in your hull.

The wheel ran freely and I just assumed the malfunction was in the electronics. I took the unit off entirely and replaced it with a round teak disk to hold my GPS mount, which functions as my knotmeter. Although it would look groovy on the companionway bulkhead, I can't see spending money to a dedicated knotmeter when I have my Garmin Map 76.

Carlos

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sfsmith
Navigator

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USA
123 Posts

Response Posted - 06/03/2011 : 08:50:31

Follow-up to my follow-up: The SL45 still wouldn't recalibrate. It scaled up and down, between 6.8 and 18 knots, not matter what I did. The tech at Standard Horizon told me it was in "simulation mode," and explained how to stop that. Just turn off the power, then hold down the speed button on the unit while the power is turned back on. It worked. I recalibrated the unit yesterday and am happy to have all working instruments again.

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