Compass placement adjacent to GPS unit?
Submitted: Sunday, Jan 12, 2014 at 16:44
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Member - bungarra (WA)
I am currently refurbishing the front console /dashboard on the boat.
Is there any issue with the marine compass being immediately adjacent/ alongside the GPS unit? (combo GPS- depth sounder) ......Any chance of some errors creeping in to either device?
The GPS mounts are all aluminium and so metal shouldn't be an issue.......
Thanks
Reply By: Member - LeighW - Sunday, Jan 12, 2014 at 18:16
Sunday, Jan 12, 2014 at 18:16
If the GPS unit has a speaker in it it will have a magnet and yes that will affect the compass as would any circuit in the unit that has a reasonable amount of current flowing through it, or any Ferris metal in any objects located close to the compass.
To be safe would be to
test bench it and see what affect there is on the compass, most good compasses will have correction adjustments inbuilt but they can only correct for minor magnetic disturbances.
Cheers
Leigh
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Follow Up By: Member - LeighW - Sunday, Jan 12, 2014 at 18:17
Sunday, Jan 12, 2014 at 18:17
Forgot to mention that power cables feeding GPS may also affect the compass
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Follow Up By: Member - bungarra (WA) - Sunday, Jan 12, 2014 at 19:03
Sunday, Jan 12, 2014 at 19:03
Thanks for your reply
The unit is simply display screen only, no speaker. Has GPS display for position, speed etc. and also depth / echo sounder.
Understand about the cables
cheers
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Follow Up By: Brian 01 - Sunday, Jan 12, 2014 at 19:14
Sunday, Jan 12, 2014 at 19:14
Don't most marine compasses have compensation screws to take care of minor magnetic influences?
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Follow Up By: Shaker - Sunday, Jan 12, 2014 at 21:10
Sunday, Jan 12, 2014 at 21:10
Yes & they need to swung to adjust for variation & deviation. The compass adjuster will also provide a deviation chart.
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Reply By: Robin Miller - Sunday, Jan 12, 2014 at 21:49
Sunday, Jan 12, 2014 at 21:49
Calibration and adjustment can be tricky Bungarra.
Some thing that works is to stand behind the car away from metal at least a metre and note which way the needle is pointing - carry unit into car and move around to possible mounting
places and
check that needle still points to same direction.
In practise a small deviation is ok as most compasses and peoples use of them is only for general direction anyway.
Interesting to note is that often starting the car will cause a flick of the needle but it will probably settle in about same direction.
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Reply By: Member - PJR (NSW) - Monday, Jan 13, 2014 at 07:51
Monday, Jan 13, 2014 at 07:51
A magnets in speakers, an interactive GPS and also power in cable can all put a compass off. Safer and easier to move it away.
Phil
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