SPERRY MARINE, C PLATH TYPE 2060 MAGNETIC COMPASS

The SPERRY MARINE C PLATH TYPE 2060 Magnetic Compass (Jupiter 2060) is a highly accurate, liquid-filled “Class A” magnetic compass with an 180mm card. It serves as a vital, independent heading reference (primary or backup) for commercial vessels, capable of bearing, steering, and reflector applications. Built for robust marine use, it features integrated deviation correction and optional flux-gate output for digital integration, complying with international maritime standards.

Technical Specification

1. Compass Card:

Diameter: 180 mm (approximately 7.1 inches)
Graduation: 0° to 360°, typically marked every 1° or 2°, with larger marks for every 10° or 20°.

2. Accuracy:

Stated Accuracy: Better than 0.5 degrees (0.5°)
Settling Time: As per ISO 449 (Class A requirements), it must settle within 1° of the magnetic meridian within a specified time (e.g., less than 57600/H seconds where H is horizontal magnetic flux density).

3. Liquid Filling:

Type: Liquid-filled (usually a mixture of distilled water and alcohol or a specific compass fluid) to dampen oscillations and support the compass card.
Capacity: Approximately 2 to 2.5 liters of compass liquid.

4. Gimbal System:

Designed to keep the compass card level regardless of the ship’s pitch and roll, ensuring accurate readings in dynamic sea conditions.

5. Illumination:

Normal Illumination: Typically utilizes a lamp (e.g., Ba15d, 25W) with voltage dependent on the ship’s power supply (e.g., 24V DC, 110V AC, 220V AC). Often includes a dimmer control.
Emergency Illumination: Separate input for emergency power supply (e.g., 24V DC).

6. Correction Facilities (when installed in a suitable binnacle like NAVIPOL):

B & C Correction: For quadrantal deviation, typically achieved by rod magnets.
D Correction: For quadrantal deviation, achieved by soft iron spheres.
Flinders Bar Correction: For vertical magnetic induction, achieved by a soft iron Flinders bar.
Heeling Error Correction: Compensates for the magnetic field component caused by the ship’s heel.

7. Optional Flux-Gate Pick-off (Transmitting Magnetic Compass – TMC):

Function: Converts analog magnetic heading to digital electrical signals.
Output: Often provides sine/cosine signals, which can then be fed into an interface to generate NMEA 0183 sentences (e.g., HDT, HDG) for electronic navigation systems.
Accuracy (with pick-off): Can achieve high digital accuracy, e.g., 0.2° RMS for NMEA output.
Power Requirements (for pick-off): Typically low DC voltage (e.g., 12V DC, 18-36V DC) and low power consumption (e.g., 40 mA, 7W).

8. Physical Characteristics (Compass Bowl Only, excluding Binnacle):

Material: High-quality non-magnetic materials (brass, aluminum, composites).
Weight (Compass only): Approximately 8.7 kg (for the Jupiter 2060 compass card and bowl).
Dimensions (Approximate, for the compass unit without binnacle): Often around 261mm (height) x 110mm (depth) x 355mm (width), but this is highly dependent on mounting and binnacle type.

9. Compliance and Approvals:

Class A Magnetic Compass: Meets the requirements for “Class A” certification.
ISO 449 (now largely superseded by ISO 25862): Complies with international standards for construction and performance of marine magnetic compasses.
MED / Wheelmark: Type approved in accordance with the EC Council Directive 96/98/EC (Marine Equipment Directive), now 2014/90/EU, indicating suitability for SOLAS vessels.
Classification Society Approvals: Often holds type approvals from major classification societies (e.g., DNV-GL, Lloyd’s Register, ABS) due to its widespread use on commercial ships.