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18 Oct 08 1
What is the use of a Magnetic Compass
18 Oct 08 2
A bit of Physics
18 Oct 08 4
How does a magnetic compass work?
• A magnetic compass works
because the Earth is like a
giant magnet, surrounded by a
huge magnetic field.
• True North
– Where the North Pole lies.
• The Magnetic North
– Where the Magnetic North Lies
• The Compass North
– The North to which the ships compass points
Compass Error
• Compass Error (CE) is the difference between the
True North and the “North” shown by a ship’s
magnetic compass.
• During his voyage in 1490, Columbus observed that
his magnetic compass does not point exactly at the
True North and the error varied from place to place.
• These differences were investigated in the 17th
century by Edmond Halley who was a scientist and
an astronomer. This error was termed as “Variation”.
• It was even thought at this time that the “Variation”
could help in finding ‘The Longitude” which was a
red herring and had to wait invention of a
‘Chronometer”.
18 Oct 08 7
Compass Error
• When iron ships began to replace earlier wooden
ships, it was was observed that ship’s own
magnetism also affected the needle of ship’s
magnetic compass needle.
• Electrical and electronic equipment further affected
ship’s magnetic compass needle.
• These cumulative error created by ships magnetism
was termed as “Deviation”
• To steer a correct course or to read an accurate
bearing of an object, it is essential that both these
errors are corrected and also allowed for.
• Once again remember that Variation is caused due to
earth’s magnetic properties and Deviation is caused
due to Ships own magnetic properties.
18 Oct 08 8
Why Does variation Occur
• Variation is caused
because the earth’s
magnetic and
geographic poles do not
coincide.
18 Oct 08 9
Variation
• Variation changes in
space as well as in time.
18 Oct 08 20
DRY CARD MAGNETIC COMPASS - The card base
• A light, aluminium ring about 254
mm (10 inches) in diameter
attached to a brass hub (centre
piece) by a silk cord which is
threaded in and out through holes
in the ring and the hub.
18 Oct 08 22
Dry Card Magnetic Compass - Compass card
• It is made of a number of
rice paper segments which
are stuck to the aluminum
ring and the silk cards
using water proof adhesive.
Rice paper is light in
weight and does not get
affected with moisture and
temperature change.
18 Oct 08 25
Liquid Magnetic Compass – Why Necessary
18 Oct 08 26
Liquid Magnetic Compass - The card
18 Oct 08 27
Liquid Magnetic Compass - The card
18 Oct 08 28
Liquid Magnetic Compass - The directive element
• This is fitted below the
card, enclosed in nickel
silver to avoid corrosion.
• In older types it consisted
of two cylindrical bar
magnets, one on each side
of the float.
• In modern wet card
compasses the directive
element is a ring magnet
fitted around the base of
the float.
• The ring magnet offers less
resistance to movement
and causes less turbulence.
18 Oct 08 29
LIQUID IN THE BOWL
Expansion of Liquid:
Accordion-like expansion chamber is fitted to the bowl
to
compensate for expansion/ contraction of liquid.
18 Oct 08 30
Liquid Magnetic Compass - The Suspension
• The bowl of the wet card compass
is suspended by gimbals just like
that of the dry card compass.
• This bowl, being considerably
heavier than that of the dry card
compass, does not have a glass
hemisphere of alcohol and water
attached to its underside.
• Instead, a ballast weight consisting
of a ring of lead, enclosed in brass,
is attached along the
circumference of the underside of
the bowl to bring its centre of
gravity below the gimbals.
18 Oct 08 31
Liquid Magnetic Compass - The Suspension
18 Oct 08
Wet Card Dry Card 33
Comparison – Wet & Dry Compasses
18 Oct 08 34
The Binnacle
• The Purpose
• The Location
• The Construction
18 Oct 08 35
The binnacle
18 Oct 08 36
The binnacle
• The binnacle is a cylindrical container made
of teak wood and brass
• No magnetic materials are used in its
construction.
• Even the screws are of brass and the nails of
copper.
• The compass bowl is slung inside the top
portion of the binnacle.
• The middle portion is accessible by a door
and contains an electric bulb.
• Light from this bulb passes upwards through
a slot, through an orange coloured glass
fitted over the slot, through the bottom of the
compass bowl, to illuminate the compass card
from below.
• The orange color ensures that the night
vision of the observer is not adversely
18 Oct 08 affected. 37
The binnacle
• The intensity of illumination
is controlled by means of a
mechanical shutter, fitted
over the slot, which is
operated by a lever jutting
out of the after part of the
binnacle.
• Electrical dimmers are not
fitted because their
fluctuating magnetic fields
would interfere with the
accuracy of the compass.
18 Oct 08 38
Corrector magnets
• In the centre of the lower half of
the binnacle, there are a number
of horizontal holes, both fore & aft
and athwartships, for 'hard iron'
or 'permanent' corrector magnets
which are meant to offset
undesirable, disturbing, magnetic
effects caused by the ship's steel
hull.
18 Oct 08 42
THE COMPASS PROJECTOR
18 Oct 08 43
The compass projector
18 Oct 08 44
The Advantages of the compass projector
• Being located on the monkey island, it is less affected by the
electromagnetic field of the bridge and therefore has better
directional properties.
• Off-site location of the compass saves bridge space.
• It also affords that all essential equipment and fittings needed
for steering are located exactly on the centre line of the ship.
• Since there is no magnetic compass in the wheelhouse,
restriction imposed by the norm of 3 meters 'safe compass
distance' while siting electro-magnetic units in the
wheelhouse.
• The cost of the compass projector is offset by the saving in
cost of additional steering compass and its binnacle in the
wheelhouse.
• The compass projector requires no special maintenance
except keeping the lenses and the mirror free of dust, salt
particles, etc.
18 Oct 08 45
Repeaters and Pelorus
18 Oct 08 46
General Points for Care & Maintenance of
Compass
• Access doors to corrector magnets always to be
locked and keys in safe custody.
• Varnish the wooden part of binnacle. Do not
paint them.
• Soft iron spheres & their brackets to be painted
to prevent rusting.
• Polish brass parts of binnacle regularly.
• Keep away all magnetic materials.
• Switch off binnacle light during daylight hours.
• Do not remove the brass helmet of the binnacle
to prevent damage due to salt, dust, spray, rains,
dew, frost and direct sun.
• Remove and store separately the azimuth mirror
when not in frequent use.
18 Oct 08 47
Removal of bubble
• A bubble may form in the bowl owing to the fact that some
of the liquid has somehow escaped from the bowl. This is a
rare occurrence and must be remedied by following the
manufacturer's instructions.
• In modern compass, the bowl is gently inverted and the
bubble enters the bubble trap. Gently upright the bowl.
• In other compasses:
– 1) Tilt the bowl until the 'filler hole‘ comes uppermost.
This hole is provided on the side of the bowl.
– 2) Unscrew the stud/screw provided.
– 3) Top up with ethyl alcohol. If this is not available,
distilled water would do.
– 4) Screw the stud back into place.
18 Oct 08 48
Magnetic Compass - Pluses & Minuses
Advantages
• Little maintenance required
• No power source required
• Durability
Disadvantages
• Does not seek True North
• Affected by surrounding materials
• Cannot be used near the poles
Other Effects on Magnetic Compass
18 Oct 08 50