Help Me With My Autopilot ap20

[Dan of Sweden]

Our Robertson AP20 autopilot gives me a warning with the following text LOW SUPPLY
VOLTAGE but the batteries gives 13,3V.

What is wrong? ????



www.searibystorebro.com

[Paul L]

Corrosion on the connectors???? Temporarily run a new set of power wires from the battery distribution to the AP and see if the problem goes away.

[Dan of Sweden]

Ok that was s god idea. I have tried to figure out how to get info from the display how much voltage goes into the Ap as it says low voltage. I gave up! Anyone ??

[antoha]

Do you have a little digital voltmeter? Use one to measure actual voltage on the connectors right before the unit, should be easy enough. If it's the same as your battery 13.3 - there may be smth wrong with the AP?


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[donradcliffe]

Measure the voltage where the power wires go into the autopilot junction box while you are making the autopilot move the rudder by pressing the left and right buttons in standby mode. It should be 13.0v or above if the batteries are at 13.3v. If not, start looking for corroded connections/wires by checking the voltage under load at intermediate points. Remember that the problem can be in the ground wire as well as the positive lead.

[Dan of Sweden]

Wall, thats a annoying way of spending ny sunday ...

I have measured the incoming voltage and its about 13,3. Sofar so good. When I measure the voltage incoming from the junctionbox j3000X its 3,4. Maybe its correct, maybe not. Should this also show 13,3?

Is it possible to get a NEW junctionbox or should I send it for repare .

[DumnMad]

Maybe batteries are low but 13.3 is from solar panels ?

[antoha]

Incoming from the junction box: I guess you measured both before and after the wires going from the junction box to the control head? (Where is the problem - those wires or the box?)

This is probably an older version of the AP, no longer manufactured, they pop up on eBay occasionally, separately or as sets, seldom new though. Not sure if it's time for a new setup!

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[zeehag]

perhaps your ap20 is defective or has connection issues. sounds like your boat works just fine.

[Duchie]

I have one of those ,and was getting a read out of current overload ,and with that it would stop working . Applying the power to the HLD 350 ram directly , it worked fine , so the books answer was a new PBC , and yes they have been superseded , but a J300X PBC replaced mine and it works fine , now here is the rub , I was still getting current overload . as someone mentioned before , connections , first you should write down all your settings so you can reprogram the reset the the same , then pull ,of every connection you can find WD 40 them all and work them in and out a few times ,reconnect all , then reset the program , and in my case , bingo it works again ,just looking at the connections wont do it they might look clean , and still not funtion , and in my case , I don't think I needed the new PBC at all , I left it in , but $800.00 could have been saved .Incidentaly I got the part through Wally at Custom Marine Electronics , Shelter Island , San Diego , some of the other places just told me to get an udate $ 2000.00

[Snore]

There are several variables. As others mentioned- Are the connections corroded? What is the distance from the source to the A/P? What is the gauge of the wire?

I had a similar problem when to PO wired a Ray 3000 with 22Ga wire. Upped the wire to 12(admitted overkill) and solved the problem.

Also are other items tapped off the A/P feed?


Sent from my iPhone- please forgive autocorrect errors.

[donradcliffe]

The going rate for a working J3000x on Ebay is about $250-300 Its about the same for the J300x, which is rated for a higher power motor and is more available. If you decide the junction box needs replacing, go with the J300x.

[Dan of Sweden]

When I put the autopilot in autopilotmode it works just great with NO errors or the alarm . But in st standby the errors occur .

Alarm but NO problem .. What ???? ?