Raymarine Wheel pilot

[Pete7]

It may be cheaper to buy a complete new Evo 100 wheel pilot with the various cables and connectors to connect it up properly, rather than try and use a Converter connector. You could then keep the existing bits for spare or sell them as they fetch a good price.

https://www.defender.com/product3.js...710&id=3661070

This is what the network should look like with all the components.

Worth having a read of the manual too:

https://raymarine.app.box.com/s/j9ua...e/119763483197

[Pete7]

Final thought for now, your boats weight is right on the limit for these drives.

You might want to think about an underdeck autopilot with a Type 1 drive rather than a wheel drive. Though I appreciate it is twice the price sadly.

Pete

[Tyler2002]

Did some research and it seems I need an ACU 200 (fits my rotary drive). Any idea where I could find a diagram explaining how to connect it all together?
The Raymarine controller booklet is not clear... I don't see the rotary drive in the diagram.

[Pete7]

The wiring diagram you have can't be used as a guide for connecting an auto pilot. It is designed to connect old and newer Raymarine networks together. If you look at the diagrams they are for legacy controllers, like the old ST4000 and ST6000 series. Some, but not all, of these controllers had extra circuits to tell the drive which way to turn. Raymarine moved away from this idea with the Evo solution which uses the P70 control head you have and a drive. However, it also needs an ACU and the gyro compass. P70, gyro compass and ACU must connect together with SeatalkNG network cables which normally come in the kit when you buy a complete system.

If you look at the diagram I posted above, you will see item 6 is a hydraulic pump, but it is representational of any drive.

When you say "rotary drive" can you confirm which of these you have:

Pete

[mjoplin]

With the sea talk converter, the P70s will also control a type 150 autopilot or other older models which do not require the ev1 or acu. That may be what he has in place. Trace the sea talk network wires for a big gray box that has wires to the rudder control.

[Tyler2002]

Pete7,
Currently I have the Raymarine controller P 70S and the rotary drive type 1 (see attachement).
The boat came with them. After reading up online, it seems the rotary drive is sturdier than the wheel option and I would like to stay with it.
I saw the diagram you've sent me and I appreciate it.
Is the EV 1 sensor core really necessary? I'm asking because I can live with an imperfect (approximate) course charted by the autopilot.
And finally, do I just plug in the SeaTalk connectors and the system works?
I asked an electronics marine specialist about installing the system, and:
1. He is very expensive ($500 + for labor).
2. He prefers I purchase parts from him (more expensive that what I can find online).

Thanks

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Tyler2002

Pete7,
Currently I have the Raymarine controller P 70S and the rotary drive type 1 (see attachement). The boat came with them. After reading up online, it seems the rotary drive is sturdier than the wheel option and I would like to stay with it.

Thanks for clarifying, yes definitely stay with the rotary drive.

Originally Posted by Tyler2002

Is the EV 1 sensor core really necessary? I'm asking because I can live with an imperfect (approximate) course charted by the autopilot.

I thought it was, but mjoplin says not. As he suggests, trace the wires from the rotary drive and you may find a hidden grey box off some previous system installed. If so, I would upgrade to the Evo system with an EV1 or 2 gyro compass which tells the system lots of information, not just the heading like the old systems. Without it were does the compass heading come from?

However, no you won't accept imperfection The new Evo range with a gyro compass are chalk and cheese over the older models. For the purchase of an ACU and Gyro compass you could have a really good system that will last years and be both efficient and accurately steer a course.

Originally Posted by Tyler2002

And finally, do I just plug in the SeaTalk connectors and the system works?
I asked an electronics marine specialist about installing the system, and:
1. He is very expensive ($500 + for labor).
2. He prefers I purchase parts from him (more expensive that what I can find online). Thanks

Well, not quite. There is a dockside commissioning routine you need to go through if you are installing an auto pilot. The Evo system is particularly easy and guides you through the system. You then need to go out in a calm area of sea and do some circles so the system can work out the boat magnetic setting. Again 10 minutes work. This is all covered in the manuals on the RM website.

$500 for installation is a nice way of increasing his pension The fittings are indeed plug and play. The exception are the wiring to the rotary drive, the rudder reference unit and the power supply to the network. These are just bare wires which screw down into the ACU or the power wire into a Seatalk NG block. Buy the bits on line.

Note, there are some rules with the SeatalkNG, like the power supply ideally needs to be in the middle of the network. The ends of the backbone cable (blue/black) needs to have proper blue end plugs fitted. Any spare connector block spaces can have a black blanking plug if its in a dirty or wet area, but less essential.

Again this is in the manual, so have a read, then draw out a diagram of where you are going to put each of the 5 key items, though drive and RRU are kind of fixed, then think about the layout of the backbone cable and what length you need each drop cable you need.

Pete

[Pete7]

Check the second hand prices for P70s control heads. It might be cheaper to buy a complete set up and then sell your existing P70 rather than buying the bits separately.

This sort of thing, but buy in the US in $ not £ with our taxes.

https://hudsonmarine.co.uk/products/...control-t70155

[Calif.Ted]

I'd bet your boat had something like the st4000 or st6000, sometimes called a "dumb pilot" and the PO replaced the head with a P70 not realizing it needed the course computer. I'd suggest an st6000 AP head maybe all that's required to restore to the level of st6000 performance.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=st6000%20autopilot

[Pete7]

If you look on the back of this, it has the extra connections required for the clutch and drive power supplies. However, I think you are right, someone tried a cheap fix that doesn't work.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Raymarine-S...sAAOSwaJFel4S1


Not sure if these can supply sufficient power for the rotary drive though. The next problem is that a fluxgate compass needs to be added so the autopilot knows which why is North and when the yacht turns off course.

My concern is this is getting into old technology and some of these control heads 20 years old. Would it be better to go for a new system for offshore work? well there is more cost but a reliable autopilot I consider essential unless you have a big crew that don't mind steering every single mile.

Pete

[Tyler2002]

Pete, I am close to figuring out what's going on.
The ACU is an old one, Raymarine type 100 (see attached).
I already have the rudder sensor, the controller (P70S) and the rotary drive (type 1). There is a fluxgate compass, also.
Again, when I engage the autopilot, the rudder is engaged, but there is no compensation for changes in direction.
Can I replace just the ACU, with a ACU 100 or 200?
I looked at the package, and it contains items I already have (rudder sensor, controller)?
I called Raymarine customer support and they recommended I buy the entire package (that's how they stay in business).
Thanks,
Gabriel

[NorthernMac]

Just say no to wheel autopilots

My raymarine wheel pilot is going to end up on Craigslist, or the shooting range.

Might be cool for day sailing in a lake, but for much else I go with a electric or hydro actuator to a arm on the rudder shaft.

Replaced mine with a raymarine type 1, pypilot and opencpn

[mjoplin]

Tyler2002, what I had and where I am at now might parallel where you are. One big difference, I have a type 1 hydraulic pump on a powerboat.

I originally had a legacy type 150 Raymarine autopilot. It came with a rudder sensor, fluxgate, "brains" box, dumb controller on the helm (I think it was an ST6000), and ran the hydraulics (which in your case would be a wheel controller.

The dumb controller on my helm had a broken screen. I found out that I could fit a P70S, along with the ST to STng convertor you have and the P70S would run the system just fine. Note - many of the menu options on the P70S were grayed out as many are specific to newer APs.

Later, I decided to upgrade to the new EVO autopilot as I already had in place:

1. current P70S controller
2. rudder sensor unit
3. type 1 hydraulic pump
4. STng network

What I did was:

1. disconnect the fluxgate (no longer needed)
2. remove the ST-STng convertor (no longer needed)
3. add an ACU-150 (wires to power, type 1 pump, STng network
4. add an EV-1 sensor (wires to STng network)

This gave me the latest AP without having to buy the kit. Went in with no issues and works like a champ. It also now takes direction straight from my Axiom chart plotters (which the legacy type 150 AP would not do).

On the new systems, the "intelligence" of the AP appears divided between the ACU and the EV-1. It is not all in the "brains" box like in the type 100, type 150, etc. The EV-1 is MUCH more that a fluxgate replacement. Also note, the old AP will NOT work if you have it and the EV-1 online together!

Caveat - my situation is predicated on controlling via a type 1 hydraulic pump which moves the rudders on a powerboat. I know absolutely nothing about the rotary drives. I would suspect that if you get an ACU model (100, 150, 200, …) that advertises compatibility with a rotary drive you should be able to duplicate what I did.

Hope this helps. If it would be of any help, I can probably dig up wiring diagrams of the changes from my old maintenance logs. None of the modifications were too difficult for a DIYer with a little bit of electronics knowledge/skills.