Raymarine Wheel pilot

[David Clark]

Our 1997 Beneteau 321 is equipped with a B & G backbone system with speed ,depth ,wind and GPS with Triton displays.
Am considering inatalling a Ray Marine Wheel Pilot ,EV1
My question is it possible for the two systems to talk to each other ie Raymarine receive data from the B&G system and what is required if the above question is yes

[tmarks11]

If you select "navigate to a waypoint or "navigate along a track" on the B&G MFD, it will send the track data to the Raymarine autopilot on NMEA 2000. You will then be able to select on the Raymarine autopilot "TRACK".

What you are missing that a raymarine-raymarine system has is the ability to command the autopilot to switch to AUTO or STANDBY from within the MFD. Which isn't very useful.

But you are also missing the ability to command it to "navigate to the next waypoint" when a track line is selected on the MFD. The autopilot will select a course to minimize cross track error. It can be disconcerting when you say "follow track", and you are well outside the track line and the autopilot turns your boat 90 degrees and heads straight toward land to rapidly regain track.... the Raymarine MFD, when you have a track line active, allows you from the MFD the choice of either "next waypoint" or "track". The autopilot head only gives you three choices: Wind, AUTO (maintain current heading), or TRACK.

btw, the EV-1 is awesome. Replaced a 12yo Raymarine S-1 on my boat, and it is the best upgrade I have done.

[WaltUnsalted]

I refit my boat with a B&G backbone wind/speed/depth/GPS and connected used a Maretron field-installable connector to link the N2K backbone (B&G) to the SeaTalkng backbone (Raymarine) that came with my EV100 wheel pilot. Remarkably, it all came to life on the first test and has worked like a charm! Specifically, the AP can be set to wind direction or heading from the AP controller. What a game-changer! I love that I can set the wind angle to 0 degrees to raise/lower the main (under power) and to 180 degrees for running dead downwind.
I'm planning to add a Raymarine chart plotter since it can update the AP software/firmware and drive the AP separate from the AP control head. I'm weighing the Axiom7 against the es78.

[tmarks11]

>>I'm weighing the Axiom7 against the es78.

I have an Axiom Pro, which has the same keypad controller as the ES78. I find that control pad and joystick cumbersome and almost useless. The touch screen of the Axiom Pro works just fine in the rain, much to my surprise, so the keypad isn't needed.

Just thought I would mention that if the keypad was what was luring you toward the "older" model, over the Axiom series.

Personally, I would go for the Axiom.

[Tyler2002]

Need help installing an autopilot.
Bought recently a 1996 Hunter 376. The autopilot does not work properly: when engaged, the controller (Raymarine P70S) shows a fixed heading (60 deg). It engages the wheel, but it does not compensate for any changes in direction... After careful investigation, I discovered my "system" consists of my controller linked directly (through a Seatalk connector) to the (Raymarine) rotary drive... so I need to install an autopilot. How do I do it? Just plug in the ACU (autopilot control unit) into the SeaTalk connector?? I will probably go with the Raymarine ACU to make sure there are all compatible.
Would a Raymarine ACU 100 suffice? My boat weighs 15,000 lbs.
Thanks

[tmarks11]

Originally Posted by Tyler2002

...the controller (Raymarine P70S) shows a fixed heading (60 deg). It engages the wheel, but it does not compensate for any changes in direction... After careful investigation, I discovered my "system" consists of my controller linked directly (through a Seatalk connector) to the (Raymarine) rotary drive...

Define "engages the wheel"?

I would recommend you do some more tracing of wires before you buy anything. Without an EV-1 hooked up somewhere in your system, the P70S would display "Pilot Error". If there was no ACU hooked into the SeaTalkNG network, the P70S would be displaying "No Drive Detected" when you select AUTO.

You can check for installed components with "MENU->SET-UP->DIAGNOSTICS->ABOUT SYSTEM" commands.

The rotary drive connects to the ACU, not the P70s. So without an ACU, the wheel would never rotate.

The ACU can literally be mounted anywhere out of sight on your boat. As can the EV-1 (my EV-1 is mounted underneath my vee berth and my ACU was originally mounted behind my electric panel).

[Tyler2002]

First of all, thank you for the quick reply.
When I said "engages the wheel", I meant when controller is turned "on", the steering wheel is locked, as if under the control of the autopilot. Unfortunately, when the heading changes, the autopilot does not correct it. When I manually add or subtract 1 deg or 10 deg, the wheel does turn ...
I have taken the helm apart, and I can see the wires connected through the SeaTalk: control head, rotary drive and GPS unit (which is a Garmin). I looked behind the electrical panel, and it's not there. I have looked on the ceiling of my aft berth, but no access there ....

[Tyler2002]

It's very frustrating since I can clearly see where the cables connect... my GPS is connected into the SeaTalk. Can the autopilot be linked through the GPS??
I have traveled already 600 miles without it (but with a mate), and I'm hesitating now to go by myself as it is very tiring.

[Pete7]

The rotary drive needs to connect to the ACU. Follow the wires back from the wheel drive and see were they go, hopefully to the grey ACU unit.

Also, I found your post slightly confusing. Since there are lots of different components for different types of drives, can you confirm you have:

Wheel drive, or other type, which one
P70 control head
EVO1 sensor, looks like a white 8" flying saucer
ACU Grey box about 8 x 6".

https://www.raymarine.eu/autopilots.html

[Thumbs Up]

The p70 is just a control head and cannot work without an acu and compass attached. In the older systems (the st4000 and st4000+) there was no acu, everything was built into the control head. Maybe someone tried to replace an st4000 with a p70 not knowing. You either should upgrade to an evolution or buy a used st4000, The acu100 is the grey box but you still need the heading sensor (flying saucer), 2 separate fused power supplies and an assortment of cables and end caps. It is better to buy it as a kit to make sure you get it all but in your case you already have the drive and control head.

[tmarks11]

Originally Posted by Tyler2002

Unfortunately, when the heading changes, the autopilot does not correct it. When I manually add or subtract 1 deg or 10 deg, the wheel does turn ...

So there is no question that you have an ACU, and that it is working. Because that would not happen otherwise. The ACU is the motor controller that powers the rotary drive.

Originally Posted by Tyler2002

I have taken the helm apart, and I can see the wires connected through the SeaTalk: control head, rotary drive and GPS unit

Post some pictures, because something is not right. The rotary drive has no SeaTalkNG connection. It just has power wires from it to the ACU, wherever that is located. Raymarine installation instructions say to install the ACU as close to the battery as possible (not required if you use sufficient AWG wire, but that is what the manual says).

There is no direct connection between P70s, ACU, and EV-1 sensor.. they all just have to be plugged somewhere in the SeaTalkNG backbone.

So... since you are getting no errors, and the wheel turns when you manually change heading, you have a complete system. My suggestion is that you get the manual, do the dockside commissioning, then do the at-sea calibration, and see if that solves your problem.

[smac999]

Go to the nmea 2000 device list on the Garmin plotter. And list what you see. The pilot, compass, and p70 should show up.

[Tyler2002]

I've looked at the controller to see what other devices are connected. There is no autopilot listed.
Attached are photos.
Strange how the rotary drive moves without an autopilot.
I will have to install one. The question is, do I just plug it into the Stng connector??
Current Stng connector has 3 cables coming from P70S controller, GPS and rotary drive.
Thanks for your help.

[Calif.Ted]

That is a Seatalk to Seatalk ng converter, not a connector, the yellow center one is the "old" Seatalk connection which is usually used to connect legacy instruments like the st60's to a Seatalkng or nmea 2000 network.

[Pete7]

That looks like a complete lash up. That connector is for converting Seatalk to the new SeatalkNG. That's not what you need and I am not sure what the previous owner was trying to achieve.

You should have or will need a Gyro Compass like this which plugs into the SeatalkNG network.

You will need a ACU (sometimes called CCU by Raymarine which also plugs into the SeatalkNG network, but has extra connections which go to the wheel drive.

You ought to fit a Rudder Reference Unit to the rudder shaft with wires that go to the ACU.

They look like these: