Instlation of new Ray Marine EV1 Autopilot

[amystic]

My 336 is 20 years old and never had a autopilot installed. I ordered the Raymarine EV100 autopilot in a box and just installed it. If anyone is going to attempt his I wanted to describe my experience and give some advice.

First off everything came in the box. The big problem is that the EV100 is a new componet and itis married up with the old st 4000 wheel motor. That is realy not a problem exceptn the instructions ge a little confusing.

I dont have any fancy electronics on my boat. All I wanted was an autopilot where I could punch AUTO and the boat would hold a course. I had to mount my P70 control head on the surface of the locker on the starbord side of the cockpit. Its kind of tough to see it is so low but it works well as all the other components were mounted in the adjacent battery locker.

Unfortunately there is no wiring diagram so if anyone is installing one of these here is the scoop on the wiring:

The white connectors on the multiconnector go to the following:

1. sensor core
2. p70 control head
3. motor controller ( this is a multi strand color coded connection to the Motor controller.

Th blue connector on the multiconnector is wired to the battery via the blue cable connected to the red cable via a t connector. a 5 amp inline fuse is required.

The motor controller needs to be connected to the battery with a 10 amp inline fuse

the motor controller is connected to the wheel control motor via a supplied power cable.

That may sound confusing but you will appreciate this if you have the kit in front of you.

Be careful where you locate the wheel motor. It sticks into a hole I drilled into my fiberglass box pedestal. It must have depth clearance and it must not interfere with the rudder control chains. I had to dril a half circle to allow room for my wheel motor. You can see it in the pictures.

The p70 pretty much has good instructions for the dockside set up and seatrial. All i can say is I did the dockside and the went out and made 2 circles and the thing works like a charm. I can sit back and have a beer and the boat steers itself.

I am having trouble downloading my pics I will try to add later

 

[sesmith]

I also just installed an EV100 wheel pilot in our boat. It replaced our older Simrad / Navico WP10, that recently bit the dust for good.

I agree, the Raymarine info can be a little confusing. My paperwork had a mish mash of manuals including the operation manual for the older SPX unit. My suggestion for anyone installing one is to also familiarize yourself with the most up to date manuals on the Raymarine website...at least they will be for the unit you got in the box

My biggest point of confusion, though, was not the installation as I do a lot of that type of work for a living. All my paperwork had the instructions for doing a sea trial after the install, including a compass swing. I searched through the setup and calibration menus, to no avail, for the compas swing and sea trial choices. I reset the pilot twice to factory specs in case I somehow blew by it. Finally, I just said, screw it, this thing is supposed to learn, so I just did 2 slow speed circles to see if the compass would calibrate. Magically, it did just that and agreed to within 1 degree of my plotter, and just worked great after that. Truly, space shuttle stuff.

We haven't sailed with it yet (no wind when I went out to calibrate it), but so far, at least under power, this is a major improvement over our old Simrad. My wife actually drove the boat into our marina using the wheel pilot and the arrow keys, though she chickened out just before we turned into our slip. Honestly, she could have docked it with the autopilot.

As far as mounting the display, I took another approach and mounted it on the binnacle. There are some real nice dedicated control head mounts out there for around $300. I know it's a little ghetto, but I took the less than $20 approach, at least for now. I used a 6 x6 x4 exterior conduit box. It's mounted with (you guessed it) plastic conduit clamps to the binnacle rail, and rotates for viewing from either side (pics attached). The color even matches nicely with the autopilot and my Garmin plotter.

 

[amystic]

My 336 is 20 years old and never had a autopilot installed. I ordered the Raymarine EV100 autopilot in a box and just installed it. If anyone is going to attempt his I wanted to describe my experience and give some advice.

First off everything came in the box. The big problem is that the EV100 is a new componet and itis married up with the old st 4000 wheel motor. That is realy not a problem exceptn the instructions ge a little confusing.

I dont have any fancy electronics on my boat. All I wanted was an autopilot where I could punch AUTO and the boat would hold a course. I had to mount my P70 control head on the surface of the locker on the starbord side of the cockpit. Its kind of tough to see it is so low but it works well as all the other components were mounted in the adjacent battery locker.

Unfortunately there is no wiring diagram so if anyone is installing one of these here is the scoop on the wiring:

The white connectors on the multiconnector go to the following:

1. sensor core
2. p70 control head
3. motor controller ( this is a multi strand color coded connection to the Motor controller.

Th blue connector on the multiconnector is wired to the battery via the blue cable connected to the red cable via a t connector. a 5 amp inline fuse is required.

The motor controller needs to be connected to the battery with a 10 amp inline fuse

the motor controller is connected to the wheel control motor via a supplied power cable.

That may sound confusing but you will appreciate this if you have the kit in front of you.

Be careful where you locate the wheel motor. It sticks into a hole I drilled into my fiberglass box pedestal. It must have depth clearance and it must not interfere with the rudder control chains. I had to dril a half circle to allow room for my wheel motor. You can see it in the pictures.

The p70 pretty much has good instructions for the dockside set up and seatrial. All i can say is I did the dockside and the went out and made 2 circles and the thing works like a charm. I can sit back and have a beer and the boat steers itself.

I am having trouble downloading my pics I will try to add later

0

 

[amystic]

more pics of the ev100 instal

more pics

I like that idea with the electrical box at least you don't have to stand on your head like I do to see the face of the control head. But like I said all I am interested in is just pushing the button to hold course. This thing is the cats meow............

P.S. I agree the seatrial part of the setup did not jive with the instructions and as I said I just made 2 slow circles also and the thing started working.

 

[amystic]

a couple of other thoughts. I saw on a Macgregor blog that the dockside set up requires a couple of measurements to be input. I was told to use 30 degrees and 14 seconds from rudder stop to rudder stop. I used these two numbers and everything works fine.

 

[sesmith]

a couple of other thoughts. I saw on a Macgregor blog that the dockside set up requires a couple of measurements to be input. I was told to use 30 degrees and 14 seconds from rudder stop to rudder stop. I used these two numbers and everything works fine.

I also stuck with the stock 30 degree setting for rudder stop angle cause that looked about right and I didn't have anything on hand to actually measure the angle, For the time, they actually want you to measure it, though there's nothing in the instructions telling you how that's done. To do this, you directly power the motor leads with 12v + and ground and measure the time it takes the wheel pilot to go from 1 stop directly to the other using a stop watch. Just test to see which direction you're going first, so you don't accidentally power it against the stop. FWIW, on my boat, it measured 13 sec, so 14 wouldn't have been very far off.

Edit: there's also a way you can do this using the control head (section 7.8 in the online P70 manual)

 

[james295]

EV 100 installation question

I am in the process of installing a raymarine ev 100 also , and have some questions , on the acu 100 there is a RF connection next to the power in , where do I connect it ? ,or do I have to?, and what size wire do I need for the power in connection ? also on the power connection for the wheel motor it has metal connector clips but the acu does not , do I cut them off and connect them like the other connections on the unit ?

 

[njlarry]

I recently installed the EV1 and was very disappointed in the lack of instructions. One would think in this day in age Raymarine would have a whole series of you-tube install videos. Each component has a separate set of instructions but there is no one master manual. Oddly Raymarine inclues a master manual but only for the old ST4000 because they both use the same old plastic wheel/drive unit.
One of the two biggest challenges for me (on a conventional 34 foot sailboat, was where to put the EV1 direction sensor. Behind the engine was the easiest but that I thought would be too close to the engine and batteries. So I put it in a galley cabinet where the old unit was. The brings up the second challenge, the #$%%^ cables! They are very poorly designed. Unlike the older cables they have very large connectors that are difficult to feed through pedestal rails and you can't cut and reattach them. Also white can only connect to white and blue can only connect to blue so every component (there are now three where there used to be two) needs a short white cable to a white connector with a blue connection to a long blue cable that then is long enough to connect to another unit. But there is only one long blue cable supplied to connect three separate components that can and should be far apart...ugh!
There has to be a better system out there.
The unit works ok but it is very noisy, we sometimes shut it off to stop the constant noise as it tries to compensate for wakes and waves yawing and rolling the boat. Most I can give it is two stars.

 

[amystic]

James 295 here are the answers:
On the acu100 motor control, there is one set of connectors that I did not use I guess because I am not integrating anything with my autopilot. I am not at my boat but I assume this is the RF connector you refer to.

The wire size will depend on the length of the run. longer needs heaver. There is an explanation in the books explaining the gauge needed based on the length.

Cut the 2 metal tips off and connect as usual bare wires. Keep in mind the green lugs come off to make this job much easier.


Note to NJ Larry:

I mounted my sensor core within 12 inches of my batteries near the side hull of my boat nowhere near the center line of the boat. I guess my initial thoughts were to locate everything based on the cable connectivity. I am very happy noise and all. My only gripe is the crazy hodgepodge of instructions which are almost worthless.

 

[james295]

Thanks for the info

 

[sesmith]

I am in the process of installing a raymarine ev 100 also , and have some questions , on the acu 100 there is a RF connection next to the power in , where do I connect it ? ,or do I have to?, and what size wire do I need for the power in connection ? also on the power connection for the wheel motor it has metal connector clips but the acu does not , do I cut them off and connect them like the other connections on the unit ?

I believe you are talking about the RF drain circuit. Here's a link to a discussion I started on Main Sail's forum. It should help answer your question. Believe it or not, the info is actually hidden somewhere in your manuals, if you can find it

edit: forgot link

http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=166068

 

[sesmith]

I recently installed the EV1 and was very disappointed in the lack of instructions. One would think in this day in age Raymarine would have a whole series of you-tube install videos. Each component has a separate set of instructions but there is no one master manual. Oddly Raymarine inclues a master manual but only for the old ST4000 because they both use the same old plastic wheel/drive unit.
One of the two biggest challenges for me (on a conventional 34 foot sailboat, was where to put the EV1 direction sensor. Behind the engine was the easiest but that I thought would be too close to the engine and batteries. So I put it in a galley cabinet where the old unit was. The brings up the second challenge, the #$%%^ cables! They are very poorly designed. Unlike the older cables they have very large connectors that are difficult to feed through pedestal rails and you can't cut and reattach them. Also white can only connect to white and blue can only connect to blue so every component (there are now three where there used to be two) needs a short white cable to a white connector with a blue connection to a long blue cable that then is long enough to connect to another unit. But there is only one long blue cable supplied to connect three separate components that can and should be far apart...ugh!
There has to be a better system out there.
The unit works ok but it is very noisy, we sometimes shut it off to stop the constant noise as it tries to compensate for wakes and waves yawing and rolling the boat. Most I can give it is two stars.

I think we call all agree here that the directions stink?

As far as the confusion goes with the cables, colors, and plug-in sizes, welcome to the age of can networks. There's a reason for all this. The blue is for main trunks, the white is for branches. All the trunks have to be terminated, which is the reason for the termination plugs. If you don't use them, the network doesn't work. The cables have to be shielded, pretty robust, and water tight. That's the reason for the size. Raymarine actually does a really nice job with their cables.

As far as noise goes, you should have heard my old Simrad / Navico WP10, and the jerky way it moved the wheel (enough to shake the whole pedestal). This Raymarine unit is a huge improvement, so I guess it's all relative, but I wouldn't call it noisy at all. The fact that it is actively compensating for sea state is part of its job...the bottom line is it keeps a steady course. I believe you can change a setup setting to effect how tight a course it keeps...something like fast sail (racing?), slow sail (cruising) that may effect this some, but I haven't played with that.

 

[njlarry]

I think we call all agree here that the directions stink?

As far as the confusion goes with the cables, colors, and plug-in sizes, welcome to the age of can networks. There's a reason for all this. The blue is for main trunks, the white is for branches. All the trunks have to be terminated, which is the reason for the termination plugs. If you don't use them, the network doesn't work. The cables have to be shielded, pretty robust, and water tight. That's the reason for the size. Raymarine actually does a really nice job with their cables.

As far as noise goes, you should have heard my old Simrad / Navico WP10, and the jerky way it moved the wheel (enough to shake the whole pedestal). This Raymarine unit is a huge improvement, so I guess it's all relative, but I wouldn't call it noisy at all. The fact that it is actively compensating for sea state is part of its job...the bottom line is it keeps a steady course. I believe you can change a setup setting to effect how tight a course it keeps...something like fast sail (racing?), slow sail (cruising) that may effect this some, but I haven't played with that.

Can you help me understand why the white branch and the blue trunk cables could not be interchangeable? They are the same diameters with the same diameter terminals only differing in number of pin-connectors. Why not have them all the same number and just use the pins needed? Why not have some way of cutting and reconnecting. The best loacation for the heading indicator is at the wheel and one inch pedistal rails are pretty standard. These units are expensive and usually user installed. I think the older ST4000 was much easier to install and more flexible. Also the cable was easy to feed through the pedistal rails. (my humble opion)

 

[sesmith]

Can you help me understand why the white branch and the blue trunk cables could not be interchangeable? They are the same diameters with the same diameter terminals only differing in number of pin-connectors. Why not have them all the same number and just use the pins needed? Why not have some way of cutting and reconnecting. The best loacation for the heading indicator is at the wheel and one inch pedistal rails are pretty standard. These units are expensive and usually user installed. I think the older ST4000 was much easier to install and more flexible. Also the cable was easy to feed through the pedistal rails. (my humble opion)

I wish I could tell you why. All I know (and I work with some networks similar to these where I work) is that a can network is set up with a main bus (Raymarine's blue wires). Anything that attaches to the network come in on spur cables (Raymarine's white ones). This is an industry standard way of setting up a network like this. Raymarine has their own proprietary cables to do this. Your car is set up the same way with multiple controllers, etc, though the cabling is proprietary to the automotive industry. Networks like this are used in industrial applications, aerospace, automotive, marine, etc.

You can't really think of it as the same thing as running 12 v wires, where you can cut and splice. The network is sending high speed digital info (likely 5 v highs and lows) back and forth between the various controllers, etc on the network. The main bus is terminated on both ends with resistors to keep the base bus voltage constant. Noise on the network will screw up communications, so cutting, splicing, mixing and matching is not a good idea. Also, proper grounding is critical. So that's all the info I can really give you, though it doesn't really explain much.

FWIW, I was able to get the blue cable and the motor cable down my 1" pedestal which was already populated with a couple of cables to my Garmin chartplotter. It wasn't the easiest thing to do, but I just tried to send it down a couple of different ways until one worked out. I wonder if you could use a fish tape, or tape it to a heavy piece of weed eater cutting line or the like to run it.

 

[njlarry]

I ended with a long blue cable for the pedistal with has to have a big coil of all the extra wire as the white cable was too short. I got a second blue cable to connect from the bus unit inthe engine compartment to the sensor unit in a galley cabinet.
I am very curious where others installed their sensor unit. One ODay 35 owner i met put his in front of the fuel tank but that would seem to put it too close to the batteries and the engine?

 

[amystic]

If you will look at my pics above you will see my sensor unit withing 12 inches of my batteries. I also mounted it near the starboard side of my boat no where near the center-line. My unit works perfectly.

 

[njlarry]

OK, (your secret is safe with me)

 

[sdennisf]

I have been fighting the erratic behavior (primarily oversteering) this issue for over 7 months on my Catalina 30. The sensor unit was returned to Raymarine in April and no issues found but they replaced the sensor anyway. I have continued to have oversteering issues with the unit, especially with moderate seas and wind and really bad with rougher conditions. Raymarine send me a rudder position sensor last week which is really difficult to install (their instructions really don't help much either but I was able to find some pictures on the web that helped). I had my first sea trial with the rudder sensor installed yesterday with mixed results and will try again today. I have had two other Raymarine wheel autopilots (ST 4000 and a older unit) which worked on this boat without a problem. They steered the boat more accurately then I could ever done manually. The EV1 has been extremely frustrating and consumed hundreds of hours of trying to get the unit to function, including how to upload software updates (you must have a Raymarine MFD), moving the sensor core, different settings and sea trials and dozens of phone calls and e mails. If I can not get the unit to function today it will be returned!

 

[Meriachee]

The Ray software updates are less than stellar. The packages are not completely inclusive, and sometimes the process of posting something on the tech forum results in responses that are only a couple of steps short of condescending. They profess that the readme files contain all the pertinent information, but they do not contain (as a general rule) any detail whatsoever as to the process of installation, which leaves an assumption that the person holding the file knows the finer details.
You do need an mfd to upgrade the software, but the previous versions of your software are subject to "microcode" installed on the hardware, and sometimes these versions do not interact.
My p70 is at version 1.04, and through a significant amount of interaction, I have not been able to get the bootloader upgraded, and have finally given up. I wasn't going to post this, but given all the commentary about lack of documentation, I thought that it was due. The product is good. The features are good. It works well. In the telecom industry, we don't proactively patch as a general rule, and I am applying that theory to the boat. There's more than enough software grief during a normal business day without taking it to the lake.My AP will remain at a back version, and the next "lighthouse upgrade" email that shows up will very likely be dispatched.

 

[amystic]

some more comments from Amystic

I agree with several of the folks that when a person like me with not a lot of technical expertice trys to communicate with the Ray Marine boys I believe they assume you should know as much as them.

The real problem here is the fact that if you are trying to install a EV1 system each componet has a seperate mannual and they dont always jive with each other. If Raymarine was smart they would get a guy with my experience and tech ability to cretique thier mannuals and help them so the average guy could understand them. Just a simple single location explaination of the color codes for the plugs and the cables would have helped.

All the advertising material states that the EV1 is simple to install but I have to take exception to that just because there are no simple basic explainations in the mannuals.














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