Low battery warning on ev1 autopilot

[Hayden Watson]

Today my ev1 started giving a "low battery" warning and then disconnecting the Autopilot Drive.
The battery voltage is at 13.2 volts at the battery and also confirmed at the p70

 

[dlochner]

When the AP drive units engage they can draw a lot of power, it could be when the unit is engaged the voltage drops causing the alert.

What kind and how old are your batteries? Does this happen when you are motoring and the alternator is providing power?

 

[Hayden Watson]

Brand new lithium 560 amp battery Bank.
The house bus ranges between 13.2v - 13.3v.
The wiring from the house bus to the computer is 12 gauge about 12 ft long and installed last year.
I was thinking along the same lines, so plan to check all of the connections from the electronics bus to the computer make sure they're all tight

 

[Hayden Watson]

The problem was happening while motoring although it doesn't make a lot of difference with my lithium
battery.
Charging at 50.3 amps the battery voltage is 13.51

A few minutes later after I anchored good job I have 13.42 volts at 3.1 amps discharge from the refrigerator.

It stays below 13.6 when charging until I get above 520 amps and then it slowly Rises up to 14 before the alternator shuts off.
After it's days above 13.2 until I am down well under a hundred amps remaining capacity.

 

[jviss]

I think it must be excess resistance in the power wiring to the EV1. Do you have a way of monitoring the voltage right power entrances to the computer?

 

[Hayden Watson]

I think it must be excess resistance in the power wiring to the EV1. Do you have a way of monitoring the voltage right power entrances to the computer?

I think I got it solved. I was able to tighten each of the screws on the terminal block on the ACU-100 1/4 to 1/2 turn. I had them all as tight as I was comfortable making them on the original install, but they were now much looser. On other occasions, I have had trouble with that type of terminal block when using fine-stranded marine wire. I have heard that using a square or hex crimp ferrule then clamping the ferrule into the terminal block makes a better connection. I have been thinking of getting one to give it a try.

 

[jonelli]

You know that the old ST models showed "Low Batt" for just about any internal error condition, right? Meaning, it was a fairly generic error, and didn't necessarily mean your power source was low. Curious if the EV1 is similar in it's logic.

 

[Hayden Watson]

My previous autopilot was an AH4000 and it didn't "show" anything. just four buttons and a "sensitivity" knob. The display was showing "Low battery" then sometime after that it would indicate that the drive was disconnected, and I would lose heading control. All of the wiring was new last year and oversized for the current, so I was suspecting a connection. I just wasn't looking forward to crawling into the "technical compartment" to check. I need to remove the galley drawers, drawer frame and crawl on my knees into the hole. In order to get through the opening, I need to turn my shoulders sideways and then work in the dark with a headlamp.
I really like this location for the protection that it offers but installation and service is a bear!

 

[jviss]

I have heard that using a square or hex crimp ferrule then clamping the ferrule into the terminal block makes a better connection.

Me, too, and I have done this with great success.

 

[Hayden Watson]

Me, too, and I have done this with great success.

My hydronic system has a bunch of wires that are in the 20AWG, or smaller range and they do not work in a red crimp connector regardless of what the packaging says. I plan to redo all of those crimps with a crimped-on ferrule then crimp the ferrule into the ring terminal.

 

[jviss]

My hydronic system has a bunch of wires that are in the 20AWG, or smaller range and they do not work in a red crimp connector regardless of what the packaging says. I plan to redo all of those crimps with a crimped-on ferrule then crimp the ferrule into the ring terminal.

Good idea! What I have done, when there is enough wire, is strip a few inches of it and fold it back on itself several times. When there isn't enough wire, find a piece of 'donor' stranded and cut it to fill the terminal.

 

[JohnShannon]

On my Ray marine I ended up with a small lead acid battery wired in right at the autopilot. The thing is absurdly nervous/stupid about low voltage. Crap basically if you want my opinion. Previous autopilot worked for years with no problem at the same location with the same wiring.