New autopilot

[seadaddler]

Hast anyone added a newer autopilot like EV-100 to a H-36
I have 2007 H-36 with wheel pilot and always worked great but it just went dead and not powering up
and will be checking it out to try figure if power head is bad or the computer is bad.
I checked the panel and even tried new circuit breaker which was working crazy but replaced it and
fuses in computer good and have not had chance to trouble shoot the system yet and just got back from out
for a few days and autopilot dead.
Nick

 

[Sanfelice]

I think the EV100 wheel drive is cheaply made and has issues. Look a Youtube. For a boat your size, I would opt for a below deck option. More costly. but I think it would more satisfactory. If you want a wheel pilot, investigate the CPT, although it will not interface with your other electronics as I understand it.

 

[jssailem]

The answer to your query is Yes. the EV100

SPECIFICATION: Raymarine - Rated for wheel-steered sailboats up to 16,500 lbs (7,500kg) displacement

Hunter 36 - Displacement: 13,500 lb / 6,123 kg

The above statement is also relevant. The EV 100 has great electronics and software. The course keeping has been greatly improved by the new sensors. The weakness as mentioned above is the plastic of the hardware on the wheel. I have experienced this on my unit. It is just lightly made. You need too recognize it is not made for heavy weather use. Following seas can be a problem. That is when a below deck linear or hydraulic system does a better job.

 

[chuckwayne]

my original st-4000 plus died after 20 years, looks like the head. I'm in the process of installing the evo on Escape - won't be done until spring - just had -40 wind chill in ME. The Raymarine rep suggested I hold on to the old wheelpilot ( it's compatible with the new electronics) in case the new one had to go back for service. everyone I talked to said the evo was a huge improvement.

 

[seadaddler]

Thanks all I think I may go for the new evo 100 but maybe still use my old wheel drive my head went dead.

 

[seadaddler]

Got the evo 100 and have a problem in trying to get the sea talk wire with the ends down thru the
stainless tube along side the helm which has many wires and not much room for this ng wire from control
head down to computer.
Has any body cut and splice the NG wires.

 

[smokey73]

Just thinking outside the box here. Can you mark and then disconnect some of the wires and pull them down, thereby creating enough space for the ng connector to get up through the SS tube and then put the wires you pulled out back up through the SS tube ? Seems that would be easier and better than splicing the NG wires.

MIght be better to cut and pull out some power/ground wires to get room and then splice them back rather than try to splice instrument type wires. Just keeping the box open for ideas

 

[seadaddler]

Yes thinking of doing that first before doing anything else.
Thanks for reminding me what I was think.
Nick

 

[dlochner]

Just thinking outside the box here. Can you mark and then disconnect some of the wires and pull them down, thereby creating enough space for the ng connector to get up through the SS tube and then put the wires you pulled out back up through the SS tube ? Seems that would be easier and better than splicing the NG wires.

MIght be better to cut and pull out some power/ground wires to get room and then splice them back rather than try to splice instrument type wires. Just keeping the box open for ideas

Yes thinking of doing that first before doing anything else.
Thanks for reminding me what I was think.
Nick

My experience feeding wires up the pedestal guard is biggest connectors go first, then the next, and next and so on.

 

[Hello Below]

I’ll state the obvious . . . just in case.
If practical, remove unnecessary outside wire covers and lube up all the wires that are currently inside the tube not only the new wires.

 

[jssailem]

The EV-100 install manual shows the wire install from the motor to the ACU. You route the control wire (actually two wires in the single black cable) from the wheel motor through what ever structures you want to use. (i.e. the pipes of a binnacle guard) The single cable has no fittings on one end. It can be snaked to the ACU, then the cable cover is stripped and the leads connected to the ACU as instructed in the manual. If the wheel turns the wrong way then you reversed the leads. Switch them and all will be good.

As far as location for the ACU, select a place that is dry, out of the way, and easily permits you to connect the backbone SeatalkNG cables.

 

[chuckwayne]

Got the evo 100 and have a problem in trying to get the sea talk wire with the ends down thru the
stainless tube along side the helm which has many wires and not much room for this ng wire from control
head down to computer.
Has any body cut and splice the NG wires.

Raymarine sells (or did) a user installed ng connector so you can cut off the factory installed connector, pull thru the bare wire and then install the new connector. as was said earlier, use plenty of lube

 

[jssailem]

Be careful about what you are cutting. The old carpenter motto was: Measured twice cut once.
The display needs the SeatalkNG connector on its back. This is a white spur wire. You’ll need to fit the wire and connector through whatever path you choose.

The wires connection to the ACU all are identified as “bare wires “ with out connectors on one end (straight wires screwed into the ACU connection points. They include power connection, connection to SeatalkNG backbone and the power control wire to the motor on the wheel.

 

[smokey73]

If at all possible, I'd consider pulling out existing wires without big connectors, inserting the wire with the Seatalkng connector and then inserting the wires that were removed. If you have to splice, splicing power and ground wires, which are typically a lot bigger than instrument wires is a lot easier not as sensitive to losses (good splices are still needed of course). Just my 2 cents worth, ymmv.