Has anyone done this? If so, where did you install the sensor core and control module?
Thanks,
Paul
Thanks,
Paul
Raymarine EV100 installation on Hunter 37.5
- Thread starter PAC3142
- Start date
Hey PAC,
Not a Hunter but in the middle of resolving the install issues of the EV100. My thinking is to address the wiring strategy. The ACU can go anywhere you can route the SEATALK wiring. The EV sensor (looks like starship enterprise) needs to be out of the way. Within the length of the wiring. Correctly oriented fore and aft, and level. Not near electrical (think fuse/circuit breaker box), large metal (think engine), or your compass (it will affect the magnetic compass). Then you need to figure out how to fit wheel motor/routing wires to ACU. And finally where to locate the P70 controller. Under your dodger, at the helm, somewhere you have access to change the direction enjoy sitting and sailing. Lots of choices. No easy answers.
Not a Hunter but in the middle of resolving the install issues of the EV100. My thinking is to address the wiring strategy. The ACU can go anywhere you can route the SEATALK wiring. The EV sensor (looks like starship enterprise) needs to be out of the way. Within the length of the wiring. Correctly oriented fore and aft, and level. Not near electrical (think fuse/circuit breaker box), large metal (think engine), or your compass (it will affect the magnetic compass). Then you need to figure out how to fit wheel motor/routing wires to ACU. And finally where to locate the P70 controller. Under your dodger, at the helm, somewhere you have access to change the direction enjoy sitting and sailing. Lots of choices. No easy answers.
Ageed no easy answers. The instructions advise keeping evo unit 3 ft away from large metal bodies, of course there is no such place in a 30 something foot sailboat. I have seen installation both near the engine and the keel work out fine.
I put mine in the aft berth on the back side of the engine compartment. Works fine for the most part. It does wander a bit and gets confused at very low speeds when motoring. I do not know if this is because it is close to the engine or just because I do not have a rudder sensor. It is a problem though because this is exactly when I need it to keep the boat pointed into the wind when raising and lowering the main. The solution has been to go a little faster. Works then but I have to get the sail down quickly before I run out of marina.
Thanks NFG. That's where I was thinking. I was worried that the batteries, charger, and associated cables were too close for the sensor core.
I would think that fine heading control would come from the 6/9 dof chip. Gps would be way to slow on updates. And if based on gps it wouldn't matter where you mounted it.
Les
Les
I am not sure what algorithm that they are using, agreed that the equipment is present. There has to be some blending of the accelerometer and GPS as well. Actually, when using GPS alone when moving fast it can be very accurate. It is amazing how accurate a smartphone can be today. All and all I am very happy with my ev-100. Other than the noisy servo on the helm it couldn't be better now that I have learned to use it in all modes.
I put the sensor core and acu in the starboard lazarette, the sensor on the aft bulkhead and the acu on the more forward bulkhead. Mine works great with no wandering when I put it in performance mode, which I do when I want it to hold the boat dead into the wind for raising or lowering sails. Then I usually use cruising mode when out sailing. I have an "83 Hunter 31.
Just finished installing the same on my 1990 Legend 35.5. I put the ACU on the aft bulkhead of the starboard cockpit locker. The sensor is located on the starboard side of the aft bulkhead in the aft cabin, above the shelf. I can include pics you are interested.
Jeb, Pictures of the setup would be great! I suspect our cockpit lockers are similar.
Thanks,
Paul
Thanks,
Paul
Here are the pics of the locker, ACU installed in locker, senser installed in aft cabin & the black tape on cockpit bulkhead where the control unit will go as soon as I can find a hole saw or Dremel tool to make the hole bigger. Hope this helps. Have a stereo speaker mounted on locker so I had to get the proper separation.
Just adding my 2 cents about Ray Marine Autopilots.... My RM autopilots ability to stay on course in anything but this lightest of conditions was nearly impossible until I installed a rudder reference. Hence my 2 cents is to install a rudder reference with any RM autopilot. Even the Admiral noticed the difference.
-Jon
-Jon
Hello Paul,
I have a Hunter 376. I recently replaced the Autohelm ST4000 wheel drive system with the EV-200 Sail Autopilot pack with Type-1 rotary drive. The new autopilot is patched into an existing STng network. The EV-1 sensor core is mounted on the center line in the aft cabin on the stern bulkhead. This is the same location the former ST4000 heading sensor was located. I mounted the ACU 200 in a cabinet inside the aft cabin; found a false bulkhead in the cabinet and nice space to mount the ACU inside but out of sight. P70 control head mounted at the helm.
Paul, Not sure what kind of drive you are planning on using but the EV-100 may be on the very edge of usability for a boat of your size. I don't know what the displacement of the 37.5 is by my 40.5 is 20,000 lbs and the EV-100 just wasn't big enough. I went with the EV-200 with the Type-1 rotary drive mounted in the binnacle with stainless steel chain drive. Works great, is quiet and holds course easily (much better since I installed the rudder reference). It doesn't change the question of where to locate the heading sensor (the starship enterprise unit) though. I installed mine on the centerline way forward under the foward v-berth deck and ran the cable back to the ACU mounted under the nav table. That way it is right on the centerline and not close to any metal. Just be sure to not store your tools or other large metal objects nearby. When I first got it and took it for a sail my sailing companion moved a tool bag (with lots of metal in it) right on top of the deck above the sensor! When he did, the boat took an immediate 90 turn and caught me by surprise. Luckily I had just cleared a bridge - if it had done it in the bridge it would have been catastrophic. 
ps - I didn't have it in auto going through the bridge and I'd recommend that you never do that - too much can go wrong and there is no room to recover if it does.
Once you get it installed and there is no large magnetic interference close by, you calibrate it by doing a 360 circle at greater than 4 knots (I think that's the speed but don't quote me on it) and that compensates for small local magnetic interference and local variation to give you a reasonably accurate true heading. I check mine on a range whenever I have the opportunity and it seems to be right on.
ps - I didn't have it in auto going through the bridge and I'd recommend that you never do that - too much can go wrong and there is no room to recover if it does.Once you get it installed and there is no large magnetic interference close by, you calibrate it by doing a 360 circle at greater than 4 knots (I think that's the speed but don't quote me on it) and that compensates for small local magnetic interference and local variation to give you a reasonably accurate true heading. I check mine on a range whenever I have the opportunity and it seems to be right on.