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Peregrine1983 · 18-04-2018, 05:32

Hi all,

Curious to hear what my options are here. I have an old Raymarine ST6001 autopilot which still works nicely. However, the control is up next to my companionway. The boat has a big wheel and a big cockpit, and moving from behind the wheel to the autopilot control every time I want to change course is no fun. I'm not lazy, it's just that if we're rocking and rolling on passage it can be sketchy. I normally will ask whoever is sitting in front of me to tweak the autopilot instead of going up myself.

Last year I installed a Raymarine ES78 at the helm in a Nav Pod. I have an open hole in the nav pod that I left for my ST6001 control head, thinking I would eventually move it there. However I'm now wondering if I can use that hole for something else and somehow wirelessly control the old ST6001 with the ES78.

I'm imagining some sort of wifi box that would talk to the ES78 and translate it into a wired signal that my ST6001 can understand.

Does such a device exist?

Any thoughts appreciated.

Suijin · 18-04-2018, 05:57

Both units are NMEA183 compatible and looking at the Raymarine product range I'd guess your best shot would be to wire the 6001 to your sea talk backbone and see if you can control it through your MFD. I don't know if the wifi on the ES78 will take data input, just provide remote control through an app or wireless repeater station.

yalla · 18-04-2018, 07:30

I'm facing a similar situation:

raymarine e7d MFD (fairly new) and spx-5 / st-6002 autopilot

AFAIK the wifi interface can be used to:

1) enable remote display via a Raymarine android / ios app
2) receive radar data (quantum radome)

They are both nmea183 compatible so I am hoping and assuming suijin is correct and course changes can be sent from mfd to autopilot head. If for some reason it does not work, maybe upgrading the head to the p70 will.

aloha

KeelMe · 18-04-2018, 07:58

The only way to control your AP is via SeaTalk1. You would need the E22158 kit. It's mostly plug and play with a bit of config on the eS78. You may need a longer SeaTalk NG spur cable though.

This manual should help.

KeelMe · 18-04-2018, 08:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by yalla

I'm facing a similar situation:

raymarine e7d MFD (fairly new) and spx-5 / st-6002 autopilot

AFAIK the wifi interface can be used to:

1) enable remote display via a Raymarine android / ios app
2) receive radar data (quantum radome)

They are both nmea183 compatible so I am hoping and assuming suijin is correct and course changes can be sent from mfd to autopilot head. If for some reason it does not work, maybe upgrading the head to the p70 will.

aloha

The SPX-5 Course computer has SeaTalk NG. You could completely control it from the e7d via SeaTalk NG.

This manual should help.

Peregrine1983 · 18-04-2018, 08:46

Thanks very much KeelMe. So, I imagine there's no way to do this wirelessly? I'm dreading running another cable through my steering pedestal.

FionaJC · 18-04-2018, 08:54

I have a Raymarine 4000 Autohelm. I left it where it was and bought a wireless remote from China. I then wired the relay board across the switches. I bought a wired remote to see if I could live with that first but alas no.

I used the wired remote to work out the connections. You can do it with fewer wires but I jest went direct across the switches.

Wired remote anyone?

Peregrine1983 · 18-04-2018, 09:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by FionaJC

I have a Raymarine 4000 Autohelm. I left it where it was and bought a wireless remote from China. I then wired the relay board across the switches. I bought a wired remote to see if I could live with that first but alas no.

I used the wired remote to work out the connections. You can do it with fewer wires but I jest went direct across the switches.

Wired remote anyone?

Thanks FionaJC. I like this idea... a lot. Can you share what remote you used? And when you say you wired the relay board across the switches what do you mean? I'm no electrical engineer, but I can solder.

smac999 · 18-04-2018, 09:07

Can't you just buy the wireless controller? Or is that pilot to old for it?

http://www.raymarine.com/view/?id=848

Peregrine1983 · 18-04-2018, 09:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by smac999

Can't you just buy the wireless controller? Or is that pilot to old for it?

Autopilot Wireless Remote Controls

Oh wow... that might work. It sounds like it has a base station that plugs into the control head for any sea talk auto pilot.

iltsail · 18-04-2018, 09:19

I have pretty much the same setup and purchased this. Pretty straight forward install.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F253062028333

FionaJC · 18-04-2018, 09:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by smac999

Can't you just buy the wireless controller? Or is that pilot to old for it?

Autopilot Wireless Remote Controls

Just looked up the ST6001 so it is compatible with that wireless controller. Ill still put up here what I did and I think that Sailorchic34 did the same before me.

FionaJC · 18-04-2018, 09:33

To wire up my Autohelm 400 which is similar to earlier models.
I bought a 6channel wireless remote, a waterproof plug and socket and a box for it to go in. I wired up the board, put it in the box. I mounted the socket in the 4000 box.

I wired + and - and then each relay across each switch after working out which relay did what as they aren't sequential. Beware buying the wrong switches, you do not want latch or toggle, just instantaneous.

I bought this:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12v-6CH-R...oAAOSwPgxVRUK1

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SD20-20mm...item5459777014

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Waterproo...item3d13d0397a

If you arent confident dont do it. Both Sailorchic34 and I are engineers so its quite easy for us to do it.

Peregrine1983 · 18-04-2018, 10:06

Awesome. Thank you all for the help. Some things to consider!

Cadence · 18-04-2018, 10:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by FionaJC

To wire up my Autohelm 400 which is similar to earlier models.
I bought a 6channel wireless remote, a waterproof plug and socket and a box for it to go in. I wired up the board, put it in the box. I mounted the socket in the 4000 box.

I wired + and - and then each relay across each switch after working out which relay did what as they aren't sequential. Beware buying the wrong switches, you do not want latch or toggle, just instantaneous.

I bought this:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12v-6CH-R...oAAOSwPgxVRUK1

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SD20-20mm...item5459777014

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Waterproo...item3d13d0397a

If you arent confident dont do it. Both Sailorchic34 and I are engineers so its quite easy for us to do it.

The last sentence is great advise. Stumbling around in the dark may do more harm than good.