Raymarine X-5 Autopilot Anyone?

[tackdriver]

I wouldn't be putting the x-5 on a 36 footer after my experience.
I'll post how I go hooking up the linear drive, even if you buy the x-5 and stick the linear drive on it (assuming its feasible) then you are still half the price of the x-10. Its a pretty strange pricing structure.
cheers
JMB

[chala]

After 7 days of testing the X-5 I am quiet happy with its performance and it is my impression that properly tuned he is an improvement on the ST 4000. I will write more about it when I find the time.

[chala]

Originally Posted by tackdriver

Its a pretty strange pricing structure.
cheers
JMB

SPX-5 and SPX-10 are different unit, this should explain the strange pricing structure.
Drive motor output
X 5 continuous 5A at supply voltage
X 10 continuous 10A at supply voltage

Drive clutch output
X 5 NA
X 10 1.2A at 12 / 24 V selectable

[chala]

After testing the SmartPilot X-5 Tiller autopilot in force 5 to 7 I have found that the autopilot has a tendency to lose its Heading and this by more than 100 degrees in a short time (minutes). It mostly happen after a manual tack or when the autopilot is switched from Auto to Standby and back to Auto. The autopilot did once reset itself after more than one hour otherwise to be able to use the autopilot again require to use the Raymarine procedure of “Aligning the compass”

[chala]

Brought to the attention of Raymarine, Raymarine kindly and diligently replaced the course computer card, a stern mounted fluxgate compass instead of the previous mast mounted was connected to the pilot and another five days test in the same previous weather condition produced no losses of heading but stable piloting by adjusting the Response as necessary. Even so that the mast compass fluxgate tested within the specification, I suspect that its reliability may be affected by is placement to fare away from the pitch and roll centre of the boat.

Procedural check from Raymarine

In standby, Look at the Compass data on the controller, manually steer the boat in a slow Clockwise circle. Watch the compass readings. Does the figures increase/decrease evenly without jumping?
After that, take off the compass and check with a Multimeter:
The Multimeter should show:
Wires ---- Resistance
Screen to Blue ---- 6 to 12ohms
Red to Green ---- 3 to 6ohms
Yellow to Red ---- 3 to 6ohms
Yellow to Green ---- 6 to 12ohms
If it does not display this then the Fluxgate is faulty and needs to be replaced.

If the compass does not jump and you get readings that fall within the above guidelines then the Fluxgate is fine, if it fails any of the tests then I would recommend that you replace it.