The completely open plotter

[Moo]

Originally Posted by Jubilee39

As I stated I lack knowledge of Arduino. The home page of open plotter lists many exciting possibilities but nothing links to how to accomplish them. I have limited bandwidth so have not downloaded the program yet. I ordered off Amazon a raspberry pi which I assume is arduino. I will not get it until next week along with a gps module for it and an experimentation pack.
Will I be able to connect the Arduino to my 4G router directly without using the PC to monitor the boat while away?

Arduino and Raspberry Pi are very different things... not to be confused. They are somewhat complimentary though.

Please have a look at ..

https://www.arduino.cc/

and

https://www.raspberrypi.org/


You will be running Openplotter on the Raspberry Pi and only need an Arduino for some special hardware interfacing that you may or may not need

[mikedefieslife]

Originally Posted by boat_alexandra

pypilot is the autopilot of openplotter. It's extra that other autopilots can work, don't expect the same level of integration, you wouldn't expect this mixing raymarine and garmin components would you?

pypilot has the best integration with openplotter and already in this early phase offers features not available to other autopilots.

Presumably though with pypilot you need some kind of additional interface to power the reversing hydraulic pumps that many will be using in their autopilot system, plus some way to attach the rudder position sensor.

[rgleason]

A controller. All the links are here.

[transmitterdan]

Originally Posted by rgleason

A controller. All the links are here.

But the links to Sean's web pages are all dead.

[mikedefieslife]

The links work for me. The controller can put out 3amps continuous which is well below what most commercial systems output. It is a start though.

[rgleason]

Originally Posted by transmitterdan

But the links to Sean's web pages are all dead.

TransmitterDan, sorry. It's working here, perhaps there is an internet mirror server in between that isn't working well. It's all supposed to work, but there are many parts. This has happened to me too.

I expect that Sean will respond. You can make higher powered controllers, but for his use 3 amps is more than adequate. My Raymarine Wheelpilot 4000 I believe has a 10 amp fuse but he thought that the 3a controller would work. My control has been inundated (full) with water and fish :-) several times and I've been able to dry it out, replace parts and reassemble, but I expect after 26 years, the boats autopilot will need a new controller soon. Wheelpilot motor is still excellent.

[conachair]

Originally Posted by mikedefieslife

The links work for me. The controller can put out 3amps continuous which is well below what most commercial systems output. It is a start though.

Some links are dead .. coming up with account suspended here..

For the motor control, I've just started having a play - this controller from ebay
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/30A-Mini-VNH2...SwUMxZlm4p
seems capable enough though this is on an old brushed motor wheel pilot but the controlled seems capable enough of kicking out enough amps without getting warm. Spec says 14A continuous . This just being controlled from a little arduino sketch, not pypilot yet. And no idea how this would behave with a hydraulic motor.
https://www.instructables.com/id/Tut...odule-Single-/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P01Q5-55WhE

Can't see this ever being totally "plug and play" but then if you have a raspberry pi onboard then the cost will be a few hundred times less than GarMarine type off the shelf offerings and from the youtubes the software control side could well be a better

Back to the OP - I think a lot of people using openplotter for real onboard use a tablet as a display either with another monitor down below or headless via VNC.

[barnakiel]

For visibility, check out screens used as remote control for serious dslr and video shooters.


Examples : https://shootsearcher.com/best-dslr-camera-monitors/


The problem is such devices cost $$ while all it takes is an OpenCPN or any other free nav app on a sub 100 USD tablet. Hard to beat the buck factor.



b.

[conachair]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

while all it takes is an OpenCPN or any other free nav app on a sub 100 USD tablet. Hard to beat the buck factor.

Except a tablet on it's own has just a tiny fraction of the capabilities of having a Pi running openplotter providing data to a tablet. Add from a large selection of cheap sensors for barometer, voltage, current, temperature ; muiltplex it all over wifi as signalk & nmea, record everything into a database & view easily in a web browser; wifi access point repeater, decode wfax, music system, the list goes on for not a lot of cost and mostly menus to set up. No need for a monitor, set it all up with VNC on a tablet.

[rgleason]

Conchair,
Yep, this link is dead.

For the motor control, I've just started having a play - this controller from ebay
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/30A-Mini-VNH2...SwUMxZlm4p

[seandepagnier]

Originally Posted by mikedefieslife

The links work for me. The controller can put out 3amps continuous which is well below what most commercial systems output. It is a start though.

The components are all "rated" at 30 amps, but the small plastic box they are in limits the continuous current which explains my conservative rating of 3 amps. Most autopilot drives do not run continuously, so realistically this controller can be used with drives up to about 5 amps. Still not enough for hydraulic, and near the limits for the largest linear drives as well, but good for most tiller pilots and wheel drives.


I do have a high current controller available which is tested at 20 amps continuous with safe stable temperature. It can handle much higher currents of 50-60 amps for shorter duration. It is in a larger aluminum box but requires no fan. It uses much better mosfets. See this initial test:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMqUmcTbQOE

The reason I did not list it on my website, is I am getting emails from people interested faster than I am building them, so it is perpetually out of stock for the time being, at the moment there is a 3 week wait time, you can contact me if interested.

It supports a rudder indicator and can use the raymarine or just about any other rudder feedback sensor. You can also make your own like in the video. It also works without a rudder feedback.

Originally Posted by conachair

For the motor control, I've just started having a play - this controller from ebay
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/30A-Mini-VNH2...SwUMxZlm4p
seems capable enough though this is on an old brushed motor wheel pilot but the controlled seems capable enough of kicking out enough amps without getting warm. Spec says 14A continuous . This just being controlled from a little arduino sketch, not pypilot yet. And no idea how this would behave with a hydraulic motor.

I am considering this part for future kit versions of a motor controller where you can do all the soldering yourself and make it cheaper, but for tiller pilots, not hydraulic.

I know someone that used it for a shop vac, and so at about 8A you would need active cooling (fan heatsink) which is not ideal in marine environment. If you stuck it in a plastic box it would probably be no better than my regular controller, maybe worse.

According to the datasheet it has 18mohm per leg. My high current controller has 3 mohm per leg. So this part will generate a lot more heat for the same power handling, and it's ability to dissipate heat is much worse too. It may be able to power hydraulic pumps (as my other controller could too) if you managed to keep it cool enough.

I am all for experimenting, and it could maybe work, but would be less efficient generating more heat and reducing the pump's power (slightly). Just be sure to figure out a way to keep it cool and please share your results.

[mikedefieslife]

Sounds good.

I currently have a Raymarine system EV1 with ACU200. I have a Cetek system as a backup. It's this back up I'm looking at replacing as the Cetek is very dated now, and doesn't integrate well with my existing system.

I'm looking for 17 to 20 amps continuous max rating. I already have a rudder position indicator in place so it would be good to be able to use that. I presume pypilot software allows that to be calibrated without the need to reposition it like I had to with my Raymarine system.

As to the website shop, I too am getting account suspended error now

[seandepagnier]

Originally Posted by mikedefieslife

Sounds good.

I currently have a Raymarine system EV1 with ACU200. I have a Cetek system as a backup. It's this back up I'm looking at replacing as the Cetek is very dated now, and doesn't integrate well with my existing system.

Typical ev1 wheel drive unit draws less than 2 amps.

I'm looking for 17 to 20 amps continuous max rating.

Not sure where you got this figure. Only very large hydraulic pumps draw this much power, most draw 8-10 amps. Linear drives use even less. Do you measure the current of the drive motor?

I already have a rudder position indicator in place so it would be good to be able to use that. I presume pypilot software allows that to be calibrated without the need to reposition it like I had to with my Raymarine system.

yes

As to the website shop, I too am getting account suspended error now

I think the wiki link is wrong. See pypilot store

[rgleason]

I've removed the old store links here
I don't know if Pypilot should be under "Other" in the plugins listing.

Doesn't it belong under Navigation? ...but perhaps not because it is software and hardware. Anyway, please advise.

[verkerkbr]

Just upgraded to kernel to 4.14.72. With the VC4 driver on and OpenGL in OpenCPN on, it works here now without any video errors when zooming in- or out.

The screen movements are fast. A big improvement.

Kernel upgrade is: sudo rpi-update.

Bram