CPT Autopilot

[samtheskull]

I have a CPT autopilot on a PDQ 36 catamaran and have never been able to trust it.It will work for 1hour sometimes and only a few minutes another.
I have moved the control box all over the boat to try to get away from magnetic interference but as the control box needs to be in the cockpit or close to hand this is not ideal.Recently it will just stop navigating after making a correction and if we shake the wheel it will try to correct.I have had several communications with CPT.
Any help would be appreciated.thanks.

[Svsumurun]

Check the ground wire , we had a situation where is was broken , so you would assume it wouldn't work at all right? Wrong - it would work sometimes for a while , and it may or may not hold the heading steady. I can only guess it was sometimes getting ground through the case?

Repaired the wire and it's been perfect since , except hat the heading doesn't match exactly with the compass or the gps , but that's easy enough just takes a few minutes to get headed on the right course , then it'll hold forever( within reason) - you still have normal variance with currents etc.

Has it ever worked? Or are you new to it ? They won't 'follow the magenta line' if that's what you are trying to do .

[samtheskull]

It has never worked constantly. I have been trying to use it for the last 2 years . I was sent a replacement control box from CPT but no great change .Maybe it is as you say at the drive motor. Thanks

[bensolomon]

I had the same issue with mine. Jeff sent me replacement but before I installed the replacement I traced the power wire back to the breaker panel. The negative wire was loose at the breaker panel. Since then, I've had no problems. I've had my CPT for 10 years.