Rudder reference for raymarine

[Shaneesprit]

Not sure what you meant by replacing Metal with plastic?
I was replacing Plastic bearing housing, with an Aluminium one.
Raymarine are the ones making parts in Cheap plastic, I suspect the housing used to be ok 20 years ago when it was designed, but they probably shipped production to China. Like many other manufacturers failed to control the quality.

[ilCigno]

I was referring to the gears themselves, not the gearing housing. Sorry if I misunderstood you. My point is that many think that plastic gears are substandard and you should replace them 1:1 by metal gears. The first is not true and the second is very unwise.

[Shaneesprit]

True the correct gears are very important, you only have to ask Ford about there 1.8 Diesel engine back in the day they used Plastic gears - nothing wrong with that only they were shipped to the factory in bulk boxes, this allowed the gear teeth to rub against each other in transit, next thing you know 30000 miles letter and the Cambelt snaps., Also the Cambelt wasn’t designed to get wet in water only oil .

Anyhow back to my issues - anyone have tips for how far to the Stern or bow to place the sensor?
Presently have it 2m ( 6ft ) from the Stern, 8m ( 25ft ) boat.
I can’t see this as firmware nothing is that bad when it comes out. The sensor gives the direction so my first thought is to try a new location and then cry �� about the holes I drilled to fit it there

[Thumbs Up]

Originally Posted by Pete7

To those who are recommending fitting a rudder reference unit, do you have a EV100 on your boat? and have you tried it with and without a reference unit? What was the real difference in your experience?

Pete

I finally got around to installing a rudder sensor to go with my EV100. I haven't made a passage with it but so far I can't really notice a difference. I can see my rudders from the helm so having the indicator isn't a big help.

[Shaneesprit]

I am going to remove my EV 100 and try and get it working where I can see all of the components - Basically an on boat bench test, took the boat out for 10 mins on the motor - at the moment the lack of control is embarrassing - not sure if the Life-Boat was just passing or if they came to look to see what the issue was,
They came along side, not to close - I gave a wave they went across my bow before turning around and off in the other direction.

[Shaneesprit]

Ok all the pilot wiring is out in the open where I can see it, sat moored with fore and aft lines, calm day.
I press Auto and it goes immediately hard to Port still.

Also now came up with
Max Deviation 174’ Compass deviation out of limits - this at least sounds related but it’s not trying to turn the boat about because if the boat moves the tiller corrects by and will hold course. Just the control couldn’t be any worse.
Another thing I have noticed is that it will drive hard to port and the ram is still trying to move despite it being on its limit. In the port direction and it’s movement is not limited by the rudder
Ah and the first steer is not always to port.
Guess I have to risk voiding my warranty by doing the firmware update.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Shaneesprit

Ok all the pilot wiring is out in the open where I can see it, sat moored with fore and aft lines, calm day.
I press Auto and it goes immediately hard to Port still.

I had that problem and it turned out to be the pos and neg wires to the wheel pilot were the wrong way round. Easy sorted, so check those first.

Originally Posted by Shaneesprit

Also now came up with
Max Deviation 174’ Compass deviation out of limits - this at least sounds related but it’s not trying to turn the boat about because if the boat moves the tiller corrects by and will hold course. Just the control couldn’t be any worse.
Another thing I have noticed is that it will drive hard to port and the ram is still trying to move despite it being on its limit. In the port direction and it’s movement is not limited by the rudder
Ah and the first steer is not always to port.
Guess I have to risk voiding my warranty by doing the firmware update.

If you fit a rudder reference unit RRU), the set up follows a different menu system. I would completely do the dockside and on water set up again from scratch and see what happens. Your one second time hard over should not be a problem with the RRU as it calculates the time itself after asking "is it ok to turn turn the wheel" etc.

Evo 100 gyro should be mounted centre fore and aft if possible. The port to stbd bit is nice if you can do it. We have 7 degree of magnetic compass deviation from 800kgs of cast iron keel about 5 feet away.

[Shaneesprit]

Ok wired correctly
And I am without water,
At 1’ the pilot is following moving the sensor and chasing that point,, but sometimes the heading and track are the same yet the rudder continues to drive and at the other times it can settle while 5’ away from target and then move 2 minutes later
Right now it’s sat at 245’ heading and Track 243, that was in leisure - moved to cruising not moved. Moved to performance. And it’s chasing the heading aggressively as you would expect, then got it settled and 1 or 2 minutes later full to starboard - I am sat on the sea bed.
Left the rudder central walked to the bow, everything in Auto and beep the rudder had gone to Port and the the P70 given up on maintaining direction! Still sat on the sea bed. - maybe it will only allow 3’ difference for a couple of minutes? Still no reason it should just give up maybe the warning is ok but why stop correcting.
Back on the 2 seconds hard over time as that is how long my rudder takes end to end
Well it works just not nicely enough to use it.
That’s probably it for the winter now

[Pete7]

Is there a rudder reference unit connected?

Have you carried out the complete dockside and at sea set up to calibrate the headings?

Is there any other devices connected to the SeatalkNG network?

Pete

[Shaneesprit]

No rudder Ref
No other items connected.
Dockside completed, played with the settings, been to sea with it for a day sail and a day back, the day after although most of the time I couldn’t let it steer.
Been out out a while it’s blowing 30 Knts been out while it’s dead calm tried both on sail and motor.
Firmware has to be next. that could be a while before I get to test it. Weeks maybe even months.
It does work but it does strange things and drives like an idiot trying to make you fall over.
I assume I can change the screen from showing Track to showing Heading? Knowing the track is almost pointless, where your actually headed is far more important than where the pilot wants to go - I know the info is there just the Heading is in tiny writing,
I will try and add a video tomorrow or I will put it on YouTube

[Shaneesprit]

Well does your EV-100 act like this?
https://youtu.be/IIo-9oqPMcI

[ilCigno]

Originally Posted by Shaneesprit

Well does your EV-100 act like this?
https://youtu.be/IIo-9oqPMcI

Well, no. This is obviously a serious malfunction. I can't think of anything you could have done wrong to invoke such weird behaviour. Just contact your reseller and/or RM I would say.

[Shaneesprit]

On the hard the pilot can stay central for about 1 or 2 minutes, but it can react to the slightest movement like walking up the deck to the bow.

[Pete7]

Were about is the Evo sensor now? I think you said you moved it.

Pete

[Shaneesprit]

Hi
Yes I pulled out all of the wiring so I could see it and no chance of interference and strapped the sensor to the table using a wire basket and a bungee - so port to starboard completely central and 3 meters from the stern of 8m boat.