Raymarine EV-100 Wheel autopilot install

[laszloi]

Installing a Raymarine EV-100 wheel drive autopilot on my 2002X was definitely my second most valuable modification (the first was a solar powered 100l/3.5 cubic feet fridge). It keeps way better course than I can with manual steering. It’s also perfect when I want to turn the boat up to 30°. But when I want to turn 90° (e.g. tack) it usually overshoots and trying to compensate it makes bigger and bigger S-curves until it gives it up with error alarm.

I had no time on my vacation to try the different parameter combinations, currently they are set:
Pilotresponse: Cruise
Vessel Hull Type: Sail
Rudder Limit: 33°
Hard Over Time: 30.0s

Maybe the hull type “Sail (slow turn)” could help or the hard-over time could be a good candidate to adjust. I set the hard-over time to 30, because I experienced the slow turning behavior in dockside described by Matt in a previous post, and also because the Raymarine MFD manual says the measured value should be doubled. I asked the Raymarine technical support about the difference between the P70 and MFD documentation, and the answer was:

“The instructions for the hardover time measurement sound odd, but are correct, the hardover time is measured with the pilot operating at full speed, whereas most of the time the pilot drives the rudder slower and so this is why the time is doubled.”

Did you experience this behavior? Did you try different parameter combinations? Sharing of your experience/opinion would be appreciated even if most of you have 26M which may respond in a different way than 26X.

Istvan

[fouz]

Those that have them installed on can your post where you installed it? I have seen 1 or 2 but would like to see what everyone has came up with.

[laszloi]

Those that have them installed on can your post where you installed it? I have seen 1 or 2 but would like to see what everyone has came up with.

I installed the EV-100 and an e7 MFD:



The provided pedestal bracket in the package is for the column type pedestal, so I welded a stainless steel bracket pin:



I installed the ACU-100 on the starboard side above the aft berth (the bulkhead on the left side is the wall of the head):



I installed the sensor head behind the aft wall of the head where you can access the nuts of the starboard winch. I had to make the opening a bit bigger and I made a bigger smoke cover plate. Probably I made it a bit complicated, but the sensor head is definitely protected and not in the way now. You can see it by clicking on any of the above pictures and browsing the pictures in the Photobucket (only 3 pictures allowed in a post).

Ciao,

Istvan

[fouz]

Well I didnt read good

Thanks for sharing anyways.
I thought this was a tiller pilot thread.

[laszloi]

I think the big advantage of the wheel drive is that you can easily disengage the clutch and you can quickly take the control at the helm when necessary – and this happens frequently.

The only real disadvantage is the noise, but the Admiral and I can tolerate the normal operating noise.

Actually, on the very first and the last day of our vacation we heard squeaky noises, which were not normal. The Raymarine technical forum discusses this problem, and the solution is to put a little lithium grease on the back of the drive belt inside the gray rings. According to the User Manual the belt shouldn’t be lubricated, be careful to lubricate just the back of the belt.

The other disadvantages are not very serious. There is enough space between the wheel and the gray plastic ring even for my sausage like fingers. Handling the P70 buttons behind the wheel is not as inconvenient as it seems: even if the autopilot can be controlled from the touch screen of the MDF, we usually used the P70.

Ciao,

Istvan