Autohelm 3000....very tecky question...but someone knows the answer!!

[Matata]

On further searching mine is a tiller pilot 4000. The correct fuse is 5amp for inside the auto helm box. DO NOT put a 12amp fuse in the Autohelm box. There is a slightly different system with clocks and it does use a bigger fuse. I have got the correct installation instructions from an old Raymarine site with more set up functions available ...some look promising!!! I think the ram has not been positioned correctly on the rudder stock and/or attached wrongly on the port/starboard side. Out with the measuring tape! i'll keep you informed as I think other people have had this problem. Nik

 

[earlybird]

Seems some difference in Raymarine instructions then. A set that I have for the ST4000 says that the control box supply should be fused at 12 amp. The mention of the 5 amp fuse is specifically for other Raymarine instruments that might be fed from the Tillerpilot box supply.

 

[pvb]

Seems some difference in Raymarine instructions then. A set that I have for the ST4000 says that the control box supply should be fused at 12 amp. The mention of the 5 amp fuse is specifically for other Raymarine instruments that might be fed from the Tillerpilot box supply.

I agree, it seems the OP isn't sure which generation of tiller pilot he has. It would be useful to know. I can't imagine a 5A fuse being sufficient for the current drain of a stalled drive, as the OP has discovered.

 

[Matata]

The box sited in the cockpit well is labeled Autohelm 3000. But the instruction manual given to us when we received the boat says the software has been upgraded to Autohelm ST4000 tiller pilot. I explored old Raymarine instructions pdf and Page 2 it states current consumption is between 0.7 and 2.5amps. Inside is a five amp fuse so that is in the same order. In chapter four of the manual you can set the Turn rate limit. It is normally 20 for yachts(what ever that means?). Im hoping if I slightly reduce the turn rate the ram will not push the tiller over as much and hence not extend as much?????.

 

[theoldsalt]

The box sited in the cockpit well is labeled Autohelm 3000. But the instruction manual given to us when we received the boat says the software has been upgraded to Autohelm ST4000 tiller pilot. I explored old Raymarine instructions pdf and Page 2 it states current consumption is between 0.7 and 2.5amps. Inside is a five amp fuse so that is in the same order. In chapter four of the manual you can set the Turn rate limit. It is normally 20 for yachts(what ever that means?). Im hoping if I slightly reduce the turn rate the ram will not push the tiller over as much and hence not extend as much?????.

In past 4 Tranona suggests the Control heads are the same for the 3000 and the 4000. So maybe your box labeled 3000 was originally from a wheel pilot. Perhaps there are subtle differences between the boxes possibly in software or setup making the 3000 difficult to use with a tiller?

 

[pvb]

The box sited in the cockpit well is labeled Autohelm 3000. But the instruction manual given to us when we received the boat says the software has been upgraded to Autohelm ST4000 tiller pilot.

Is this "box" the control head with the buttons on? I haven't seen one with a replaceable fuse.

I explored old Raymarine instructions pdf and Page 2 it states current consumption is between 0.7 and 2.5amps. Inside is a five amp fuse so that is in the same order.

That manual is for a wheel pilot, although the motor consumption may well be similar. However, the current consumption quoted will be an average consumption, varying according to how hard the autopilot is working. Logically therefore the motor may draw more than 5A, and indeed the manual you're referring to states that the autopilot supply should be fused at 12A.

In chapter four of the manual you can set the Turn rate limit. It is normally 20 for yachts(what ever that means?).

It means how quickly the autopilot will turn the boat. 20 means 20 degrees per second. Reducing the number will give a slower rate of turn.

 

[earlybird]

From the service and maintenance manual, (not the operating instructions), covering both the ST4000 Wheel-pilot and Tillerpilot:-
The stalled current for the wheel-pilot is tested at ~6.5 amps. That for the Tillerpilot is not given, but it seems reasonable to assume a similar figure.
This compares with an operating draw of <2.5 amp.

 

[Matata]

Thanks PVB for that. 20 degree per second is 5 seconds for 100 degrees of tack. Does this sound right? If so do you think I could reduce this number to say 15 degrees and I presume the tiller would not be pushed over as far to achieve this. My main problem is that the ram meets the limits of its throw while auto tacking and I feel If necessary by sacrificing a slower tack,by slightly reduced tiller movement, meant the fuse didn't blow it might be a price worth paying. As was pointed out earlier it is only on one tack, so I'm nearly there! I do feel that the ram may be not set up symmetrically.Ta to everyone for all the advice so far. Nik

 

[pvb]

Why don't you simply put a proper fuse in it, and fix the problem? The only mention of a 5A fuse in all the relevant Raymarine autopilot literature is to protect the SeaTalk power circuit in the event that the autopilot power supply also powers the SeaTalk network.