Garmin autopilot - opinions?

[Tintin]

Hello all,

Has anyone used the garmin reactor 40 autopilot? Is it reliable? Any problems?

Thinking of replacing elderly Simrad AP25.

Am after easy wiring and integration, ability to have a second control head, and a remote.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Hello all,

Has anyone used the garmin reactor 40 autopilot? Is it reliable? Any problems?

Thinking of replacing elderly Simrad AP25.

Am after easy wiring and integration, ability to have a second control head, and a remote.

Garmin auto pilots have always been reliable (as have most makes).

Connections between the various components are all plug and play, it will require a NMEA 2000 network (basic parts included in the core pack) to which the CCU and GHC20 controller connect. You can connect more than one GHC20 and a remote is available.

 

[tjbrace]

I have a GHP12 which works very well. There are 3 units to interconnect plus the ram. It has a NMEA2000 connection but there is also another cable connecting the heading sensor to the CCU but I don’t know why.

 

[PaulRainbow]

I have a GHP12 which works very well. There are 3 units to interconnect plus the ram. It has a NMEA2000 connection but there is also another cable connecting the heading sensor to the CCU but I don’t know why.

The only difference between the GHP12 and the Reactor 40 is the CCU, the reactor 40 still uses the same GHP12 ECU. You can "upgrade" a GHP12 to a Reactor 40 by replacing the CCU and interconnecting cable.

 

[tjbrace]

The only difference between the GHP12 and the Reactor 40 is the CCU, the reactor 40 still uses the same GHP12 ECU. You can "upgrade" a GHP12 to a Reactor 40 by replacing the CCU and interconnecting cable.

Thanks Paul. Not needing upgrade yet. But I still don’t understand the random connections when the n2k network is there. Not a problem as all works well as is.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Thanks Paul. Not needing upgrade yet. But I still don’t understand the random connections when the n2k network is there. Not a problem as all works well as is.

I imagine the CCU and ECU will be exchanging a lot of proprietary data and it's too much data and/or needs to be faster than N2K, but that's just a guess.

 

[tjbrace]

I imagine the CCU and ECU will be exchanging a lot of proprietary data and it's too much data and/or needs to be faster than N2K, but that's just a guess.

That makes sense. A bit like radar then

 

[Tintin]

I am assuming (wrongly?) that the Reactor will work with the Lecomble & Schmitt 64240 urt drive unit - am I correct in this?

 

[pvb]

I am assuming (wrongly?) that the Reactor will work with the Lecomble & Schmitt 64240 urt drive unit - am I correct in this?

What current does the pump take?

 

[PaulRainbow]

I am assuming (wrongly?) that the Reactor will work with the Lecomble & Schmitt 64240 urt drive unit - am I correct in this?

Provided the following are not exceeded (unlikely i would think):

Maximum sustained motor current: 15A
Maximum instantaneous motor current: 40A
Maximum clutch current: 2.5A

You will also need to add a rudder feedback sensor, if you don't already have one fitted.

 

[Tintin]

I am assuming (wrongly?) that the Reactor will work with the Lecomble & Schmitt 64240 urt drive unit - am I correct in this?

What current does the pump take?

No idea- its run by a Simrad AP25 currently

 

[Tintin]

Provided the following are not exceeded (unlikely i would think):

Maximum sustained motor current: 15A
Maximum instantaneous motor current: 40A
Maximum clutch current: 2.5A

You will also need to add a rudder feedback sensor, if you don't already have one fitted.

There's this one, bad pic sorry.

 

[pvb]

No idea- its run by a Simrad AP25 currently

So which autopilot computer do you have? They have different current-handling capabilities.

 

[Tintin]

So which autopilot computer do you have? They have different current-handling capabilities.

No idea, the boat is a long way away, new to me, and I can't find the pic of it Must be Simrad from 2006 when she was built, as all the other lectrix.

 

[Jokani]

CR - I fitted one a month or so ago, without any previous autopilot installation experience, it was fairly pain free, including the calibration, although I was aided with advice from Mr Rainbow (doffs hat) . Most of the installation time was spent on installing a rudder sensor, which unless you have a Garmin drive, you will need to do as well I think. So far only one three day trip, so can't comment on long-term reliability, but thus it has performed perfectly.

 

[PaulRainbow]

There's this one, bad pic sorry.

Looks like it might be a standard 3 wire sensor, in which case it should work. When fitting the Garmin core pack to a non Garmin drive unit, Garmin do a few different conversion cables, so maybe worth an email to their support team, they are usually very helpful.

 

[Hadenough]

Looks like it might be a standard 3 wire sensor, in which case it should work. When fitting the Garmin core pack to a non Garmin drive unit, Garmin do a few different conversion cables, so maybe worth an email to their support team, they are usually very helpful.

They are very helpful. I gave them all of my existing set up and they specced the requirements for me. five years on, still all good.