Help with Simrad TP22 tiller pilot

[cjepearson]

I have a new Simrad TP22 tiller pilot in my Jaguar 27 sail boat, and one of these two has to go! The TP22 operates constantly, in very short bursts, moving the arm about 5mm at a time. If hit by a gust of wind, on any point of sailing, the unit does not respond fast enough to keep the boat anywhere near on course. It works fine when motoring. It will tack the boat, but the counter helm is applied far too late, too little, to steady the boat on the new tack. In short, it doesn't work.
The unit is set up as per the destruction booklet.
Is this normal for this unit....or is it me?
Any advice greatly appreciated (I would rather keep the boat)

 

[wiggy]

No tiller pilot will respond quick enough on a sensitive boat in gusty conditions, best is too steer by hand or trim/reef sails to reduce heel in gusts.

 

[CPD]

My ST2000 in my Centaur has 2 settings (slow and fast). Never had to use the fast setting, slow always been fine. Has it been fully set up/callibrated according to instructions ?. If so then unit may be faulty.

 

[cindersailor]

Have you tried adjusting the "seastate" and "gain" settings. Not 100% sure the TP22 has these, but the TP32 certainly does. They allow for changing the sensitivity and may solve your problems if correctly set for your particular boat/conditions. You will need to experiment. The TP22 certainly should be able to cope with a 27 footer.

 

[yobbo]

I have a TP 22 on a 30' of boat and handles most situations well . TP22 has seastat and gain settings you need to adjust these to change the response time of the unit and it will also cure your short burst you are have at present by making slow corrections rather than constant ones. The instructions my manual they are in section 4 page 15 hope this helps

 

[hightech]

All small autopilots work by using the little and often approach to steering. So, you will get small short movements but quite often. Current draw is only very small though.

Watch your wake (100 yds), it should remain pretty straight, if it is weaving, then your ruddeer gain is wrong. Make a 90 degree turn and the boat should settle on to the new course smoothly, with no over shoot (too much gain), or slowly trimming the last 10-20 degrees (too little gain).