Refueler
Well-Known Member
That's actually not a bad idea as a get you home setup ... then sort out proper wiring once at 'home port'. Ciggy sockets are usually rated up to about 100W ... saves time messing about fitting plugs / sockets to boat.
How to wire and external socket for an Auto Tiller?
- Thread starter Willham
- Start date
That's actually not a bad idea as a get you home setup ... then sort out proper wiring once at 'home port'. Ciggy sockets are usually rated up to about 100W ... saves time messing about fitting plugs / sockets to boat.
Willham
New Member
That's a brilliant idea - why didn't that occur to me?? That will save a lot of hassle! I can then take my time to do a proper job over winter when it's on the hard.
iamtjc
Well-Known Member
On the choice of plugs/sockets:
I wired my old tillerpilot in with bulgin connectors. My thinking was that while the current device only needs 2 wires, any replacement may need more cores for data as well as power. Having a connector where you can switch the plug/socket internals without having to hack different size holes in the boat seemed like a good bit of future proofing.
I wired my old tillerpilot in with bulgin connectors. My thinking was that while the current device only needs 2 wires, any replacement may need more cores for data as well as power. Having a connector where you can switch the plug/socket internals without having to hack different size holes in the boat seemed like a good bit of future proofing.
john_morris_uk
Well-Known Member
When I fitted the tiller pilot to our daughter’s Pandora 700 I bolted a block of teak to the cockpit coaming and epoxied the mounting socket into that. The push/pull end went onto one of the cranked fittings that come as optional extras with tiller pilots. That bolted onto the tiller so was very strong.
PaulRainbow
Well-Known Member
Bulgin Buccaneer connectors do not need soldering John.
PaulRainbow
Well-Known Member
You must make sure that the socket current rating is adequate for the tiller pilot and also that it is correctly fused.
I would not use a cigarette lighter socket, they are notoriously unreliable. I'd run a fused cable directly to the battery to get me home.
PaulRainbow
Well-Known Member
Nice panel. I would not wire it to the Nav switch. It will already be supplying at least one device, if you add more each device must be separately fused and it can start to get messy. The switches in your panel are Carling Contura II, easy to obtain and you have room for an additional one, dedicated to the tiller pilot.
Note, the Carling switches are just that, switches, they offer no circuit protection, so a fuse must be added.
Willham
New Member
Thanks for that! In due course (when I get the boat home) I will add a separate switch. The panel was made by the previous owner who had a 3D printer, so I'll have to cut out a space for the additional switch.
Willham
New Member
I was thinking about doing something similar using a block of cast acrylic. You can get it made here with a hole predrilled, and the edges rounded. It would then be a simple case of epoxying it in place. I did wonder whether the pull of the TP would eventually weaken the epoxy bond, or even delaminate the GRP over time. Sounds like that hasn't been a problem for you though.
john_morris_uk
Well-Known Member
It wasn’t a problem because I through bolted it with a backing plate/penny washers.
Tillana
Active Member
This is how mine is wired in. Was a temporary measure, but ended up being really easy way to connect and disconnect so left it as is.
davidmh
Well-Known Member
As far as the installation of the unit in the cockpit is concerned I have always found this to be the most difficult bit.
First you need to mark the tiller pin position the correct distance from the rudder pivot point, this is the horizontal distance which on the Sadler 25 is almost the same as the distance along the tiller.
The next thing is to mark the specified distance from centre of the boat, tiller midships, to the pin position for the body.
You then need to look at the vertical position of the tiller relative to the cockpit seat or the cockpit coaming, The unit needs to be installed with the push rod horizontal and a 90 degrees the for/aft line of the boat.
You then need to work out whether the tiller pin needs to go above or below the tiller and how you anchor the pilot body pin.
You are unlikely to be able to put the tiller pin straight on the to of the pin and also put the body pin straight in the cockpit lids or the top of the coaming.
I am sure you will need some push rod extension and a tiller pin bracket and maybe a body pin adaptor.
David MH
First you need to mark the tiller pin position the correct distance from the rudder pivot point, this is the horizontal distance which on the Sadler 25 is almost the same as the distance along the tiller.
The next thing is to mark the specified distance from centre of the boat, tiller midships, to the pin position for the body.
You then need to look at the vertical position of the tiller relative to the cockpit seat or the cockpit coaming, The unit needs to be installed with the push rod horizontal and a 90 degrees the for/aft line of the boat.
You then need to work out whether the tiller pin needs to go above or below the tiller and how you anchor the pilot body pin.
You are unlikely to be able to put the tiller pin straight on the to of the pin and also put the body pin straight in the cockpit lids or the top of the coaming.
I am sure you will need some push rod extension and a tiller pin bracket and maybe a body pin adaptor.
David MH
Refueler
Well-Known Member
If its 3D printed ... (be careful of fumes if ABS) ... a hot soldering iron will create holes easily ... sharp knife / file after to clean up. Or a hole cutter of one size down from switch body - then you file the extra width to leave flats for switch body to lock
STATUE
Well-Known Member
Get yourself a copy of "The 12 Volt Bible" by Miner Brotherton and up-dated by Ed Sherman. They're American, but don't let that put you off !
All their references are so close to ours it don't matter.
Compared to all those glossy coloured diagram books the Bible looks a little dry. BUT, Miner explains in 'boaty logic' how you actually do things, compared to others who will follow you through the process in a laboratory!
Good luck
All their references are so close to ours it don't matter.
Compared to all those glossy coloured diagram books the Bible looks a little dry. BUT, Miner explains in 'boaty logic' how you actually do things, compared to others who will follow you through the process in a laboratory!
Good luck
Refueler
Well-Known Member
I have the 'Bible' and TBH - it stays on the shelf .... but as they say - if we all liked the same - what a boring world it would be.
Alistair Garrods : Electrics Afloat .... in collaboration with PBO themselves IS the real deal if you just want to know how to wire in ... in straight forward language ...
thinwater
Well-Known Member
But is the specified distance from pintle to pin correct? Can one-size-fits-all every be optimum? Are all boats the same? Of course they aren't.
I've had two boats with tiller pilots (27' and 24'), tested different pin-to-pintle measurements, and departed from the recommendation in both cases. Really, the 18" measurement is for boats at the extreme large size of the range, and if your boat is less than 32 feet, a shorter length will be more responsive and auto-tack better. The 18" measurement will bring her around slowly and she may not make it through. 14 inches is the right number for my F-24, which is a quick boat. The Sadler will be different.
Just something to consider.
tiller pilot mounting
As for the external socket, I wouldn't botter with the cig socket, and whatever you use, apply grease at least annually.
Refueler
Well-Known Member
Of course every boat has its 'sweet spot' for tiller control. The manual has to compromise at the average to obtain a reasonable action.
My 25ft boat - I have often considered shortening the distance rudder stock to pin - to get more rudder angle - but then left alone .. the increase of force required is quite significant for even a short reduction in length.
Anyone can test this by holding the tiller nearer rudder stock and steering ... its noticeable.
I also consider that if I need more rudder angle - then maybe my sail balance is not so good ... I do not imply 'thinwater' is unbalanced. I also have a powerful engine prop combo which you can tell TP knows its there !!
My 38ft boat - already has shown she's a much better balanced boat .. so I expect her to behave very well under TP.
STATUE
Well-Known Member
Garrod's book, I grant, it is pretty and colourful. Let's leave it at that
thinwater
Well-Known Member
Yes, I may be unbalanced...!
However, in the case of my F-24 she is well enough balanced that I can often let go of the tiller, going to weather in lighter conditions, depending on the trim, for minutes at a time. So no, this is not about imbalance.
Force for an actuator and force for your arm are very different considerations. But more to the point, I was suggesting that the correct distance is probably less for smaller boats, which coincidentally require less force and a greater turn rate to get through the eye without stalling. A smaller boat that requires significant helm force is poorly balanced indeed, and that should be addressed.
Try this exersize. Tack the boat in moderate to slightly strong conditions (when you might actually need the auto-tack function) and record the helm angle. How does that figure compare with the tiller pilot at hard over? On the F-24, for example, the hard over angle with the tiller pilot at stock dimensions, is much less than the required angle for good tacking in a range of conditions.