Navico TP 100 Is this tiller pilot working!

[seumask]

I have a TP 100 of indeterminate age and I think its not working, Id appreciates the comments from the forum on its behaviour as I think it needs replacing.

Motoring along at 4 knots I attach the TP to the tiller after extending it whilst on standby by pressing the turn left button. Once attached to the tiller refine the exact course to a straight line by pressing left or right turn a few times. I then turn the unit onto Auto pilot by pressing the standby button and sit back. The boat then slowly drifts off course at least beyond 20degrees and very little reaction is made by the TP, some input occasionally but basically the TP does not maintain a true course.

Tried tacking by holding the tack button and the port or starboard button, this results in a response from the tiller pilot to turn, but does not result in a correction from the TP as we pass 90 degrees, and without further input from me the TP would have us continue round in a circle.

I have not fiddled with gain setting yet.

I’m torn between trying to sort this unit out and just buying a new equivalent one what do you think I need to do.

 

[tross]

Inside the unit is a mooer, toothed belt and a pulley,make sure the little magnets in the pulley have not fallen out/ loose.

 

[smeaks]

The intsruction manual for this can be downloaded and the settings for gain etc are simple to set... so have a good play before chucking it out.

If the mounting position is incorrect then when you tack the pilot can over extend itself and it then drops out of auto and leaves you baring off through the wind! If you are still next to the pilot it will beep and the light start to flash as it goes back into manual mode when this happens.

 

[Topcat47]

You might have a problem with the fluxgate compass. Mine had a jammed gimble a few years ago (different symptoms of course). Probably worth opening it up and having a look inside. Have toy checked the connections?

 

[Poignard]

Maybe you've done this already but if not, it's worth making sure you have a good power connection. Mine went haywire 2 years ago but WD40 in the connector made it work ok for a while and a new plug/socket sorted it out properly. I didn't really expect this to cure the problem because there was plenty of power on the ram and it was the course holding that was unreliable, it wouldn't steer a course with any North in it. Presumably when the voltage drops the electronics is the first thing to fail. Worth a try.

 

[seumask]

Thanks for your coments, Power source was carefully rewired all the way from the batterywith new plugs, so I dont think this is the issue, it seems to be sensors orientated, so I 'll try and open it up next and see what I can find, however I'm not very electronically minded!