Simrad TP10 installation help required

[PhillM]

I have just aquired a TP10 and plan to install it tomorrow or Friday evening.

Install instructions tell me to position the TP with the rod in its centre position. I have tied to move the rod but it doesn't want to move - so I am assuming I need to wire it in first and use the "power steer" feature to extend the rod?

Also, is there a mid position marked on it or do I need to extend it fully, measure and then mark it myself.

Sorry if this sounds basic, but on first (and second) reading it doesnt quite make sense.

 

[jakeroyd]

Yes
Once powered up you can use the 'port' and 'starboard' buttons to advance and retract the ram
AFAIK there is no indication of mid position apart from measuring up fully out and in.
Unless you need the rudder completely hard over i would think there is no need to determine the mid position with any great accuracy

 

[alahol2]

You can move the rod in and out by screwing it. The specs should give you maximum travel, so screw it right in (or out) then screw back half the total travel. It is easier to do it with the plus/minus buttons once wired up though.

 

[Vega1447]

I have just aquired a TP10 and plan to install it tomorrow or Friday evening.

Install instructions tell me to position the TP with the rod in its centre position. I have tied to move the rod but it doesn't want to move - so I am assuming I need to wire it in first and use the "power steer" feature to extend the rod?

Also, is there a mid position marked on it or do I need to extend it fully, measure and then mark it myself.

Sorry if this sounds basic, but on first (and second) reading it doesnt quite make sense.

Probably unnecessary to say but I'd suggest mounting the TP10 as far aft as you can so that the tiller can be thrown through as large an arc as possible.

The geometry prescribed in the instructions is very conservative imo.

John
Vega 1447 Breakaway

 

[Poignard]

Yes but . . .

Probably unnecessary to say but I'd suggest mounting the TP10 as far aft as you can so that the tiller can be thrown through as large an arc as possible.

The geometry prescribed in the instructions is very conservative imo.

John
Vega 1447 Breakaway

. . .that means less leverage and more load on the tillerpilot.

You don't normally need to move the tiller through a large angle if the sails are sheeted so the boat is balanced.

 

[Vega1447]

. . .that means less leverage and more load on the tillerpilot.

You don't normally need to move the tiller through a large angle if the sails are sheeted so the boat is balanced.

Captain Slocum taught us that, if the sails are sheeted so the boat is balanced, the ship will steer herself across oceans.

Nonetheless I have a TP10 on an Albin Vega 27 and the instructions would have put the tiller cup on the cockpit locker cover..

I quote the advice I was given and that I took...

 

[Poignard]

Captain Slocum taught us that, if the sails are sheeted so the boat is balanced, the ship will steer herself across oceans.

Nonetheless I have a TP10 on an Albin Vega 27 and the instructions would have put the tiller cup on the cockpit locker cover..

I quote the advice I was given and that I took...

Well what you should do and what you have to do often differ on a boat!

I must confess that my TP10 (on a 28 foot Twister) is mounted where its predecessor, a Raytheon, was. It works ok so the geometry can't be much different but, again, I must confess I never checked!

 

[VicS]

Well what you should do and what you have to do often differ on a boat!

I must confess that my TP10 (on a 28 foot Twister) is mounted where its predecessor, a Raytheon, was. It works ok so the geometry can't be much different but, again, I must confess I never checked!

I think the mounting geometries are the same... near enough any way.

The OP should follow the instructions but be aware that the positioning is not ultra critical.

 

[Contest1]

Probably unnecessary to say but I'd suggest mounting the TP10 as far aft as you can so that the tiller can be thrown through as large an arc as possible.

The geometry prescribed in the instructions is very conservative imo.

John
Vega 1447 Breakaway

Fitted mine as per instructions and find it quite slow to react to wind shifts and gusts. Not a patch on my old Raymarine 1000
Am thinking of moveing it aft a couple of inches to improve response on my Centaur.

 

[PhillM]

Thanks all, I get it re the positioning.

My next challenge is to work out how to actually mount it. As you may be able to see from the picture, the deck is several inches lower than the tiller. I am thinking about putting a wooden block on the deck and then installing the cup into that. However, any other suggestions gratefully recieved.

 

[Poignard]

Mine sits on a simple wooden block mounted on the deck. The top of the block is drilled to receive the bronze socket which is held in place with some adhesive I happened to have at the time (Gorilla Glue, maybe).

By the way, I found it better to have the power lead socket mounted inside the cockpit. When I bought the boat it was on the deck and frequently got dowsed in salt water.

 

[Gitane]

I have a TP10.

I installed it slightly forward of where it should be as there were existing mountings from a previous tiller pilot.

The TP10 works well , except for auto tack. When using auto tack, the TP10 reaches full extension or re traction before the boat reaches the new tack. When this happens, TP10 goes to standby. So if anything, it is best to err on the side of caution when determining how far down the tiller to attach the TP10.

Gitane

 

[alahol2]

Thanks all, I get it re the positioning.

My next challenge is to work out how to actually mount it. As you may be able to see from the picture, the deck is several inches lower than the tiller. I am thinking about putting a wooden block on the deck and then installing the cup into that. However, any other suggestions gratefully recieved.

Putting a block under the pilot tends to make it a bit more vulnerable. If there is sufficient clearance it is possible to mount the pin on a bracket under the tiller.
The bracket needs to be fairly strong as some of the forces involved can be relatively high.
The socket for the pilot pivot is on the cockpit seat on the left, the bracket can be seen under the tiller...

 

[prv]

the deck is several inches lower than the tiller. I am thinking about putting a wooden block on the deck and then installing the cup into that. However, any other suggestions gratefully recieved.

On Kindred Spirit, we inherited an aluminium bracket that positioned the pin six or eight inches below the tiller. I assume it's a standard part as it didn't look home-made. This worked fine, but I think your block of wood would be just as good and possibly better as the bracket may foul stuff on that afterdeck you have.

The block of wood would want to run athwartships to resist the push of the tiller without any toppling-over effect.

Pete

 

[PhillM]

Some very good ideas here.

Took it down to the boat at lunchtime to see how it fits and noticed that I could turn the connecting headupside down so that I could mount the Pilot underneath.

The pin seems to fit tight and I dont see it falling off in a hurry. The plan would be to fabricate a longer pin and weld it through a plate with screw holes, so the pin can be both glued and screwed into the underside of the tiller. Pilot would sit the right way up, with a small block with the cup in it.

Has anybody done this (I seem to remmeber ColHel saying somthing along these lines??)

 

[alahol2]

If you are thinking of what I think you are thinking then I wouldn't do it. The ram may well hang off the pin now but the 'clip on' action gradually wears out and the ram would eventually fall off the pin.

 

[Tranona]

The bracket for mounting under the tiller is a standard accessory. Even if you can't get a Simrad one, pretty sure the pinb size is the same as the Raymarine one. Don't mount it upside down it will come off just at the wrong moment!

 

[PhillM]

If you are thinking of what I think you are thinking then I wouldn't do it. The ram may well hang off the pin now but the 'clip on' action gradually wears out and the ram would eventually fall off the pin.

Good tip, I wondered about that. I guess the other option is to fabricate an "right way up pin" that hangs under the tiller.

 

[alan_d]

Good tip, I wondered about that. I guess the other option is to fabricate an "right way up pin" that hangs under the tiller.

Lots of standard brackets and adaptors are available. See, for example, here: http://www.hudsonmarine.co.uk/index.php?module_display=41&pid=151378

 

[PhillM]

The bracket for mounting under the tiller is a standard accessory. Even if you can't get a Simrad one, pretty sure the pinb size is the same as the Raymarine one. Don't mount it upside down it will come off just at the wrong moment!

This seems to be my weapon of choice:

http://www.force4.co.uk/6270/Simrad-Autopilot-Tiller-Brackets.html

As always a quick thread on the forum makes life SOO much easier. Thanks all, most helpful.

Now, off to get one. Looks like its a bit windy for me tomorrow, so this little project should keep me occupied.