2022-11-28, 01:49 AM
Hi all!
Following recommendations from this forum, got a windshield wipers motor to move the steering wheel of the boat. On the wheel itself, there is a belt from previous autopilot (it was Navico WP4000, see pictures attached).
I would like to have the wheel moved by a windshield wipers motor, to which I added a 3D printed wheel to move the belt (see pictures #3 and 4, attached).
Question is: how to provide tension for the motor, when the autopilot (Pypilot) is engaged, and ease off the tension, when I switch to manual? In other words, when the autopilot is on, the tension in the belt that moves the wheel should be high, but when I switch to manual control, the belt that moves the wheel should be relaxed.
Any engineering ideas?
Thanks,
Gennady
Following recommendations from this forum, got a windshield wipers motor to move the steering wheel of the boat. On the wheel itself, there is a belt from previous autopilot (it was Navico WP4000, see pictures attached).
I would like to have the wheel moved by a windshield wipers motor, to which I added a 3D printed wheel to move the belt (see pictures #3 and 4, attached).
Question is: how to provide tension for the motor, when the autopilot (Pypilot) is engaged, and ease off the tension, when I switch to manual? In other words, when the autopilot is on, the tension in the belt that moves the wheel should be high, but when I switch to manual control, the belt that moves the wheel should be relaxed.
Any engineering ideas?
Thanks,
Gennady