Hi,
I'm French and I don't know electronics, so please be indulgents if I make mistakes :-)
The project :
I would like to replace my old B&G H1000 autopilot with pypilot on a 39 feet (11,6 meters) sailing boat.
The wheel is steered by a hydraulic linear drive described in this manual (I have to check which model is installed on board).
There is also a rudder angle sensor provided by the H1000 system (see "Rudder Reference Unit" on page 7/8 of the H1000 doc).=> I want to keep on using this drive and this rudder angle sensor.
After several hours of reading and understanding how Pypilot works, I think I have identified the solution I have to implement : equipment to buy, electric connections, configuration to use on the motor controller...
My request : Could you please confirm if I'm right, or tell me if something looks wrong ?
Drive characteristics (extracts from the manual) :
General description :
HLD350 MK2 and HLD2000 MK2 are hydraulic linear drives designed for boats with mechanical steering systems such as wire and cable steering (Edson, Whitlock, Teleflex).
The HLD is a compact, assembled unit, consisting of a reversible hydraulic pump, a balanced hydraulic cylinder, by-pass valve and oil tank.
Because of the direct connection to the rudder, the hydraulic linear drive can be used even if the hand steering should fail. This can be an important safety factor.
The by-pass valve makes it possible to use the helm with little back drive force when the autopilot is switched off.
Technical specifications :
- Max. current HLD350/2000L : 10/20A
Electrical connection :
=> See attachment "Hydraulic_drive_connection.png"
Principle of operation (tank and bypass valve) :
=> See attachment "Hydraulic_drive_tank_and_bypass.png"
Current electric connection of the cylinder, the clutch and the rudder sensor to the H1000 autopilot :
Described in this diagram taken from page 37 of the H1000 doc :
=> See attachment "H1000_autopilot_connection_drive_clutch_rudder.png"
Equipment to use on target :
- Raspberry pi 4 with OpenPlotter (for the first tests, and then I will replace it with a dedicated Raspberry pi Zero with Tinypilot for more safety)
- Pypilot hat => To connect on the Raspberry pi 4 (and later on Raspberry pi Zero)
- High power motor controller => required by the 10/20A current of the drive
- Arduino Nano to connect to the Raspberry and to the high power motor controller ??
Arduino configuration :
Usage of pwm_style=0 "H-Bridge", in order to power the reversible hydraulic pump.
Connections on target :
See attachment "Pypilot_installation_schema.drawio.svg"
My questions :
- Is this implementation correct ?
- Does the electrical connections seems correct ?
- Do I have to buy the Arduino, or is it included in the high power motor controller sold on Pypilot store ?
- If I have to buy a separate Arduino, then how should it be connected to other components ?
- How to "pull low" D6" in order to select "H-Bridge" pwm-style ?
- Is there a risk of damage, on the drive or rudder sensor for instance, during the installation / configuration ? If so, do you have advices on precautions to take ?
Many thanks in advance for your time, and maybe this post may help other people too
I'm French and I don't know electronics, so please be indulgents if I make mistakes :-)
The project :
I would like to replace my old B&G H1000 autopilot with pypilot on a 39 feet (11,6 meters) sailing boat.
The wheel is steered by a hydraulic linear drive described in this manual (I have to check which model is installed on board).
There is also a rudder angle sensor provided by the H1000 system (see "Rudder Reference Unit" on page 7/8 of the H1000 doc).=> I want to keep on using this drive and this rudder angle sensor.
After several hours of reading and understanding how Pypilot works, I think I have identified the solution I have to implement : equipment to buy, electric connections, configuration to use on the motor controller...
My request : Could you please confirm if I'm right, or tell me if something looks wrong ?
Drive characteristics (extracts from the manual) :
General description :
HLD350 MK2 and HLD2000 MK2 are hydraulic linear drives designed for boats with mechanical steering systems such as wire and cable steering (Edson, Whitlock, Teleflex).
The HLD is a compact, assembled unit, consisting of a reversible hydraulic pump, a balanced hydraulic cylinder, by-pass valve and oil tank.
Because of the direct connection to the rudder, the hydraulic linear drive can be used even if the hand steering should fail. This can be an important safety factor.
The by-pass valve makes it possible to use the helm with little back drive force when the autopilot is switched off.
Technical specifications :
- Max. current HLD350/2000L : 10/20A
Electrical connection :
=> See attachment "Hydraulic_drive_connection.png"
Principle of operation (tank and bypass valve) :
=> See attachment "Hydraulic_drive_tank_and_bypass.png"
Current electric connection of the cylinder, the clutch and the rudder sensor to the H1000 autopilot :
Described in this diagram taken from page 37 of the H1000 doc :
=> See attachment "H1000_autopilot_connection_drive_clutch_rudder.png"
Equipment to use on target :
- Raspberry pi 4 with OpenPlotter (for the first tests, and then I will replace it with a dedicated Raspberry pi Zero with Tinypilot for more safety)
- Pypilot hat => To connect on the Raspberry pi 4 (and later on Raspberry pi Zero)
- High power motor controller => required by the 10/20A current of the drive
- Arduino Nano to connect to the Raspberry and to the high power motor controller ??
Arduino configuration :
Usage of pwm_style=0 "H-Bridge", in order to power the reversible hydraulic pump.
Connections on target :
See attachment "Pypilot_installation_schema.drawio.svg"
My questions :
- Is this implementation correct ?
- Does the electrical connections seems correct ?
- Do I have to buy the Arduino, or is it included in the high power motor controller sold on Pypilot store ?
- If I have to buy a separate Arduino, then how should it be connected to other components ?
- How to "pull low" D6" in order to select "H-Bridge" pwm-style ?
- Is there a risk of damage, on the drive or rudder sensor for instance, during the installation / configuration ? If so, do you have advices on precautions to take ?
Many thanks in advance for your time, and maybe this post may help other people too