2021-09-05, 03:38 AM
(2021-07-03, 08:20 PM)seandepagnier Wrote: so applying power to the clutch of the pump bypasses it? So it takes power, and then allows the linear actuator to override?
I am unsure about the time delay needed. Do you mean it will trigger over current event because the hydraulic clutch takes time?
Well.. This is an interesting arrangement you have. A lot of hydraulic systems have bypass valves to allow an electric pump to move the rudder without back driving the wheel, but they are using hydraulic for the autopilot as well.
Still other arrangements use an electric motor to drive the steering wheel which then uses hydraulic to drive the rudder.
Other systems have a manual bypass valve on the hydraulic.
I have not heard of a system such as yours, but I am learning.
Would it be possible to manually bypass the hydraulic with a switch before engaging the pilot?
Could you use a time-delay circuit from the clutch output to the linear drive so it does not engage right away?
I am not suggesting either of these are best, but trying to fully understand what you are working with. Yes, pypilot could be modified to delay corrections after engaging.
Hi Sean, I am interested in this as well. My boat currently has cable at the helm and hydraulic at the pilothouse. The setup had a manual high-pressure ball valve under the sole in the aft cabin that you would have to switch on and off, with a wheel drive autopilot. I went back in and tried a 12v ball valve and hard-wired switches in the cockpit and helm in the pilothouse, but have since moved on to a spool-valve. I bought the hydraulic (high-voltage) controller and plumbed in an electric pump, and the setup worked nicely with the ball valve, with no current draw once actuated, but would leak due to the pressure. The new spool valve is rated to 3000psi so you don't have the pressure problems but it does pull 2A of current, this problem can be fixed with the clutch and PWM settings. My ask is there a way to engage the clutch, and control the spool valve, before you turn on the power to the pump engaging the autopilot in the software, to treat this like a bypass valve, without having other manual switches? The reasoning for this is to be able to override the hydraulic steering if necessary to steer from the inside, to utilize the wheel pilot as a backup if should the hydraulic pump fail, and also to eliminate the need for adding an additional PWM from the switches to the valve.