The ST series tillerpilots have an inherent flaw. That is no limit on the travel of the ram. Here is a strong reliable fix to that disastrous problem. Contact me if interested. gary
great job Gary, and shame on Raymarine for the design flaw. it literally grates my (human) teeth when the unit "overdrives" at its limits. as an engineer i couldnt sign off a product with such a flaw ... bemuses me the people who work at raymarine can!
Raymarine is a lazy company. They essentially rebranded the Autohelm units from the early 90s and have done zero product upgrades since. It has no drive limiters, it isn't water ingress protected and still they sell it at prices they should be ashamed of.
Well done Gary I can certainly relate to this problem. I would love to get one of your kits off you if possible. I'm in Brisbane Australia and happy to cover all costs.
Hi Geoff I have already sent a reply to you. And just in case you missed it. Here is my email address garymalm at yahoo.com If you contact me I will fill you in on more details of the switch unit. I am pleased that some really serious sailors from various parts of the world have fitted this. All the best Gary
@@garymalm I'm not a blogger and don't have any "glamour" shots. I just installed your kit into the autopilot. When I get it set up, I will email you some pics. Right now is the off season here, so the boat is stripped down and getting regeared for next season. Thanks again, everything went together so well. I don't think it took 15 minutes start to finish!
Hi. My steering tiller handle is backwards.I guess it was made that way, so u can do fishing from the back of the boat and be able to steer it while there, So if I install a raymarine, my boat will wanna steer the opposite direction of what raymarine is trying to turn. Do you have any idea if there is a setting or adjustment for that?
Hi Gary, I live in Ontario, Canada, and would like to purchase one of your well designed Raymarine Tillerpilot limiter switch. My Tillerpilot is new still in the box, so installing a limiter would be the best timely modification just like you mention in your video. How do I reach you to pay for the hardware and shipping?
I have a 3d printer. I think it would be good to design some more basic and more adjustable limit switch holders. Maybe eliminate the spring. I'll see what I can come up with. I need mine adjustable because the tiller limits before the unit and I'd like to have it stop before it strips its teeth!
Hi sail for life. With a 3D printer you could really refine the design. One thing to keep in mind is the amount of torque there is at the end of the stroke. nI normal operation the unit is just making small movements in mid stroke. The problem arises either when using the Tiller pilot to tack or when you disengage it from the tiller and don't push the Standby button. In these cases the ram will reach the end of stroke at full power. The spring is to correct for overrun. When the unit switches off, the ram will overrun between 5 an 7 mm. so you need to have a physical buffer for that overrun distance. That is what the spring does. As you mentioned, you could make fitting adjustments to compensate for this. Let me know of your progress. All the best gary
@@garymalm I just posted a video about it including the details of the 3D files etc. I didn't get rid of the spring after all, though I tried! In the end I settled on a piece of wire and a spring from a cheap pen. Thanks for the inspiration!
Hi, your system is interesting. Ty for sharing. Thé composent you ad to thé switch is freewheeling diode ? If yes anu tef please ? Ty Vincent (Bordeaux, France)
Hi Vincea The diode is a Shottky diode that you can get on Alibaba etc. I went for a very large oversize diode ( 100v 5 amp) because I didn't know the actual load on the motor. www.temu.com/search_result.html?search_key=Diode&search_method=user&refer_page_el_sn=200010&srch_enter_source=top_search_entrance_10032&_x_sessn_id=ni0a212dck&refer_page_name=goods&refer_page_id=10032_1725276114694_diao7kj2dx&refer_page_sn=10032 gary
@@garymalm hello, thank you for the answer, I later understood the interest of the diode. I created a much simpler limit switch system. My sensors are screwed directly to the bottom of the case, and mechanically connected by rods. It works well, but I have a little problem depending on the angle read by the compass, at a certain position, my cylinder retracts completely. I am afraid that this is due to electromagnetic disturbances, due to the proximity of the PCB sensor or the compass.
Hi. Kudos for your solution. I had my first unit seize (out of warranty), and now am experiencing problems with the replacement unit. How do I connect with you about purchasing one of your kits? I’m in Canada. Thanks.
Hi Seaspray. I sent a reply to you but it seems to have wandered off somewhere (the Twilight Zone?) It is easy to sent a unit off to Canada, If still interested please contact me garymalm AT yahoo.com Merry Christmas. Gary
The EV 100 has a remote ram arm an a sensor in the control unit. This is a copy of the Autohelm system one of the first tillerpilots that came out almost 50 years ago. It does not have the same problem as the cheaper ST 1000 and ST 2000 units. Another system similar to the EV 100 is the Pelagic system. It has a reputation of very high ram torque and robust construction. pelagicautopilot.com/
Can I send you my autohelm 1000 and you can figure it out. Maybe it's just to old. But it extends. It just won't retract. You seem to know a thing or two about a thing or two. 😊
Hi ready. Where are you? I am happy to look at your autohelm 1000 (free) , I guess it is a Raymarine TP 1000, But the postage might be high. Can you open it and look inside It could be a slipping or stripped drive gear. gary
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great job Gary, and shame on Raymarine for the design flaw. it literally grates my (human) teeth when the unit "overdrives" at its limits. as an engineer i couldnt sign off a product with such a flaw ... bemuses me the people who work at raymarine can!
Raymarine is a lazy company. They essentially rebranded the Autohelm units from the early 90s and have done zero product upgrades since. It has no drive limiters, it isn't water ingress protected and still they sell it at prices they should be ashamed of.
I just had the teeth strip off my belt and the small part of the gear wheel... Looks like a needed upgrade to me. Great job!
Well done Gary I can certainly relate to this problem. I would love to get one of your kits off you if possible. I'm in Brisbane Australia and happy to cover all costs.
Hi Geoff . Thanks for your comment and interest. You can contact me at garymalm at yahoo.com No problem sending off to Oz.
Hi Geoff I have already sent a reply to you. And just in case you missed it. Here is my email address garymalm at yahoo.com If you contact me I will fill you in on more details of the switch unit. I am pleased that some really serious sailors from various parts of the world have fitted this. All the best Gary
Thanks so much, from SV Seacock in Philippines!
Good to hear from yu Justin. Looking forward to seeing the proa under sail. gary
@@garymalm I'm not a blogger and don't have any "glamour" shots. I just installed your kit into the autopilot. When I get it set up, I will email you some pics. Right now is the off season here, so the boat is stripped down and getting regeared for next season. Thanks again, everything went together so well. I don't think it took 15 minutes start to finish!
Very nice job thank you
Thank you, Gary.
Hi. My steering tiller handle is backwards.I guess it was made that way, so u can do fishing from the back of the boat and be able to steer it while there, So if I install a raymarine, my boat will wanna steer the opposite direction of what raymarine is trying to turn. Do you have any idea if there is a setting or adjustment for that?
Hi Gary, I live in Ontario, Canada, and would like to purchase one of your well designed Raymarine Tillerpilot limiter switch. My Tillerpilot is new still in the box, so installing a limiter would be the best timely modification just like you mention in your video. How do I reach you to pay for the hardware and shipping?
I have a 3d printer. I think it would be good to design some more basic and more adjustable limit switch holders. Maybe eliminate the spring. I'll see what I can come up with. I need mine adjustable because the tiller limits before the unit and I'd like to have it stop before it strips its teeth!
Hi sail for life.
With a 3D printer you could really refine the design.
One thing to keep in mind is the amount of torque there is at the end of the stroke.
nI normal operation the unit is just making small movements in mid stroke.
The problem arises either when using the Tiller pilot to tack or when you disengage it from the tiller and don't push the Standby button. In these cases the ram will reach the end of stroke at full power.
The spring is to correct for overrun. When the unit switches off, the ram will overrun between 5 an 7 mm. so you need to have a physical buffer for that overrun distance. That is what the spring does.
As you mentioned, you could make fitting adjustments to compensate for this.
Let me know of your progress.
All the best
gary
@@garymalm I just posted a video about it including the details of the 3D files etc. I didn't get rid of the spring after all, though I tried! In the end I settled on a piece of wire and a spring from a cheap pen. Thanks for the inspiration!
Hi, your system is interesting. Ty for sharing. Thé composent you ad to thé switch is freewheeling diode ? If yes anu tef please ?
Ty
Vincent (Bordeaux, France)
Hi Vincea The diode is a Shottky diode that you can get on Alibaba etc. I went for a very large oversize diode ( 100v 5 amp) because I didn't know the actual load on the motor. www.temu.com/search_result.html?search_key=Diode&search_method=user&refer_page_el_sn=200010&srch_enter_source=top_search_entrance_10032&_x_sessn_id=ni0a212dck&refer_page_name=goods&refer_page_id=10032_1725276114694_diao7kj2dx&refer_page_sn=10032 gary
@@garymalm hello, thank you for the answer, I later understood the interest of the diode. I created a much simpler limit switch system. My sensors are screwed directly to the bottom of the case, and mechanically connected by rods. It works well, but I have a little problem depending on the angle read by the compass, at a certain position, my cylinder retracts completely. I am afraid that this is due to electromagnetic disturbances, due to the proximity of the PCB sensor or the compass.
@@garymalm if you give an email, i can send à picture of it.
Gooday Gary, I would be interested in the drawings you said you would do. Have you don them yet?
I'll dig them up , John. Give me a week or so. Off on a cruise tomorrow. gary
Hi. Kudos for your solution. I had my first unit seize (out of warranty), and now am experiencing problems with the replacement unit. How do I connect with you about purchasing one of your kits? I’m in Canada. Thanks.
Good morning Seaspray.
You can contact me on garymalm at yahoo.com
Not a difficult process to send off to Canada. gary
Hi Seaspray. I sent a reply to you but it seems to have wandered off somewhere (the Twilight Zone?)
It is easy to sent a unit off to Canada, If still interested please contact me garymalm AT yahoo.com
Merry Christmas. Gary
Is the drive unit of the ev-100 tiller has this problem too?
The EV 100 has a remote ram arm an a sensor in the control unit. This is a copy of the Autohelm system one of the first tillerpilots that came out almost 50 years ago.
It does not have the same problem as the cheaper ST 1000 and ST 2000 units.
Another system similar to the EV 100 is the Pelagic system. It has a reputation of very high ram torque and robust construction.
pelagicautopilot.com/
@@garymalm thanks for the information
How do we contact you if we’re interested in one of your setups?
Good morning Shayne, You can mail me at garymalm at yahoo. com
Then I can give you details and we can exchange personal info.
All the best
gary
Can I send you my autohelm 1000 and you can figure it out.
Maybe it's just to old. But it extends. It just won't retract.
You seem to know a thing or two about a thing or two. 😊
Hi ready. Where are you? I am happy to look at your autohelm 1000 (free) , I guess it is a Raymarine TP 1000, But the postage might be high. Can you open it and look inside It could be a slipping or stripped drive gear. gary