Autopilot Questions...

[480ces]

Hello

I'm looking at doing an electronics upgrade and am wonder what I can keep from my existing autopilot system.

Its a Raymarine ST-7002+ from 2005. I know it has Seatalk and Nmea 0193 inputs.

I'm going to replace the pair of C120s, Open Array Radar, Sounder, Transducer. I'm not sure I'll go Raymarine after the issues I had on my last panel upgrade (missing rebates totally $1k, wrong part numbers needing adapters, bad firmware, defective touchscreen). In the end it all worked, but with more expense and hassle.

If I go to Garmin or Simrad what limitations will I see using NMEA 0193?

Can I replace the Autopilot Display and Controller but keep my autopilot pump with new controls?

 

[katricol]

I replaced mine last month and was told by Garmin factory rep I had to use their new pump.

 

[kevin27]

I have Furuno and Simrad A/P. No issues and high quality.

 

[BOEMARINEBRIAN]

For the most part the pumps are "dumb" and will interchange

 

[JC3]

Katricol, Getting ready to do the same. If you feel comfortable, what exactly(unit, etc...) did you install and what was the ball park price? Thank you so much, JC

 

[fwebster]

For you guys with '97-'98 450DA's, the helm actuator is a Teleflex ram and it is dumb, just accepting fluid pumped into or out of it. If the original purchaser of your boat specified the B & G electronics option, I think the AP actuator is part of the B & G proprietary network system and interfacing it with a different AP head/brain may likely cost more than it is worth in technician time as he learns a non-industry standard coding system for the B&G AP set-up.

I'm not sure, but have just gone thru trying to interface a some Raymarine e series equipment with the B&G AP and Furuno radar on my boat and would have been money, time and technology ahead if I had just replaced the AP and radar at the same time. So……check your system and manuals before assuming that all pumps are dumb…….they have to get input from somewhere to tell them to move fluid and if it is a B&G, making it accept a NMEA-0183 input can be daunting if it is even possible.