Rudder displacement guage

[stephens013]

having an issue with the rudder displacement/position indicator system on my 2001 510 Sundancer. I replaced the indicator on the rudder control arms. The new unit works fine as indicated by the read out on my auto pilot control head. Means the data is getting to the auto pilot. All good but I can't get the SeaRay analog rudder position guage to register any rudder position. This is the little guage located between the tachometers. I checked it for power; that's OK. The simrad J300x has an "in" terminal for the wire running from the rudder position sensor; nothing that would send data to the analog guage. Is there a splitter or some kind of wiring terminal that the rudder positioning sending unit feeds into; then one wire going to the auto pilot and another to the instrument panel guage. How dose the rudder position guage in the dash get rudder position data?

 

[boatmailster]

Are you sure that small analog gauge is rudder indicator? I think it is actually engines synchronizer indicator - shows when both engines have same rpm

 

[stephens013]

That's what the little guage was on my 400DA. On the 2001 510SunDancer it's a rudder angle indicator. Anyway; I was a tad confused by what the Marrett Island boys told me about the little guage. To be exact, where dose the little bugger get it data. I asked not once but twice if there was a separate sending unit for this rudder angle thing; they said no. OK, Kind of tracks because it dose not show one in the parts book either. Well golly gee if after much bangin and cusin I find a second rudder angle indicator on the port side. Guess I just didn't look hard enough before ringing the alarm bell. It's a little Sierra unit, tucked under some 2" hoses and electrical bundles (that's why I didn't see it. Least that's my story.) Anyway; the take away is even if a so-called expert tells you something just keep in mind that he might be wrong too.