I have a NavPilot500 series autopilot using an FAP 6111 RRU (40' twin inboard). The boat hasn't been used for a few months while I had the helm pump out getting rebuilt. I reinstalled the helm and bled the system this week (with the steering cylinder disconnected from the rudders). Upon reconnecting the steering ram cylinder to the rudders and turning the helm, the displayed max rudder angle was incorrect/uneven at P/S hardcover and wasn't following the actual rudder movement as I turned the helm. After a few cycles back and forth and verifying that the displayed angle was not consistent with the actual rudder position, the displayed angle stopped at 3 degrees stbd and doesn't change anymore. I disconnected the mechanical connection between the RRU and rudders and get no change when I rotate the 6111 arm. I power cycled the system several times but no change. And the startup self test screen says RRU 3s (matching the displayed rudder angle).
I've researched other posts on this forum and found the info on testing the RRU resistance so I'll do that next time I'm on the boat to see if I have a bad RRU. In the meantime, I'm wondering:
1) Would a bad RRU show a unchanging angle like I see that's not min or max or zero? Or is the unchanging reading of 3 degrees stbd indicative of another problem?
2) Since the 6111 is obsolete, do I need to do anything to the rest of the system to replace it with a 6112?
3) The wiring between RRU and the AP blackbox under the helm is rather circuitous. If I verify incorrect resistance readings on the cable at the blackbox (indicating a bad RRU), can I then cut the cable closer to the RRU, verify the readings are still incorrect at that cut point, and then splice in the new RRU cable at the cut point?
Thanks,
Tom
I've researched other posts on this forum and found the info on testing the RRU resistance so I'll do that next time I'm on the boat to see if I have a bad RRU. In the meantime, I'm wondering:
1) Would a bad RRU show a unchanging angle like I see that's not min or max or zero? Or is the unchanging reading of 3 degrees stbd indicative of another problem?
2) Since the 6111 is obsolete, do I need to do anything to the rest of the system to replace it with a 6112?
3) The wiring between RRU and the AP blackbox under the helm is rather circuitous. If I verify incorrect resistance readings on the cable at the blackbox (indicating a bad RRU), can I then cut the cable closer to the RRU, verify the readings are still incorrect at that cut point, and then splice in the new RRU cable at the cut point?
Thanks,
Tom