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APPENDIX
Dockside Checkout
The CPT is run for 24 hours at the factory before final testing, and the motor rotation direction has been
preset for your type of installation. It should steer your boat easily and require not more than an hour or so of
experimentation to become familiar with it. This dockside check should be performed after installation,
before sea trials.
A. Checking the Steering System
Play in the system (any movement not immediately reflected by movement in the boat's rudder) should be
eliminated or reduced to a minimum. All boats have some adjustment mechanism to take up slack and this
should be used to eliminate play. At the same time, inspect the system for chafing, frayed cables, or binding.
Grease as appropriate.
Hydraulic systems must be free of trapped air, use the proper fluid, and cannot have excessive wear or leakage
past the piston seals. Air bubbles, foaming, or leakage must be corrected if the CPT is to operate correctly.
Excessive valve delay in some systems may be inherent in the design.
B. Performing the Dockside Checkout
1.
Install the belt on both pulleys. Disengage clutch and center the boat’s rudder. (Pull out on drive pulley).
2.
Flip toggle to STANDBY on Control Box.
3.
Check that 10 amp fuse or circuit-breaker is in place in the red-wire 12 volt (+) line and power is available
to the CPT.
4.
For testing, turn the Rudder dial on and set to 5, turn Deadband dial to 1. Allow a minimum of 60 seconds
for the autopilot to warm up.
5.
Engage clutch. Toggle to HOLD HEADING.
The pilot should not respond very much, and will make small wheel corrections about every 10 seconds. If
corrections are made every second either inadequate warm-up time was allowed or there is magnetic
interference in the mounting location; do not attempt sea trial until corrected.
6.
Push the 10° Port button once. The wheel should turn briefly to port, stop, and then begin short rotations
to port about once per second. Push the 10° Starboard button once, and the wheel should turn back to
starboard and stop. Toggle the control box back to STANDBY. If the autopilot responds differently
without a smooth return back to starboard, either inadequate warm-up time was allowed or there is
magnetic interference in the mounting location.
*
After a short time the pilot will eventually make a small periodic correction every 10 seconds, this is
normal.
Do not let the wheel turn until the rudder-stops are reached. Do not leave unattended.
To stop the
wheel from turning: TOGGLE TO STANDBY AND DISENGAGE CLUTCH, or TURN PILOT OFF
If the wheel is turning the wrong direction when you push the 10° button, you can reverse the wheel
direction by following the directions for Changing the Motor Rotation on page 7.
If the wheel does not turn at all, check that the clutch is engaged, rudder at least 4, deadband at 1, and red
power wire connected to +12V. If the power wires are connected wrong there will be no response from the
controls and the pilot will not operate.
When left on Hold Heading, it is normal for the pilot to make a small correction every 10 seconds. More
frequent corrections once/second usually means the pilot was not allowed adequate warm-up time, the
boat’s heading is changing slightly, or there is magnetic interference near the control box.
