EV200 drive error ?

[SeaCraftJ2]

I have a Garmin 7212 with a new EV200 connected via SeaTalk to the Garmin NMEA2K backbone. The Ray system is visible on the Garmin network but my Garmin tech said they were not communicating.I also had a Pointe 1 Lawrence course sensor installed which I disconnected. I had this added for Radar overlay purposes but I dont think its needed and I thought it could be confusing the EV200.

Observations and actions:

The R70 heading and my compass are dead on the same heading,
When I turn my wheel in Stand By the rudder indicator and green/red bars seem dead on.
We did an air purge on the steering system.
The Ray tech ran software updates on the AC200 and R70.
I re installed using Dock Side Wiz.

The Ray tech said the fluxgate/heading sensor timed out on the update and consequently he swapped another heading sensor which he said also timed out on the update....?

We had hoped the software updates ( I had 2014 software ) would correct my symptoms. Tech said the update ran on the AC200 and R70 ok.

Here are my symptoms that initiated the service call:

On course engaging 'Auto' an immediate jog right occurs.
Correcting via the R70 dial, course can be adjusted and held for anywhere from 2 - 20 minutes until I get a Drive Error or Drive Fail. I can re-engage into Auto immediately and the same pattern repeats.

Should we be sending the heading sensor back to Ray Marine which is what the tech is now suggesting ? I more inclined to send the AC200 as well....?

My next move is to try the AP again with SeaTalk disconnected and see if I can run the system as a stand alone point and shoot before I start pulling the systems out to send back.

We have isolated power supply as well.

Any suggestions ?

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome to the Raymarine Forum SeaCraftJ2,

Please excuse the delay in this response. When properly installed, Evolution autopillot components should be and have been previously proven to communicate with NMEA 2000 certified third party products. The Evolution autopilot components and the third party NMEA 2000 certified products should each be interfaced as spurs to a powered and properly terminated SeaTalkng/NMEA 2000 backbone. Communications between the two systems may be verified by checking for whether third party equipment which has been configured to display rudder angle (only if a rudder reference transducer has been interfaced to the ACU) or Heading (after verifying that the Evolution autopilot is the only source of heading within the system). Should these data items be populated on the third party device, then they would be deemed to be communicating. Similarly, should the COG or SOG data items (both require that the vessel be moving) be populated, then the autopilot would be deemed to be communicating with the third party GPS sensor. Please verify such communications.

Regarding the software update to the EV-1 Sensor Core, please click here to view a FAQ addressing this subject.

Regarding the Drive Fail or Drive Error message, please indicate whether the drive moved the rudder/motor/drive in the correct direction when the Dockside Wizard was executed and if not, whether you then either reversed the leads connected to the ACU's motor terminals or reversed the drive polarity via the Dockside Wizard. Please indicate whether upon completion, you took the boat out for a cruise and completed the Detecting Magnetics (determines the vessel's deviation table) ... if so, what is the maximum detected deviation value specified within the autopilot's diagnostics? Please additionally indicate the make/model of hydraulic pump which has been interfaced to the ACU-200. Should there be any concerns of compatibility causing the reported problem, then the third party products should be temporarily unplugged from the SeaTalkng/NMEA 2000 backbone and the autopilot should then be tested again in Auto mode. Should the Autopilot perform similarly to when it had been interfaced to the third party products, then it would be recommended that the ACU-200 and EV-1 Sensor Core be sent to Raymarine’s Product Repair Center to be bench checked / serviced.