[DG] [DG11] ACU 300 EV1

[Derek - Raymarine - Moderator]

Hi Ricardomann

Thank you for your enquiry.

The ACU300 will output voltage to a prt solenoid and a starbourd solenoid, more information can be found here .

In your installation you have a source of high pressure oil from the engine driven pump and you have hi pressure oil from this pump available at the helm position. You will need to check if there are check valves in the helmpump, these will prevent the hi pressure oil output from the new solenoid operated manifold discharging back through the helm pump instead of driving to the steering cylinders. Also you will need to take an output from the engine drive pump too to the new solenoid operated manifold. When the autopilot is not in operation or the solenoid valves shut, the oil will go nowhere, once one of the valves opens, the oil will pump into one of the steering cylinders.

You will need to check the solenoids in the manifold block are the correct rating - the previous link will identify the preferred solenoid rating. You will also need to ensure that the helm pump has check valves and that the manifold will support the requirement to both output hi pressure oil to the steering cylinder at the same time enable the lo pressure oil from the 'other side' of the steering cylinder to return back to the reservoir, (otherwise the steering system will become hydraulically locked)

You should be able to use both the manual steering and the autopilot at the same time, ( Not that you would use them normally), but in cases of emergency when you need to make a rapid manual helm correction, due to say an object in the water, then you can take control of the steering immediately and as long as you turn the steering wheel faster than the autopilot is pumping then the boat will dodge round the object.

regards
Derek