[TG] Volvo Penta DPI drive & autopilot

[Tom - Raymarine - Moderator]

Hello Kimbrey,

Volvo are understandably keen on discouraging people from using any electronics other than their own, but our EV2 drive-by-wire autopilot can steer a wide range of IPS and Aquamatic drive-by-wire sterndrive systems. Single-sterndrive systems are supported, with Volvo EVC revisions C and later including current EVC-2.

You need a 'gateway' to translate between the Raymarine system and the Volvo system: this can be Raymarine's ECI-100 or dual Volvo gateways, one for pilot control and one for engine data (the ECI-100 performs both functions.) The Raymarine system will function the same whether you use 1x ECI-100 or 2x Volvo gateways, but:

• Volvo do not test and approve the ECI-100, so you may prefer to use the Volvo equivalents.
• You should not mix Volvo and Raymarine gateways in the same system: choose either/or.
• If you go the Volvo gateways, you need both for full functionality.
• The ECI-100 does not pass any data (except pilot steering commands) back to the EVC system, so you may need a GPS on the Volvo side for fuel calculations on their engine displays or, again, use Volvo gateways.
  

There are also a few things to be aware of in a system such as this:

• You should still have a 4" or 7" Volvo display at the helm for proprietary (e.g. transmission) alarms which are not translated across to the Raymarine system
• In a system with a Volvo joystick, Joystick Driving will not function, as this is a Volvo pilot function. Joystick Docking will work.
• The pilot controls on the joystick and Volvo display will not operate as these are dedicated to the Volvo pilot.
• Volvo functions including Dynamic Positioning, Water Sport Control, alarms, control and the onboard Maintenance Assistant will work through a Volvo 7" display
  

On http://www.raymarine.eu/view/index-id=8883.html you can see how the pilot connects to the Volvo network via an ECI-100, or in the [url=https://raymarine.app.box.com/s/m91tjmlomvfbn69trxkxep546hlakkr4/folder/1803919143EV-2 pilot handbook[/url] you can see how to connect via the Volvo pilot gateway (the connections are different depending on which gateway you use.)

I've not been on a sterndrive-powered Volvo/EV2 vessel, but I have sea-trialled IPS/EV2 systems and the course-keeping is beautiful.

Regards,
Tom