[CA] [CA11] I get a low battery alarm after 15 minutes

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome to the Raymarine Forum Jbeattie,

This is indeed atypical. In most such cases the problem is attributed to a fault within the power distribution to the autopilot or depleted / insufficient / old batteries. Operation of the vessel's engine, generator, or wind / solar charging system(s) for a period of time after the event may be bringing the battery charge state up to the point where it may sustain the autopilot.

However, we recommend that the first action to be taken is to determine the software levels of the autopilots components. Should any be determine to have a software level which is not the latest available Raymarine product software update then the software within any such component(s) should be updated accordingly. Next, the power distribution system should be inspected to ensure that marine grade wire of the appropriate gauge has been installed and is in good condition. All connection for power and ground should be inspected from the autopilot course computer through the fuses, breaker panel, buss bars, to the battery and grounding point to ensure that all connections / connectors are in good shape, free of corrosion, tight to their connection points and to the wire they are connecting. Batteries should be inspected, maintained, and load tested to ensure that they are in good working order.

Should the problem persist after having addressed the items specified above, then it would be recommended that the ACU100 be sent to Raymarine’s Product Repair Center to be bench checked / serviced.