(DG) ST2000 in-cockpit breaker?

[adam_s]

I've been using my ST2000 on a ~7000 lb Cal 2-27 for just over a year now. It's great, except for all the times I accidentally knock it off the tiller pin, or a huge gust forced the boat to round up before I could get to the sheets, and the tiller pilot goes hard over one way or the other and the fuse blows. I'm getting tired of jumping into the cabin, digging out my box of fuses and magnifying glass so I can read the little fuse and make sure I've selected the right one, and putting a fresh fuse in my DC fuse panel -- all while sailing singlehanded, usually.

I'm thinking about putting a breaker in the cockpit, right at the tiller pilot where I can easily reset it. The ST2000 manual says the circuit should be protected with a 12A fuse, and since I don't see many 12A marine breakers I figure I'll go with 10A breaker and leave the 12A fuse in my DC panel. That way the panel fuse should never blow, and I don't need to leave the cockpit to reset the circuit.

Does this make sense? Have other people done this?

And just griping here, but why on earth don't the tiller pilots have built-in controls to stop the motor from sucking up current when the piston has reached its limit?!

[Derek - Raymarine - Moderator]

Hi adam_s

Thank you for your enquiry.

A lot depends on your usage of the boat,most people tend to use resettable breakers in the chart table area, but if you can find a dry and protected location for a resettable breaker in the cockpit, then this would be more convenient for you.

In terms of rating, a thermal 10A circuit breaker would be a good choice.

The feature to sense ram travel limit has been proposed before and is waiting on an update for the Tiller pilot to be included.

regards

[adam_s]

Thanks, Derek, agreed, if my 12V system used breakers I would just dedicate one to the tillerpilot, but it's an all fuse system so I'll have to set up an independent breaker. Convenience of it being in the cockpit will be a bonus (probably inside the lazarette in a DIY weatherproof enclosure, since I have yet to find waterproof individual breakers; seems only full panels are made waterproof).
Thanks for sanity checking me, and I'm glad to hear the travel limit (obvious!) feature is forthcoming.

[Derek - Raymarine - Moderator]

Hi adam_s

you're welcome