Adjusting Pilot Settings
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The tiller pilot has hardcoded settings to provide stable performance for most boats.
However, you can fine tune many of the autopilot features to match your personal preferences, and the type of boat and steering system.
You might need to adjust the tiller pilot settings if:
the pilot does not maintain a selected heading
the rudder activity is too high or the course keeping is not tight enough
you wish to change the Off Course alarm angle
The function allows you to adjust the following parameters from their factory default settings:
Centered Tiller Position
Maximum rudder angle
Installation Side
Rudder Damping
Magnetic Variation
Heading Alignment
Off course alarm angle
Kp
Ki
Kd
Deadband type
The following steps have to be executed in sequence to change any setting value.
All settings can be changed using the Serial I/F.
Indicates the linear actuator position when the tiller is aligned with the hull.
Limit maximum angle of the rudder. It is used to prevent the linear actuator exceeding the rudder angle and damaging the boat. Value 0 reference to Centered Tiller Position.
Side of the boat where the linear actuator is installed.
Fenix V0.1 limitation: Installation Side
is always STARBOARD (S
)
Error in the linear actuator feedback potenciometer may cause the linear actuator to "hunt" when trying to fix a position. Rudder damping identify accepted maximum error in potenciometer signal.
(0 to any positive value). Default: 5º
Level of magnetic variation present at the boat's current position.
Compass Variation allows to transform angles referred to Magnetic North to True North and viceversa.
Positive values means variation to East.
Negative values of means variation to West.
(-45º;+45º). Default: 0º.
Fenix V0.1 limitation: Since external compass feature is not implemented, this parameter is always used by the Autopilot, even when information is received from external sources.
Installation of Autopilot internal IMU (electronic magnetic compass) may not be aligned with boat's steering compass, or a known transit bearing.
(-180º, 180º); Default: 0º
Angle of Off course alarm. This alarm warns if the Autopilot is unable to maintain its course.
(10º;30º). Default: 20º.
These 3 parameters define the behaviour of the Autopilot in Auto and Track modes.
Behaviour and tunning of these parameters are defined in this video.
Deadband is defined as the angle from Average Course to maximum heading deviation caused by periodic forces (i.e. waves). Within deadband, actuator shall stay still.
Deadband goal is to attenuate fluctuations in linear actuator position. Using deadband will increase the service life of the actuator.
User can select different Deadband options:
The function allows you to adjust the following parameters from their factory default settings:
Here you can find a