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COURSEMASTER CM400N Owner's Manual

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COURSEMASTER
AUTOPILOTS
Australia's world leader in autopilot technology
CM400N OWNER'S MANUAL
COURSEMASTER AUTOPILOTS PTY LTD.
CHATSWOOD NSW. AUSTRALIA 2067
ACN 001 306 369
Phone +612 9417 7097
Fax
+612 9417 7557
E-mail: sales@coursemaster.com

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  • Page 1 COURSEMASTER AUTOPILOTS Australia's world leader in autopilot technology CM400N OWNER'S MANUAL COURSEMASTER AUTOPILOTS PTY LTD. CHATSWOOD NSW. AUSTRALIA 2067 ACN 001 306 369 Phone +612 9417 7097 +612 9417 7557 E-mail: sales@coursemaster.com...
  • Page 2 But remember that it cannot keep a lookout. SAFE NAVIGATION IS ALWAYS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. Copyright 1997 Coursemaster Autopilots Pty Ltd, 7 Smith St, CHATSWOOD NSW 2067, AUSTRALIA This manual, the mechanical and electronic design of the CM550 autopilot system and its associated software are protected by copyright.
  • Page 3 CM400N QUICK REFERENCE MAIN DISPLAYS RUDDER FACTOR STEERING MODE STANDBY PILOT A:346 AAAA AUTONAV ON AUTONAV OK REMOTE HELM H:346 H:-01 RUDDER ANGLE AUTOTACK P:346 PROGRAMMED COURSE HOLD PPPP PROGRAMMING MENU...
  • Page 4 CM400N QUICK REFERENCE MENU AND ALARM DISPLAY USE THE LEFT AND RIGHT DODGE KEYS TO ADJUST SETTINGS ALARMS MENU - - - AHL - AUTONAV FAULT AUTO HELM SETUP 1: 01 COLD START HELM ADJUST 2:346 OFF COURSE COMPASS ADJUST...

  • Page 5: Table Of Contents

    CM400N OWNER'S MANUAL CONTENTS SYSTEM DESCRIPTION 1.1 System components 1.2 The control panel OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS 2.1 Basic operation 2.2 Operating Details 2.2.1 Steering modes 2.2.2 Rudder factor 2.2.3 Auto navigation 2.2.4 Remote (power) steering 2.2.5 Display select 2.2.6 Alarms and alarm override 2.3 Programming the system...
  • Page 6 ATTACHMENTS AND INTERFACES 3.1 Second Controller 3.2 Remote Steering 3.3 Rudder angle indicator 3.4 Remote Alarm 3.7 Navigation Interface INSTALLATION Step-by-step Summary 4.1 Junction Box 4.2 Controller 4.3 Compass 4.4 Rudder Transducer 4.5 Steering Drive 4.5.1 Chain driven mechanical 4-10 4.5.2 Solenoid-controlled hydraulics 4-11 4.5.3 System with Octopus pump...

  • Page 7: System Description

    So please take some time to read this and please contact Coursemaster or one of our agents if you have any questions. The CM400N adds a number of features to its predecessor - the CM400. These include a heavy-duty Junction Box, a wider range of input voltages, dual Controller and Remote Helm capability, a remote alarm and, most importantly a built-in interface to NMEA0183 navigation equipment.
  • Page 8 ______________________________________________________________________ To these components may be added a range of options to expand the system into one which will handle most autopilot needs. A block diagram of a CM400N system with its optional attachments is shown in Fig 1.1. At the centre of the system is the Junction Box, which houses the control microcomputer, the interfaces with other system components and the motor drive electronics.

  • Page 9: The Control Panel

    System Description 1-3 ______________________________________________________________________ 1.2 THE CONTROL PANEL The front panel of the controller (Fig 1.2) contains a 4 character display, course error lamps and six keys. Most of the time, only the two keys on the left are used. Chapter 2 contains full information on their use. DISPLAY CODE HEADING COUSERMASTER 400...
  • Page 10 System Description 1-4 ______________________________________________________________________ COURSE LEFT and RIGHT Used to make course adjustments when in PILOT or to adjust system settings, eg. rudder factor. SELECT UP and DOWN Used to change the sea-state setting, to display rudder angle or programmed course, and to select system settings for adjustment.

  • Page 11: Operating Instructions

    CHAPTER 2 OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS The CM400N is designed to be easy to use. The basic operations of the autopilot are simple to carry out and involve single keystrokes on the panel. These are described in the first section below. Then there are operations which require several keystrokes and would be used only from time to time.

  • Page 12: Basic Operation

    Operating Instructions ________________________________________________________________ 2.1 BASIC OPERATION (a) To turn the system ON, press STANDBY. Wait for the display to show the software version number (eg. P:214). The self-test is then complete and the normal STANDBY display will appear. (b) To turn the system OFF, hold the STANDBY and PILOT keys down together.

  • Page 13: Operating Details

    2.2.1 STEERING MODES The CM400N has two different types of steering modes to suit a variety of vessels and weather conditions. One of these would be used most of the time, but changing modes is done simply by pressing the SELECT UP key once and the display then shows the steering mode on the left and the rudder factor on the right.

  • Page 14: Rudder Factor

    Operating Instructions ________________________________________________________________ 2.2.2 RUDDER FACTOR For either mode, the amount of helm applied for a given course error is separately adjustable. This RUDDER FACTOR can range from 0 to 9 (though 0 gives no control) and is set by pressing the SELECT UP key, followed by one of the COURSE keys to adjust it up or down.

  • Page 15: Display Select

    (see Sec 2.3). 2.2.6 ALARMS The CM400N has several alarm functions. When an alarm occurs, the beeper sounds and an alarm code appears. These are summarised in the Quick Reference Chart and are explained below:...
  • Page 16 Operating Instructions ________________________________________________________________ OFF COURSE - A01 The vessel has been more than 8 deg off course for 12 seconds. This only operates in the PILOT mode and while the alarm is active, all other functions operate normally. Cancel it by returning to course or pressing the STANBY or PILOT key.

  • Page 17: Programming The System

    Operating Instructions ________________________________________________________________ The magnetic field being sensed by the compass is above or below preset limits and the system has been switched to STANDBY. Again, further information is given in Chap. 5. SYSTEM FAULT - A08 The Controller has detected a fault in the data coming from the Junction Box.
  • Page 18 Operating Instructions ________________________________________________________________ RIGHT key and the setup will start, returning the helm to the centre position. If there is a fault in the steering gear, the alarm A06 will show on the display, otherwise the system will return to STANDBY. To adjust any of the following, re- select the program mode and select up or down.
  • Page 19 Since this contains a TRUE heading-to-steer, the magnetic variation must be set. (Option 9). The APA/APB sentence is produced by most of the earlier receivers and may also be used. The CM400N detects whether this sentence uses a true or magnetic heading and adjusts automatically using the variation set by the user.
  • Page 20 Operating Instructions 2-10 ________________________________________________________________ The CM400 incorporates an automatic trim feature which compensates for weather helm or other sources of steering bias (such as when towing). This means that, after a few minutes on a given course, the autopilot calculates how much weather helm to apply so that it centres itself accurately on the programmed course.
  • Page 21 Operating Instructions 2-11 ________________________________________________________________ HELM ALERT and OFF-COURSE ALARM - 8 As a safety feature, a HELM ALERT alarm is sounded after a fixed time when the system is in the PILOT mode. This is an aid to ensure that the helmsman is keeping watch.
  • Page 22 Operating Instructions 2-12 ________________________________________________________________ 4n2man2...

  • Page 23: Attachments And Interfaces

    CHAPTER 3 ATTACHMENTS AND INTERFACES As described in Chapter 1, there are many attachments available for the CM550 which increase its usefulness and capabilities. Some connect directly to the Junction Box and are driven by the autopilot. The other type of expansion, via interfacing, uses a data cable to communicate between a navigation system, such as a GPS receiver and the autopilot.

  • Page 24: Remote Steering

    In addition, a Jog Lever may be fitted to Remote 1. This may either be supplied by Coursemaster or from other manufacturers. Contact your Coursemaster agent for wiring instructions, which may vary according to the type of control. To use the remote helm, switch it to REMOTE (HAND). This now overrides the Controller.

  • Page 25: Remote Alarm

    NMEA INPUT(S) When a satnav, GPS, LoranC receiver or other navigation system is connected, the CM400N is able to steer by the the heading-to-steer or cross-track error outputs from these devices. Selection of the desired messages is described above in Sec 2.3.
  • Page 26 Attachments and Interfaces ________________________________________________________________________ When both cross-track and heading-to-steer are available, the autopilot steers to minimise the cross-track error. But if this exceeds 0.1 nm, the vessel is steered towards the a course but with an angle of approach not more than 22 deg. If the cross-track error value becomes invalid or unavailable steering reverts to the heading-to-steer mode.

  • Page 27: Chapter 4 Installation

    CHAPTER 4 INSTALLATION Before proceeding with the installation, check the contents of the shipment to ensure that all components ordered are present and undamaged. If a steering motor or hydraulic drive is included, check that its voltage rating is suitable for the vessel's supply. Read right through this chapter before starting and then follow this step-by-step guide: Mount the Junction Box as described in Sect 4.1.
  • Page 28 Installation ________________________________________________________________________ Install the steering drive as described in Sect 4.5 Apply power to the Junction Box. Press STANDBY to turn the system on and check for the correct display. DO NOT PRESS PILOT yet, as the motor phasing may not be correct. Centre the helm.

  • Page 29: Junction Box

    Installation ________________________________________________________________________ 4.1 JUNCTION BOX The Junction Box may be mounted horizontally or vertically. It should be protected from the weather and be well above the bilge water level in the vessel. The two further considerations are that the connection sockets be easily accessible when the lid is removed and that there is a space of at least 50mm on all four sides to permit air circulation.
  • Page 30 Installation ________________________________________________________________________ RUDDER REMOTE CONTROLLER COMPASS TRANSD CONTROLLER NMEA DATA REMOTE 2 OR GYRO CABLE EXPANSION OVERLOAD PROGRAM STORE CURRENT LIMIT RELAY RELAY MOTOR CLUTCH NEG POS FUSE POWER MOTOR CABLE Figure 4.1 Layout of Junction Box components and connectors.

  • Page 31: Controller

    Junction Box and connecting the cable to the terminal block. We also recommend inserting a 20amp switch between the Junction Box and the power bus so that the CM400N can be isolated during unattended periods.
  • Page 32 Installation ________________________________________________________________________ 106.0 22 mm dia 79.0 44.0 57.5 Figure 4.3 Mounting holes for the Controller. Lay the Controller cable back to the Junction Box, feed it through a grommet into the case and terminate the wires in the controller plug. Tighten each grub-screw firmly.

  • Page 33: Compass

    Installation ________________________________________________________________________ some vessels this is difficult to do, but some extra effort to maintain separation will pay off in reducing problems in the future. 4.3 COMPASS The performance of the compass affects the performance of the whole system and some care should be taken in locating it in the best position. The guidelines for this choice are as follows: Ideally, the compass should be mounted at the roll centre of the vessel, at or slightly above the waterline.

  • Page 34: Rudder Transducer

    Installation ________________________________________________________________________ compass be mounted temporarily so that the best site can be found by experimenting. The following notes should help find the best mounting: In the first instance, try siting the compass unit below decks but centrally within the vessel. Keep well clear of vertical steel bulkheads and position the compass at least 45 cm (18 in) above a steel floor.

  • Page 35: Steering Drive

    For existing hydraulic systems using a helm pump, instructions are given below for adding a Coursemaster/Hydrive pump motor. But for systems supplied by other manufacturers, installers should consult the data supplied by the manufacturer.

  • Page 36: Chain Driven Mechanical

    Installation 4-10 ________________________________________________________________________ 15 sec. and not less than 8 sec. Steering systems which perform outside these limits may not give satisfactory autopilot operation. 4.5.1 CHAIN DRIVEN MECHANICAL STEERING The drive sprocket on the steering motor matches 12.7mm (1/2 inch) British Standard simple chain.

  • Page 37: Solenoid-Controlled Hydraulics

    The motor-drive output of the Junction Box is suitable for direct connection to flow-control solenoids, provided that their operating voltage is the same as the supply voltage to the CM400N and the solenoid current does no exceed 10A. The connections to the Junction Box are shown below in Fig 4.5.
  • Page 38 This valve isolates the system into two completely independent sources of steering power and can be supplied by your Coursemaster agent, if required. TWO-LINE STEERING SYSTEMS Two-line systems are by far the most common and are manufactured by many companies world-wide.
  • Page 39 Installation 4-13 ________________________________________________________________________ THREE-LINE SYSTEMS Teleflex Canada Ltd. manufacture some 3-line hydraulic systems using a "Uniflow" valve. Two types of valve are produced: the 50-series in aluminium or bronze and the Syten in plastic. Connection of the Octopus pump to such systems is illustrated in Figs 4.7(a) and (b).
  • Page 40 Installation 4-14 ________________________________________________________________________ PRESSURISED SYSTEMS Hynautic and Teleflex Canada (220 series) both make systems in which the oil in the system is pressurised with air. Connection to the Hynautic system is illustrated in Fig. 4.8(a) and to the Teleflex 220 in Fig 4.8(b). Note that if the Octopus pump is run in a system with the air pressure significantly above the manufacturer's recommendation, the life of the motor shaft seals may be reduced.
  • Page 41 Using a short length of 4mm cable, connect the two pump wires to the Motor terminals in the CM400N Junction Box (see Fig 4.1), noting that no connection is made to the clutch drive in this type of installation.
  • Page 42 If it fails to run, check first that it is receiving the correct drive voltage from the CM400N Junction Box. Next, ensure that the pump shaft is not jammed by turning it with a screwdriver in the slotted end of the shaft.

  • Page 43: Hydraulic Linear Drive

    Installation 4-17 ________________________________________________________________________ 4.5.4 HYDRAULIC LINEAR DRIVE It is vital that the cylinder is installed with the correct geometry. The final position of the mounting bracket is ascertained with the piston rod at the middle of its stroke. (Use a ruler to set this position.) With the rudder dead centre and the piston rod at right angles to the quadrant, mark the position of the bracket and fix it using four stainless steel bolts with locknuts or lock- washers.
  • Page 44 Installation 4-18 ________________________________________________________________________ The cyclinder has been bled before shipping. Check the oil level in the pump and, if necessary, top up with automatic transmission fluid. Go to Step 8 in the step-by-step guide at the beginning of the chapter and complete the steps. The hydraulic pump has a flow-rate adjustment which should be set to give a response time of 8 - 10 seconds limit-to-limit for yachts less than 40 feet and 10 -12 seconds for vessels above 40 feet.

  • Page 45: Trouble-Shooting

    After each message is given the direct condition which triggers the message, the response of the CM400N to the condition and a list of possible causes. By using this as an aid, many problems can be fixed simply by the owner.
  • Page 46 Trouble-shooting ________________________________________________________________ A00 COLD START This is displayed after a cold start to indicate that the built in memory, holding the autopilot settings, has been re-programmed to the factory preset values. Any changes from those values which had been made previously should be re-entered.
  • Page 47 Trouble-shooting ________________________________________________________________ Causes. The fault can occur if the direct-drive or hydraulic pump motor has stalled or jammed. This may indicate damage to the vessel's steering gear. Otherwise, look for a short-circuit in the drive-motor wiring. A04 RUDDER OVER-RANGE The rudder transducer output is above or below the allowed range. This alarm forces the system into STANDBY and may only be cancelled by the CANCEL key after the condition has been removed.
  • Page 48 Trouble-shooting ________________________________________________________________ field due to local magnetic material. In this case, consult the guidelines in Chap A08 SYSTEM FAULT The Controller has not received a special code from the Junction Box to indicate that it is operating normally. Unlike the other alarms, this condition is not guaranteed to force the system into STANDBY.

  • Page 49: Other Faults

    Trouble-shooting ________________________________________________________________ 5.2 OTHER FAULTS If there are large voltage spikes on the power supply, these can sometimes cause the system to reset and revert to STANDBY without an error message appearing. If this happens frequently, consult your dealer about measures to filter the supply.
  • Page 50 CHAPTER 6 SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS AUTOPILOT Supply Voltage 11 to 26V dc Supply Current Basic system in STANDBY 0.33A Add for Controller 2 0.15A In Pilot with 20% duty 2.5A Compass Fluxgate in damped suspension Typical deviation 2.5 deg rms. Rudder Transducer Potentiometer type Rudder position accuracy 1 deg.

  • Page 51: System Specifications

    System Specifications ________________________________________________________________ Steering Drive Output for 12V supply 10V at rated load 25A internal current limit Output for 24V supply 22V at rated load 16A internal current limit Minimum effective load resistance (continuous) 0.8 ohm at 12V 2.0 ohm at 24V Mechanical drive steering motor Printed rotor with gearbox and electromechanical clutch...
  • Page 52 System Specifications ________________________________________________________________ Polarity Idle, stop bit,logic'1' Line A < 0.5V above line B. Start bit, logic '0' Line A > 4V above Line B. Input PORT Isolated via optocoupler Input resistance 1000 ohm min. Sentence structures: Generic navigation information RMB accepts: $**RMB,A,D.DD,L,XXXX,XXXX,XXXX.XX,N,XXXX.XX, W,XXX.X,DDD.D,XX.X,A<CD><LF>...
  • Page 53 System Specifications ________________________________________________________________ Output Port : Speed and Heading $APVHW,,T,DDD,M,00.00,N,,K<CR><LF> $IIVHW,,T,DDD,M,00.00,N,,K<CR><LF> The above pair of messages alternate as standard and are not selectable from the Controller. 4n2man6...
  • Page 54 CHAPTER 7 MAINTENANCE AND WARRANTY 7.1 MAINTENANCE The only parts of the CM400N requiring maintenance are the mechanical components of the steering gear. Chain drives and the rudder transducer linkage (but not the transducer itself) should be oiled every 200 hours of operation.

  • Page 55: Maintenance And Warranty

    Coursemaster agent for cleaning and rectification. 7.2 INSTALLATION OF NEW SOFTWARE It is recommended that software upgrades be installed by a Coursemaster agent, but if this is not possible, the following procedure should be followed carefully by the owner: The memory package containing the software for the main circuit board in the Junction Box has a label beginning CM560V..,...
  • Page 56 Coursemaster Autopilots Pty. Ltd. shall not be liable for any expenses or for any direct or consequential damage caused by defects, failure or malfunction of their autopilots or accessories whether a claim is based on a warranty contract, tort or otherwise.
  • Page 57 CM400N INSTALLATION RECORD VESSEL OWNER DATE SETTING FUNCTION PRESET DATE MODE 1 RUD FACTOR MODE 2 RUDDER FACTOR NAV MESSAGE 3 - APB MOTOR DEADBAND RATE FACTOR RUDDER LIMITS VARIATION ALARMS 4n2man8...

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