I posted this question some time back with no response...perhaps no one has ever tried this! I'd love to have an autopilot this season, but I can't afford the scratch for a 6000 below-decks unit...Autohelm rates their 3000/4000 motors at 52 and 55 lbs.-feet of torque, respectively. Is that enough to turn the worm-gear of a '30's rudder? I'd even appreciate speculation; I'm three weeks from launching a two-week "delivery" cruise. Thanks!
Geoff Safron
Commedia
e-mail: Brainstorm@Unidial.com
Brainstorm@Unidial.com
Will an Autohelm 3000 or 4000 work with worm-gear?
Moderator: Jim Walsh
-
Merle Bone
Re: Will an Autohelm 3000 or 4000 work with worm-gear?
Geoff, I'm using the 3000 on a Cape Dory 31. I don't know the answer to your question, but there is a significant gear ratio between the 3000 drive motor and the wheel shaft on the Cape Dory with the "outside" installation (Basis the diameter of the 3000 drive motor shaft diameter and the diameter of the drive wheel that is attached to the steering wheel on the Cape Dory)(Both connected by the flexible drive belt). I stongly suspect you would have to duplicate a gear ratio like that to use the 3000 on a Cape Dory 30 regardless of where you conncect to the Cape Dory steering system.Geoff Safron wrote: I posted this question some time back with no response...perhaps no one has ever tried this! I'd love to have an autopilot this season, but I can't afford the scratch for a 6000 below-decks unit...Autohelm rates their 3000/4000 motors at 52 and 55 lbs.-feet of torque, respectively. Is that enough to turn the worm-gear of a '30's rudder? I'd even appreciate speculation; I'm three weeks from launching a two-week "delivery" cruise. Thanks!
Geoff Safron
Commedia
e-mail: Brainstorm@Unidial.com
MerleBone@Worldnet.att.net
-
Geoff
Re: Will an Autohelm 3000 or 4000 work with worm-gear?
Merle;
Thanks for the info; in the meantime, I've gritted my teeth and forked over the clams for a 4000+. According to Autohelm, that teeny little motor has the balls required to turn my gear. Given that it's a direct-drive unit, and the drive wheel is by the sheerest coincidence almost exactly the same size as the ship's wheel, hopefully ratio differential won't be a problem. About the only hurdle will be in attatching drive wheel to ship's wheel. I'll probably sink stud holes into the back of the wooden wheel, and apoxy the drive wheel into them. It's not removeable, but if all goes well I won't have to! If this works, it will be nearly invisible! I'll let you know how it works out. Again, thanks for the advice.
Geoff Safron
Brainstorm@Unidial.com
Thanks for the info; in the meantime, I've gritted my teeth and forked over the clams for a 4000+. According to Autohelm, that teeny little motor has the balls required to turn my gear. Given that it's a direct-drive unit, and the drive wheel is by the sheerest coincidence almost exactly the same size as the ship's wheel, hopefully ratio differential won't be a problem. About the only hurdle will be in attatching drive wheel to ship's wheel. I'll probably sink stud holes into the back of the wooden wheel, and apoxy the drive wheel into them. It's not removeable, but if all goes well I won't have to! If this works, it will be nearly invisible! I'll let you know how it works out. Again, thanks for the advice.
Geoff Safron
Brainstorm@Unidial.com