Autohelm 1000 tiller pilot noise interference

[captainrich]

Hey All,

I've got a 26 foot Contessa with tiller and a Autohelm 1000 tiller pilot hooked up. I've got 3 Group 31 AGM's (315AH).

Here's my dilemma... When I engage the autopilot, there is noise generated by it that is audible in the VHF. Here's what I mean; I've set a course and engage the autopilot. Whenever it corrects port or starboard there is a loud click in the VHF. Obviously very annoying. Especially at night when things are quiet and I'm having a peaceful sail. I've searched the forums and can't find anything like this so thanks in advance for help.

Some added information - the noise from the autopilot has bee present since I bought the boat. Previously it had 2 wet batteries in it. Problem happened then as well. I'm assuming I need some sort of noise filter but I can't seem to find anything that fits the bill.

[autopilotos]

Hello

Try to place a 0.1 ceramic disc capacitor working voltage 50V or more over the 12V input at the autohelm soquet ,and use a ferrite core (like on computer monitors) ,they are made from 2 halves you can place over the cable near the body of the pilot.

Jean

[Cerveza]

I would take a look at the wiring first of all. Make sure the VHF antenna cables are proberly shielded, and that the antenna cable and the 12V supply for autopilot doesn't run paralell to eachother.

[sailingdog]

If it clicks only when it is starting a course correction, then it sounds like a relay is the cause of the problem. If the problem is a bad relay in the autopilot, nothing you do is going to change the situation much until you replace the bad relay. Making sure the power and ground lead to the autopilot are twisted to shield them a bit, using ferrite cores and all that is nice and probably should have been done when it was installed, but they're not going to stop a bad relay from creating a big spark—which is the click you're hearing on the radio.