Connection between autopilot and instruments

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   Curiousity https://youtube.com/shorts/hQrY7VPelMg?si=k9S4vhcVO3Vdf9zfdriving me to ask in here.
The previous owner left a little gift for me,
basically the autopilot switch and instrument switch are connected on the supply wiring somewhere in the nmea 2000 bus.
Has anyone seen this in their Hanse?

Video here: 
I am worried that a loose cable / connector in the autopilot supply will result in power drawn through the nmea and then more fuses are blown.

Btw: the editor is acting up on my iPhone, sorry.

Edited by Laro88dk - 09 March 2025 at 20:47

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Laro88dk Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Lieutenant Joined: 18 July 2023 Location: Denmark Status: Offline Points: 46	Post Options Post Reply Quote Laro88dk Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Connection between autopilot and instruments Posted: 09 March 2025 at 20:45
	Curiousity https://youtube.com/shorts/hQrY7VPelMg?si=k9S4vhcVO3Vdf9zfdriving me to ask in here. The previous owner left a little gift for me, basically the autopilot switch and instrument switch are connected on the supply wiring somewhere in the nmea 2000 bus. Has anyone seen this in their Hanse? Video here: I am worried that a loose cable / connector in the autopilot supply will result in power drawn through the nmea and then more fuses are blown. Btw: the editor is acting up on my iPhone, sorry. Edited by Laro88dk - 09 March 2025 at 20:47
	Jes, DK, 370e #326

sgrhma2 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Captain Joined: 20 November 2021 Location: Northern Irelan Status: Offline Points: 271	Post Options Post Reply Quote sgrhma2 Report Post Thanks(1) Quote Reply Posted: 09 March 2025 at 22:31
	That’s an interesting one. The panel in my 370 is different to yours, but in principle should provide the same functionality. There is no, or should be no connectivity between the instrument power and the autopilot. The simnet or NMEA network is powered by a connection at an instrument at one end of an instrument string on a small network or by a mid connector on large networks. It doesn’t power the autopilot. Power to the auto is direct from the switch to the auto computer (AC10/20) which in turn powers the auto head instrument. From your video, because the two switches are adjacent to each other, the first place I’d start looking is behind your switch panel to see if there’s a short or something that has been “amended” at some stage. Hopefully it won’t prove too hard to find as if similar to my boat, the auto computer is directly underneath the switch panel and the power to the network originally started at the steering console. Good luck Simon

Laro88dk Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Lieutenant Joined: 18 July 2023 Location: Denmark Status: Offline Points: 46	Post Options Post Reply Quote Laro88dk Report Post Thanks(1) Quote Reply Posted: 06 May 2025 at 13:43
	The culprit was a “feature” in the new autopilot wiring. Basically the installer decided to feed the NMEA2000 with the autopilot power as well causing power to be fed back into the nmea 2000 wiring - and this lights up the instruments led. Effectively this could case the entire autopilot to be powered through the nmea 2000 wiring (instrument on autopilot off) which could work for a while until it smells burned.
	Jes, DK, 370e #326

Dimitri Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Sub Lieutenant Joined: 26 December 2025 Location: Italia Status: Offline Points: 10	Post Options Post Reply Quote Dimitri Report Post Thanks(1) Quote Reply Posted: 12 January 2026 at 11:54
	Had exactly the same issue with one of our Hanse. Someone double-powered SeaTalkng bus directly from electric panel and indirectly through autopilot computer. I resolved it simply by switching off power provision by autopilot. There's a small switch above SeaTalking connector - look for "SeaTalkng ® power switch" in the manual.

Wairua Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Lieutenant Joined: 07 May 2025 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 27	Post Options Post Reply Quote Wairua Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 16 January 2026 at 13:48
	I recognize the panel (I have the same). Our (my) boat has Simnet installed. The power to the Simnet is arranged in the steering pedestal. The DC power for the instruments is in the same cablerun as the Simnet cable and commes in the pedestal. The DC for the autopilot exits in the stern. Could it be that the autopilot is powered from both networks? The Simnet starts behind this panel. (The cable runs from behind the cabinet to the pedestal) It might also be that they have powered it from the behind the panel?



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