Garmin Autopilot on GW 257 Advance

[Glgardnerjr]

I’m running a 2008 GW 257 Advance with Twin Yamaha F150’s. All Garmin electronics. 942xs with GMR 18 HD+ & EchoMap 94sv.

What’s the most economical way to add a Garmin Auto Pilot?

 

[SkunkBoat]

I just installed Garmin Reactor 40 with Smart Pump ...ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT......

The EchoMap will control a Garmin autopilot thru NMEA 2k so you can save by not buying the GHC20. You don't need the Shadow Drive. See my posts about Autopilot and Seastar Hydraulic fittings.
You can save a lot by putting your own fittings on some hoses and not buying 6 new hoses.

You might get away with a Compact Reactor that has a smaller pump and is way less expensive.

Field replaceable fittings for SeaStar 5/16ID hose

AutoPilot upgrade from manual hydraulic

 

[Glgardnerjr]

Skunkboat, Thanks, super helpful. Did you do the install yourself, and was it difficult?

 

[Glgardnerjr]

Skunkboat, just went through your thread, obviously you did it yourself. On a scale of 1-10 looks like a difficulty level of 7???

 

[SkunkBoat]

Skunkboat, just went through your thread, obviously you did it yourself. On a scale of 1-10 looks like a difficulty level of 7???

The difficulty is in not knowing when you start what you learned by doing it. Otherwise, its just some wrenches, wires and purging fluid.

Pay attention to the hoses that pass thru the bulkhead to the motors. Mine needed to be passed without a fitting on the hose. So I had to cut 2 brand new pre-made hoses.
Read carefully my explanation about saving on hoses by using replaceable fittings and some existing tubing.

Garmin recommends installing ball valves so you can remove the pump without losing fluid. Seems defeatist to me....
That will cost you by needing more fittings.
Garmin has many videos for install that will help but they leave things out. They don't even tell you the size/type of the fittings

 

[ocnslr]

Pay attention to the hoses that pass thru the bulkhead to the motors.

Garmin recommends installing ball valves so you can remove the pump without losing fluid. Seems defeatist to me....

Why did you need to take hydraulic hoses to the engines, unless you didn’t have hydraulic steering to start?

Having done a good number of these installations, plus replacements and servicing, I strongly endorse those three little high-pressure ball valves for pump isolation. Without them the boat is rendered inoperable is the A/P pump needs to be removed, and you will likely drain almost the entire system.

JMHO

 

[SkunkBoat]

Why did you need to take hydraulic hoses to the engines, unless you didn’t have hydraulic steering to start?

Having done a good number of these installations, plus replacements and servicing, I strongly endorse those three little high-pressure ball valves for pump isolation. Without them the boat is rendered inoperable is the A/P pump needs to be removed, and you will likely drain almost the entire system.

JMHO

You have the luxury of having done it a few times...

Before I learned about the Parker field replaceable fittings, I bought new sets of pre-made hoses from helm to tees, tees to motors, tees to pump. You are correct, if I cut the original hoses and put new fittings on, I would only need the new short ones to the pump from the Tees and a compensation hose, and a short one for the Shadow Drive.

I calculated later that the best scenario is buying 1 set of pre-made hoses the full length helm to motor and 6 of Parker part# 2TFMS-6-5b fittings. Then use the old hoses to make a compensation line and three 2ft hoses--- for pump to tees and the Shadow Drive to helm. I found that 2 ft pre-made hoses cost almost as much as 14 ft hoses so buying the long ones lets you use the old ones for the short hoses...you save on fittings because they already have some crimped on...

as for the valves....I decided that since the Garmin Smart Pump has screws to shut the flow of fluid to it at the inputs, if it had an internal leak I could isolate it. Then at the dock I could disconnect the short hoses at the pump and cap them with 3/8 compression fitting/caps before losing much fluid.

It would be nice if Garmin gave out part#s/brands/sizes of those valves..and all other fittings....If I had not wasted some money on too many Seastar brand fittings and hoses I might have done the valves...If I wasn't left guessing which ones to use.. If you have a particular valve you've done well with, please share the brand and part# and your source.

 

[SkunkBoat]

Oh and I assumed those thru-bulkhead fittings had a removable clamshell insert so you could pass a fitting thru...NOPE!

 

[ocnslr]

Hello SkunkBoat. Sorry you had so much difficulty. Although I have encountered a number of different configurations, our 2002 Islander and two other GWs I installed on had copper tubing from the helm to just inside the transom, then hoses to the steering cylinder. These simply required cutting the copper tubing and inserting a "T", plus the addition of a new fitting in the center hole of the helm. Alternatively, the T's can be fitted directly to the back of the helm and the original two hoses simply reconnected.

This kit from Seastar has all the parts needed to make the changes above, and the 25-ft of tubing allows plenty to make the three new hoses to the A/P pump. Seastar HF5501 Fitting Kit O/B Application. This kit is for ORB fittings: SeaStar HF6007 ORB Fitting Kit.

Ball valves with a 1000-psi rating can be found from many sources, and the configuration depends on what hose fittings you are using. Here is one example: HP Ball Valve. And here is another: More Valves

None of the installations I've done used the Garmin pumps with shut-offs built in. But those still do not allow for pump removal unless you have a ready means to cap the hoses.

Best wishes on your A/P. One of the best additions that can be made.

 

[Halfhitch]

What works better than valves on the hose to pump connections are Parker quick -couplers. Parker makes them in bronze. These are on my pump now. The male end goes on the hoses so when you uncouple them it seals the flow and disconnects the lines in one quick motion.

 

[SkunkBoat]

[QUOTE="ocnslr, post: 170028, member: 34"

This kit from Seastar has all the parts needed to make the changes above, and the 25-ft of tubing allows plenty to make the three new hoses to the A/P pump. Seastar HF5501 Fitting Kit O/B Application. This kit is for ORB fittings: SeaStar HF6007 ORB Fitting Kit.
[/QUOTE]

Nope, these kits will not work for a Seastar 1.7 helm with Seastar 1000 psi hoses. The fittings are 3/8 compression and the tubing is 3/8 nylon. The tees in those kits are for connection to the helm 1/4 NPT (or ORB) and to 2 nylon hoses or copper tubing with 3/8 compression fittings. Garmin and Seastar specify (for 1000 psi / high HP outboard(s) ) to NOT tee off the helm but to break into the lines nearer to the cylinders as possible. That means you need tees with 3/8 fittings all around.The 25 ft of 3/8 nylon tubing is only good for the compensation line.

 

[SkunkBoat]

What works better than valves on the hose to pump connections are Parker quick -couplers. Parker makes them in bronze. These are on my pump now. The male end goes on the hoses so when you uncouple them it seals the flow and disconnects the lines in one quick motion.

Good to know.
So..as best as I can determine.....those are Double shut-off ...Parker BH2-60 for the coupler (Female end) and BH2-61 for the nipple (Male end) (1/4-18 NPTF threads )
I will share this in my Fitting post. (we seem to have hijacked this thread...)