Day 140, 4/27, Rudder position sensor, Deck priming - final sanding and second priming, 10 hours

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 Rudder position sensor

Sensor is installed mainly to prevent autopilot mechanism to drive over hard stops.

Decided to mount the sensor mechanism to rudder top  bearing cross member (102x40 steel "C" channel).

Sensor itself was selected from aliexpress.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806235144088.html

For $11 you get 190R position sensor. For this money you have surprisingly well  designed sensor, Sensor made the way the sliding contact is contacting to silver stripes rather resistive material. This sensor must work much longer than just simple potentiometer. However signal will have smaller resolution. This sensor has ~60-80 steps, so accuracy is better than 2 degrees per step. I think it is good enough if i can get better reliability. I added 3-rd wire to make it voltage output sensor, not very hard to do on it.

Sensor

Bracket I designed to clip on the steel cross member. Ribs on side are to put zip ties to hold it on place.

I printed this part on 3d printer, screw  sensor over and snap to cross-member.

Custom made sensor arm. big hole 32mm diameter to be mounted on rudder stock.


 Connection between arm and sensor I did from 3mm diameter SS pod.

Assembled and tested on the boat.

 Final pictures will be after I finish whole installation.

Deck

Sanded "last moment patches"  and surfaced (wet sanded) all surfaces to prepare for 2-nd layer of primer. Primed everything but cockpit.

No pictures, visually almost the same appearance as after first priming ;-)

 


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