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[Colin Bishop]

The original diagram shows the "at rest" position (rudder central) with both switches in the NC position so that no current flows which is correct. My two sketches show the effects of the tiller arm switching each microswitch to close the NO contact at each side which alows the motor to run one way for one switch and the other way for the other one.

C'mon guys let's have some more input - one of us is barking up the wrong tree. or just barking....

[craftysod]

How about left side top no,bottom nc,right side top nc,bottom no

[Colin Bishop]

Just assume that the wiring is initially as in the original diagram. Rudder amidships, no current flows. As soon as the tiller arm hits one of the microswitches it opens the currently closed contact and closes the other one allowing current to flow. Excuse messy diagram.

[OMK]

"As soon as the tiller arm hits one of the microswitches it opens the currently closed contact and closes the other one..."

But if the tiller opens the currently closed contact, that means the circuit would be broken, which surely means no power would reach to the motor.
Does this sketch help any?..........



<edit>
1st sketch shows "N.O" twice on the L/H switch.
Apologies -- it should as shown in the lower sketch........

[Colin Bishop]

With your lower diagram the motor will be running all the time surely?

[catengineman]

sounds interesting.  although i do not follow   the problem i thought arrised here was because the on/off switch on the tranny can only set the servo to 2 positions.  with this servo operated switch surely that would mean if you harnessed it with 2 functions, there would always have to  be one function on.


Agree on that and my "multi switched unit worked as thus!  the rest and operated position of the servo is workable

 in position 1     Port motor esc controlled by Port stick then on other switch was stern winch esc controlled by L/R of Port stick
 in position 2     Bow thrust controlled by Port esc   then Forward Winch controlled by stern winch esc. and a link to both main motors would also switch.

The way I did it was in my mind logical in that when towing from the stern I would NOT require the bow thrust so that esc could be switched so I had independent use of the twin screws.
If I switched over the Port esc would give me prop control of the BT and along with that the other switches in the same action would link out both drive motors to one esc and give me control of the forward winch instead of the stern (cant tow at the same time from both)
I had one servo operating 4 switches at the same time the last switch in the unit changed light patterns on the mast.
It looked a right heath robbinson affair but it did work, I progressed to having a multi channel tranny now and have done away with the old system long ago. but it was just an experiment and it did work.
I will try to draw out and even remake the servo plate and switch position if you want to have a better look at what I managed to do with limited channels


R,

[OMK]

With your lower diagram the motor will be running all the time surely?

<Gulp!>

Oh, b****x!... I just realised!!
Yes, it will be running all the time. I mean, that was the whole point, wasn't it? Garabaldy wanted a motor he could reverse with the rudder, right?
Wrong.
I've just re-read his post.
Bummer - I got totally wrong.
Apology time.

So that's me eating dog poop for the rest of the week.

Ah well, someone out there might be grateful for the sketches, at least.

[FullLeatherJacket]

I've been watching...........
The slickest solution is to use a P94 for both thrusters in Mode 2.
A cheapo solution - which doesn't even involve m*cr*sw*tch*s - might look like this:

Suit yourself.
FLJ

[Colin Bishop]

I've cancelled my appointment with the psychiatrist PMK. 

FLJ, you are a cruel, cruel man....

Colin

[tigertiger]

Hi Dave

How easy would it be to get it to switch so both thrusters are thrusting port or both starboard, in addition to your fine solution above.

[catengineman]

I was about to ask the same question

 

R,

[FullLeatherJacket]

If you want both thrusters to work in the same direction every time i.e. both squirt left when Port command is given - as opposed to Bow = Stbd and Stern = Port - then just reverse the two wires to one of the thrusters. If you wish to select between traverse (Spin) and slew (Sideways) modes while you're actually sailing, then check out this link:

http://www.action-electronics.co.uk/pdfs/P94.pdf 

Section on Mode 2 (Page 3) and Fig 8 (Page 7) refer. Wombat has this set-up in his Gry Maritha. He is such  a clever boy........... 

The cheap alternative to this  is to put a DPDT switch arrangement in the power feed to one of the thrusters (to reverse the polarity on command) and operate it using a spare ON/OFF channel, but as this would probably involve a s*rv* and m*cr*sw*tch*s I'll hear no more of it!

FLJ