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D180, AP74 Auto Pilot Settings

bobg56

Well Known Member
Hey guys, I'd like to know what settings that some of you found to be the best for your pitch and roll...I have the Dynon AP74 system with the latest firmware which includes gain adjustments. I have the torque set at 100% and sensitivity at 10 (default). I have a Garmin 495 GPS. The last cross country I flew, when I engaged it to NAV I rolled to the left passing thru the needed course. I re tried it a few more times, same thing, so I used TRACK and it held properly.Heading works well too. After about 20 minutes I tried NAV again and it locked on with no further issues. This same thing happened on my way back home. I will say that in the past before when I would engage NAV it would roll left, then I would disconnect NAV and re try and it would hold without needing 20 minutes. I'm considering sending the roll servo to Dynon to have it checked out. They swapped out my pitch servo with a factory reman. when I had trouble last time and it was fixed, but I'd like to know what settings you all have that work well for your pitch and roll, maybe that would work before sending servo to Dynon....thanks, Bob
 
Search the threads. About 5 years ago somebody posted their settings, and I found them to be a great starting point.
 
Bob,

I unexpectedly find myself in the same boat as you! My D180 was repaired by Dynon with the note that my settings were recovered ?- we?ll sort of. Looks like I have to go through most of the avionics setup all over again. In the course of digging through the install manual I found the pretty detailed setup procedures for the AP. Just check your Manual (available online at the Dynon website).

Rich
 
Hey Rich, I also used the Van's set up pages but there's more stuff to add and modify...I'm trying to save time with the autopilot settings, that can take a lot of trial and error flights to tweek...so far I have found my pitch sensitivity is best at 5 above that the twitching is seen looking at the nose of the aircraft...working on gain adjustments to finalize pitch adjustments....there is not as many things you can adjust for roll. When I select NAV she rolls left, if I re select NAV later it locks on...may have to send SERVO to Dynon since this happened even before updates but was less common....I also get nuisance alarms like my SPAR PINS, I changed out the prox switches with the kit from Vans using micro switches and every now and then get the alarm on the D180 even when the PIN light is green...I was getting high FUEL PRES. alarms, changed out the VDO senser about 20 hrs ago and now it's acting up again...lots of nuisance issues with these glass cockpits.
 
AP74 oscillating heading Dynon D180

Hi,
I have a similar setup with the D180 , AP74 . Having intermittent issues with the roll overshooting the heading target.
Some days it works, some days it struggles. If you let it go while its in its funk, it will sit and oscillate about the target heading.

I have seen the issue on Heading Bug mode as well as NAV mode, I have not tried track yet. Thanks for for the info will try that next.

I tried to mess with the roll AP settings but because its intermittent its hard to see what is working.

If anyone has luck with sending the servo or the Magnetometer back to Dynon would be helpful.
 
I sent the pitch servo to them because it was oscillating quite a bit, they found issues with it and gave me a factory reman. and only charged me their standard $175...I may have to send them the roll servo, we will see...I also updated my Garmin 495 and had to go into it's settings and reset the NEMA out to Aviation/NEMA /VHF Out so my AP74 could sync with it....My Firmware is now at 5.6 instead of 5.5, if you send in something to Dynon it will be the latest 5.6, so be careful because Vans locked it to 5.5... I had to send in my D180 so that all of equipment was at the same version, I didn't know that before.
 
Bob,

There was also a supplement Dynon put out on how to adjust the servo gain if the sensitivity can?t get the desired effect. It was on a yellow sheet separate from the install manual. If you don?t have it send me your email address on a PM and I?ll send you a copy.

With the thread on shear pins breaking I wonder how far I can dial down the torque value and still get acceptable AP performance.

Rich
 
The new pins should handle 100% torque...I was at 100% with the old pins with no problem, but I did put an allen wrench on my pitch servo to see if it was loose and broke it with applying min. leverage, ridiculously easy to break.
 
I finished tuning my AP today. I left he pitch torque at 45% and roll at 30%. That minimized any slippage and hopefully will preserve my shear screws until I get around to replacing them.
 
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