HYdraulic pump stall

[boaterjoe]

While underway in our R29 (2016) with garmin Autohelm a warning came on "hydraulic pump stall". I can still steer with the wheel but no autohelm. anyone with experience in this? Hydraulic fluid low? pump failure/replacement? any suggestions would be most welcome.
thanks

 

[Osprey]

I found the following by searching "Garmin autopilot stall":

Garmin Support Center
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Error "Hydraulic Pump Stall" on a GHP Hydraulic Autopilot System
There may be a few reasons the Hydraulic Pump Stall error message appears on the GHP Hydraulic Autopilots.

This error message typically indicates that the rudder has reached the hydraulic stop, which is common, especially in low-speed operation. Consider raising the acceleration limiter or increasing the boat speed during autopilot operation if this message is displayed excessively.

Another cause of this error message is the autopilot pump's proximity to the master steering cylinder. If the hydraulic hoses that connect the pump to the master steering cylinder are too long, the pump may not be able to push the steering cylinder. Move the pump closer to the cylinder. A recommended distance is approximately 10 feet.

The GHC (Helm Controller) must first be put into Dealer Mode to access the acceleration limiter settings.



Dealer Mode
Acceleration Limiter

 

[YukonRon]

We also have the 2016 R29s and have had the same warning. It happened when we were in some rough weather and the autopilot was working hard to keep up against the quartering waves. I went to manual steering and checked the hydraulic fluid later and found it was low. We had a slow leak in the system. All was good as long as I kept it topped up until I could fix the leak.
Remove the black plastc cap on the main helm steering column and check that the fluid is high enough to cover the gears inside. Add some slowly with a tiny funnel bit-by-bit until it is about 1/4 inch below level with the hole. The cap is vented, overfilling will make a mess; better to add a bit, close it up, work the system, and check again later.
The pump is a recirculating system with a vented cap, so small amouts of air will work itself out. If you get a major airlock, it could need bleeding, which is a whole other procedure. If you were able to steer ok manually and continue on your way then it is probably fine.

 

[Ralf H]

Hi there,

As Osprey mentioned from Garmin's write up, this error is usually when the steering pump hits the stops, most likely due to the boat being at a very low speed where it is not able to make steerageway, and the autopilot is not able to keep the boat on course. Increasing the vessel speed to where it once again reaches steerageway will usually correct the issue. Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Ralf