Power steering

These pics show our steering set up, would this be hydraulic steering and works of one of the engines ? Also what does the grey cylinder do which has what looks like a multi wire cord coming from it but attached to nothing, thanks for your help.

The first picture appears to be your steering ram which actually moves the rudders. The second picture shows your autopilot motor which pumps oil one way or the other as directed by the autopilot to move the rudders. You almost surely do not have "power" steering - the engine(s) have nothing to do with it. I don't know what the grey cylinder is.

Ken

I think the grey cylinder is some kind of redundant rudder position widget as the shaft that turns the rudders moves through it and the wire that comes from it has the colors of wire that normally sends data to a controller, we have a rudder position sender and solenoid.

I would guess the rudder position indicator is in the 3rd photo with the small s/s rod is hooked to the rudder tiller. The gray cylinder is an unknown to me also. Any more photos of it and maybe the whole area in one photo so we can see the relationship better?

Power steering is ideal.
Except perhaps for reliability.

Nomad Willy said:

Power steering is ideal.
Except perhaps for reliability.

Click to expand...

The wheel is easy to turn in both nav stations so happy that not powered.

REAL Power steering usually requires a belt to operate a pump.

The wheel then is simply a valve , (not a hyd pump) and could easily be a door knob instead of a ships wheel.

We have that system and find advantages.
The loads are so small the belt is changed on time (8years) not wear.

The autopilot fires 1/2a DC solenoids to steer , rather than a 40a DC pump , so I expect it to have fewer problems.

The hyd pump is large enough to operate a hyd windlass , so on overload no white rebuild me smoke comes out , it just stops pulling.

The hyd pump and oil tank are in the ER , so by leaving a couple of inches of water in the bilge the windlass system is cooled , no hassles.