The brains behind the brawn, the AC70 is an essential component in your autopilot system. It contains the steering computer and electronics for the drive unit motor and clutch whilst also acting as an interface to other system components.

Key Features

Boats Over 40ft
NMEA0183® Connectivity

Technical Specification

1. Physical & Environmental Specifications

Feature	Specification
Dimensions ( $W \times H \times D$ )	$340 \times 250 \times 100\text{ mm}$ ( $13.38 \times 9.84 \times 3.93\text{ in}$ )
Weight	$2.5\text{ kg}$ ( $5.5\text{ lbs}$ )
Housing Material	Epoxy-coated aluminum enclosure
Mounting	Wall mount / Bulkhead mount
Ingress Protection	IPX2 (For indoor/deckhouse installation)
Operating Temperature	$-25^\circ\text{C}$ to $+55^\circ\text{C}$ ( $-13^\circ\text{F}$ to $+131^\circ\text{F}$ )
Storage Temperature	$-30^\circ\text{C}$ to $+70^\circ\text{C}$ ( $-22^\circ\text{F}$ to $+158^\circ\text{F}$ )
Compass Safe Distance	$0.5\text{ m}$ ( $1.64\text{ ft}$ )

2. Power & Electrical Requirements

Supply Voltage: $12\text{ to }24\text{ VDC}$ ( $10.8\text{ to }31.2\text{ VDC}$ operating range).
Power Consumption: $0.5\text{ A}$ (Internal computer electronics, excluding drive output load).
Main Fuse / Circuit Breaker: Internal $30\text{ A}$ heavy-duty fuse.

3. Steering & Drive Output Capabilities

Solenoid / Directional Valve Drive:
- Output Type: Solid-state relay drivers (ON/OFF solenoid, galvanic isolated).
- Continuous Current: Up to $10\text{ A}$ continuous.
- Peak Current: Up to $30\text{ A}$ (peak rating).
Reversible Motor Drive:
- Drive Current: Up to $10\text{ A}$ continuous / $30\text{ A}$ peak (for hydraulic pump units).
Clutch / Bypass Valve Output:
- Output Voltage: Same as supply voltage ( $12\text{ or }24\text{ VDC}$ ).
- Max Current: Up to $3\text{ A}$ max.

4. Input / Output Signal Interfaces

NMEA 2000 / SimNet: $1\text{x}$ CAN bus Micro-C terminal (for communication with AP70/AP80 controllers, compasses, and sensors).
NMEA 0183 Ports:
- Inputs: $2\text{x}$ NMEA 0183 input ports (opto-isolated, $4800 / 38400\text{ bps}$ ).
- Outputs: $2\text{x}$ NMEA 0183 output ports ( $4800 / 38400\text{ bps}$ ).
Rudder Feedback Unit (RFU) Input:
- Direct interface for frequency-based feedback (RF25N) or heavy-duty resistance/voltage feedback sensors (RF45X, RF14XU, RF70).
Digital Auxiliary Inputs: $4\text{x}$ Isolated digital dry-contact inputs (External NFU lever, Dodge, System Takeover, and Work Profile mode switches).
Alarm / Status Relay Outputs: $2\text{x}$ Solid-state relay output contacts ( $30\text{ VDC} / 0.5\text{ A}$ max for System Failure / BAM integration).