Autopilot activates by itself

[Raydash]

In my JABIRU J230, the auto pilot comes on without my doing anything.
It will come on while taxing, flying level, on final, etc. I suspect that it is somewhere in the control wheel steering which is a button on the control stick.
How can I verify this or just determine the cause?

[TrutrakTech]

You are correct, this is most likely the cause. The only real way to verify this is to disconnect the CWS circuit completely at the back of the autopilot controller. It's pin #3 (assuming you have a Digiflight II G). Once you get that circuit open, see if the problem goes away. Let me know what you find. Thanks!

[Raydash]

Lucas,

The autopilot in the J230 is up high on the panel and is difficult to get at.
I noticed that the wire from the control stick exits at the bottom an appears to enter into the gyro area. If that is true than I can more easily disconnect the switch there.

Also, if I have to have a technician disconnect the switch at pin 3 etc then I might as well have him install a new Control Switch. Can I order a switch from you?

Ray Dash

[TrutrakTech]

You can disconnect the switch wherever is easiest. That will at least remove the switch from the equation. Just make sure you secure the wire against grounding to the airframe or anything else as that will cause the same problem.

We do not supply or sell the switches. You can probably get one from Aircraft Spruce. Let me know what you find out. Thanks!

[Raydash]

Lucas,

I disconnected one wire at the control switch and wrapped black tape around the wire end. When the weather gets better I'll be able to test the change.

Question: Why allow the control wheel switch to, besides turning the autopilot off, to turn it own. Is there anyway to disconnect the turning on function? And, what logic in the autopilot recognizes holding ground for two seconds that turns the autopilot on?

Ray Dash

[TrutrakTech]

Lucas,

I disconnected one wire at the control switch and wrapped black tape around the wire end. When the weather gets better I'll be able to test the change.

Question: Why allow the control wheel switch to, besides turning the autopilot off, to turn it own. Is there anyway to disconnect the turning on function? And, what logic in the autopilot recognizes holding ground for two seconds that turns the autopilot on?

Ray Dash

It makes a convenient reengage feature without having to reach up to the panel and reengage. But it requires a purposeful holding of the button to reengage. Thanks!

[Raydash]

The autopilot has not self activated since I disconnected the wire at the Control Wheel Switch. This, I believe points to the switch causing the problem. Also, disconnecting the wire at the switch eliminates a short in the wire as a possible cause.

Interesting to note that the autopilot works only on HEADING with the wire disconnected from the CWS. That is, NAV no longer works with the wire disconnected.

I have contacted JABIRU USA and requested a new switch.

Ray Dash

[TrutrakTech]

Ray Dash,

Is that Track mode that only works now? Does the AP show HDG or TRK in the top left of the display? If it's showing HDG, check to make sure your GPS is grounded.

[Raydash]

Lucas,

It shows TRK when I reconnected the two wires to the CWS switch.
Interesting...no more self activation after I reconnected the wires.
I now believe that the problem was in the poor method of the original wire connection and it may have been that the wires were shorting at the switch.
The wires were somewhat twisted at the switch and not neatly connected.
I cleaned up the wires,etc and reconnecting them the way it should have been done.

[TrutrakTech]

Lucas,

It shows TRK when I reconnected the two wires to the CWS switch.
Interesting...no more self activation after I reconnected the wires.
I now believe that the problem was in the poor method of the original wire connection and it may have been that the wires were shorting at the switch.
The wires were somewhat twisted at the switch and not neatly connected.
I cleaned up the wires,etc and reconnecting them the way it should have been done.

It sounds as though the GPS may have been grounded at the CWS switch. You probably corrected the problem by doing some rewiring there. Let me know if you need anything more. Thanks!