bennett trim tab problems

[used2sail]

I've been having trouble with my trim tabs on my '06 Sailfish. I lost all function a couple weeks ago while out on a trip, when we got back to the dock i found the 20 A fuse blown. Next weekend when we got back to the boat i replaced the fuse and it blew as soon as i tested it. I didnt have a meter with me so i bought a replacement HPU (V351) at the marina parts counter and put it in. When i went to test it i had everything working except the starboard tab would not retract. If you keyed the engines off the tab auto retract function ran and the tabs would retract .I ordered a replacement switchfor the helm (ES2000) Once i got home i tested the solenoids and found the starboarb tab at .3 ohms essentially shorted to ground while the port tab solenoid was 8 ohms to grouor. I installed the replacement switch this past friday and started blowing the fuse right away, The port tab worked fine but the starboard solenoid smoked again, this time it failed open; i measured 540 ohms. I ordered a repalcement stbd. solenoid and ran the weekend with out the tabs. I called Bennett yesterday and the tech i spoke with suggested changing the relay; i am researching the relay and i am wondering if i have a relay. Bennetts web sit says the relay is for boats with long wire runs, i doubt my run is longer than 20 feet and the distance from the helm switch tot he pump is about 7-8 feet in a straight line.

does anyone know whether Grady used a relay on the 06 sailfish? If they did use one can anyone let me know where they have hidden it? I didn't see one while working on my tabs, but i had no idea that there was a relay so i wasn't looking for one at the time. any other input or suggestions on what i might look at to solve my problem??

 

[grady23]

Are you hitting BOTH switches ate the same time?? If so, That's a big NO-NO. Contact Bennett and the can send you a wiring diagram . I learned the hard way that its one switch at a time Do you have the owners manual for your boat?

 

[Beyond A Wake]

Call them up, they are very helpful and the tech team is now in Atlanta area after Yamaha bought the company.
Great group is my experience.

 

[used2sail]

I got the tabs working correctly last Friday. I had called bennett and the tech i spoke with suggested changing the relay. I had not seen a relay so I ordered a new relay and followed the cables from the switch to the pump and i had no relay in my system so I'll have to return the relay. While tracing the wires i moved the cable inside every cable tie and looked for chafing/bare spots and found nothing. I checked resistance between each conductor and resistance to ground and found nothing, i checked for voltage drop from the switch to the pump end connector and found no voltage drop. I swapped out the bad solenoid and everything started working correctly. I have no idea what changed but it behaved itself all weekend. I'm thinking it got lonely and wanted someone to climb down into the bilge with it for a while and visit, I'll be sure to stop by more often and say hi and hopefully i'll have better luck.

 

[seasick]

Are you hitting BOTH switches ate the same time?? If so, That's a big NO-NO. Contact Bennett and the can send you a wiring diagram . I learned the hard way that its one switch at a time Do you have the owners manual for your boat?

I am still working on this in my head.
I often press both both switches and never have blown a fuse. For example, if prior to docking I want to make sure my tabs are up on myotherboat (no indicators), I press both Bow UP switches.

 

[wspitler]

Pressing both switches is fine! That is exactly what occurs when the tabs auto retract.

 

[grady23]

Pressing both up and down switches on the "Old" setup blows the fuse. At least that what happened on my '97 Gulfstream.
That would be one up and the other down. Has something to do with the pump wiring.

 

[seasick]

I can't remember but wonder if there is a relay at the pump in addition to the solenoid and motor wires. I can sort of understand how the fuse would blow when two opposite switches are pressed if the reversal of power to the pump is done at the dash and not at the pump. It is possible as mentioned that the system was wired incorrectly. Note that if my guess is correct the fuse will blow INSTANTLY

 

[used2sail]

On my boat its wired such that pressing one of the switches energizes one of the solenoids to open the valve permitting fluid flow and operates the pump in either the fluid out to the tab piston or fluid back to the reservoir direction. If i was to hit both buttons simultaneously; one to raise a tab and one to lower a tab i would be opening both valves while also asking the pump to operate in both directions at the same time. I can see how this would blow a fuse.

 

[DennisG01]

while also asking the pump to operate in both directions at the same time. I can see how this would blow a fuse.

This. The pump can only run in one direction at a time. If you ask it to do both it will it complain and yell at you for being abusive (popping the fuse).

I believe there is an inline "thing" that Bennet sells (or used to anyways) that senses an abusive owner and prevents any input at all from going to the pump in this situation. Most manufacturers don't use it when they build the boat, though.

Glad you got it working - seems the solenoid was the issue?