Fix for my Grady White SureShade

[itsaball]

This is my fifth Grady White and my first 2017EXPRESS 370. She is a beauty that I bought last year but have never extended the SunShade except for 1/2 inch bump at the time. Obviously, because it took 30+ minutes to extend the shade, it didn't get used much. Our boat buddies, with a 330 Express had the exact same issue. This week while on an extended trip around the Chesapeake, we had time to study the problem. It turns out the SureShade gets its motor power circuit from a dashboard circuit breaker (switch power is separate). The line of circuit breakers is feed 12v from the left hand end and power is daisy-chained across the panel. A test light showed that the shade was pulling the voltage down halfway across the daisy chain, which at that point the voltage didn't vary. Pulled the loop of wire off of the panel between circuit breaker 4 and 5, cleaned the terminals and we are now 100%. We found the same solution on the 2016 330. Hope this helps someone who has a similar failure. BTW, all of my functions downline from this poor electrical joint started performing much better (especially the sunroof).

 

[seasick]

Nice find and fix.

 

[kirk a]

No offense intended, but that is exactly why I don't want all the bells and whistles on a new boat. Too much ancillary stuff to break and or maintain.

But good on you for digging into the solution and resolving it.

 

[seasick]

I don't know if this is still true but in the early days of the SureShade option ( factory installed), you had to get the motorized model. The manual crank was not an option.
In addition, failure of the motors has been somewhat common. I can see how the low voltage situation could cause motor overheating since at lower voltage the motor would draw more current.
In any case, the cause and fix are good to knwo

 

[Automated14]

I don't know if this is still true but in the early days of the SureShade option ( factory installed), you had to get the motorized model. The manual crank was not an option.
In addition, failure of the motors has been somewhat common. I can see how the low voltage situation could cause motor overheating since at lower voltage the motor would draw more current.
In any case, the cause and fix are good to knwo

I love the bells and whistles as much as the next guy... as in I really go nuts- but I'm planning a boca shade or sureshade for my 330 express and I'll be going with the manual crank version.

 

[itsaball]

My wife and I were accustomed to fishing a lot in our previous Gradys, but with this one, cruising has become more of an interest. When I picked up the boat in North Carolina, I realized on my trip home that the sunshade was not functioning properly. Having a lifetime of electrical knowledge (mostly 480v 3ph), I took every opportunity I could to talk with folks along the route who had knowledge of Grady White Boats to get some insight into my sun shade issue. The first guy I talked to, whom I later learned owned the GW dealership in the area I was in, said to me that it was an electrical problem. After getting home, I talked with GW factory who offered some valuable information and connected me with the SureShade factory. From actuator motors to motor position sensors to the ECU, nothing seemed to be likely to be the culprit. Rembering what that guy on the dock in NC had told me I started watching my battery conditions and never saw any deflection or less than 13.1 volts with the batteries under charge. Finally SunShade sent me a wiring diagram, and knowing my electrical knowledge, told me to run the motors while bypassing the ECU and position sensors. With all my digital meters at home and only a test light, I discovered the problem. I would have though that the power to the actuator motors would have led from one of the many 12v busses on the Express, but, it didn't. I came from the dash panel. Thus my find of a high resistant connection.