Auto Tab Control - Installation

MikeWood

Member
Jan 19, 2012
114
Seneca Creek, Baltimore
Boat Info
2008 270 Amberjack
Engines
6.2 MPI & Bravo III
Hey Guys,
I'm thinking of making the Auto Tab Control an offseason project this year. I was reading another thread and got a sense it might not be as easy as the directions make it sound. Mostly because SeaRay installs their own harness? So, can someone tell me...will the installation be as "plug and Play" as the installation instructions indicate, or will it take more time/effort to get it done?
Thanks,
Mike
 
You are referring to my thread about replacing the tabs on my 250DA. On my boat there is no connector at the end of the harness on the HPU or on the harness that runs from the console, they are crimped connections. It is very easy to tell if your is the same or not by going back to the HPU on your boat and looking for the connector. My boat is thirteen years older than yours. If I hadn't planned on swapping out the tabs and the HPU I would have cut the connector from the ATC harness and hardwired it which would have added maybe thirty minutes to the installation. Sea Ray followed the Bennett color codes with their harnesses.
 
Thanks Phlorida...I was reading your post, but I didn't want to hijack it! I'll have to check to see what my harnesses/connectors look like the next time I'm at the boat.
 
Mike,

What Phlorida said is on target, if you check the harness at the pump you will be good to go. And of course if you run into any snags, just drop me a line!

Tom
Bennett Marine
 
quick question: Where does people in general hook in the 12v for the relay for the ATC? Wire it up to the main battery switch/control panel? (Sea Ray 240DA 2007) - or just straight onto the battery (easy)?

Since the 12V should only be feeding the pump if switches are engaged - there should not be any leaking current?

/Kasper
 
quick question: Where does people in general hook in the 12v for the relay for the ATC? Wire it up to the main battery switch/control panel? (Sea Ray 240DA 2007) - or just straight onto the battery (easy)?

Since the 12V should only be feeding the pump if switches are engaged - there should not be any leaking current?

/Kasper

The instructions want you to wire to a power source that is switched on with the ignition like the tabs should be. If there's power to the tab "system" it's "on" and only waiting for the tab switches (or the ATC) to tell them to move from the current position. Not sure if there's any power draw when it's "waiting" but there might be.
 
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The instructions want you to wire to a power source that is switched on with the ignition like the tabs should be. If there's power to the tab "system" it's "on" and only waiting for the tab switches (or the ATC) to tell them to move from the current position. Not sure if there's any power draw when it's "waiting" but there might be.

No the instructions about ignition power source is for the control box. Not the relay power source. The relay is there to minimize power loss from cable runs I guess. So you want as big a power source as possible. Fuse is 20 amp!

Okay - i'll plug it in to my power supply and see if it drains anything while not activated.

thanks
 
Kaz,

You are correct it is a relay and only draws power when it's actually operating. So go ahead and mount it the way you were planning.

Tom
Bennett Marine
 
Kaz,

You are correct it is a relay and only draws power when it's actually operating. So go ahead and mount it the way you were planning.

Tom
Bennett Marine

Thanks Tom :) I do find your manuals are a bit? hmm? lacking? I think is the right word. It would be helpful with mounting examples on Merc and Volvo. Or maybe even a Sea Ray "guide"

One the ATC guide I would reverse the installation procedure - so install and get the relay working first. THEN move on to the ATC controller and panel. Then at least you know your tabs works correct with the relay before you install the controller panel. And then in case of problems you don't have multiple things to debug at the same time.
 
For what its worth, the ATC installation on my 97 330 was dead simple and plug and play. The hardest part was drilling the hole to mount the control panel on the helm.

I picked up power from an accessory switch as a temporary source and never changed it. I guess I could tag off another circuit that is tied to ignition, but its not a big issue to remember to turn it on.

Its been great to have and mine and it is the old version. The only beef I have is that the LEDs are hard to see on my helm because the panel is close to horizontal and not square to line of site. I think the newer version has better LED display.
 
Ignition 12v on Mercruiser is Red with purple stripe. And the fuse included does not match Sea Ray installation. So off to find a 1.5Amp blade fuse. :)

And now I do understand why the tabs react so slow and need the relay. The cables are AWG16 - so 12v max 18 amp and about 20' cable run before the pump. That is about a 2.5-2.8 voltage drop. (At 9 AMPs it is 1.44 volt drop)
 
Kaz,

I am forwarding your suggestions to the folks that write the instructions.

Tom
Bennett Marine
 

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