bennett trim tab ATC

topgun1185

topgun1185

New Member
Sep 7, 2007
319
New Jersey
Boat Info
2007 44 Sundancer
Engines
QSC 500
Just finished installing bennett trim tab ATC on my 05' 320. The dificulty was that SR does not use seperate trim tab controlls buttons on the dash, instead they multiplex several controlls into 1 electronic controll pad with several functions beside trim tabs. If there is any intrest I'll list details on my install.
 
TopGun,

Did you contact Bennett? I spoke to them last year and they came up with an additional harness that will make the installation completely plug & play. I have the stuff in a box under my desk. I have yet to install as I decided I was going to add tab position indicators.

Henry
 
I did talk to Bennett several times. More companys should stand behind there product like them. Anyway, basically that what I did, with a 16 gauge 10 wire cable I extended the conections from the HPU mounted on the transom to the dash and back to the HPU. Note just keep your color combination straight. The cable they sold you is proberly the same thing but their cable was too $ so I made my own. All you need is approx 30' of 16/10 wire.
 
Sounds exactly what they did for me. You are right they were absolutely great to work with.

I've got the whole job on my spring commissioning list. I started last year after the boat was in the water and decided to wait for this year so I could do the trim indicators and ATC all in one shot.

Henry
 
I always had trim indicators but chose not too change the trim pistons, too much work, maybe next year. After install and use I'd be intrested in how everthing works.
 
My main goal was to make things easy. From what I read the ATC is great, everyone agrees. My boat is sensative to trim so I am always playing with tabs, so to make it easier on me I installed the ATC. Anyway, basically that what I did, with a 16 gauge 10 wire cable I extended the conections from the HPU mounted on the transom to the dash and back to the HPU. Note just keep your color combination straight. The cable they sold you is proberly the same thing but their cable was too $ so I made my own. All you need is approx 30' of 16/10 wire.
__________________
 
Count me in as interested too.. Any photos??? What kind of $$$ ??

Thanks,

Barry
 
Put the ATC on my boat 2 seasons ago and never looked back.
My boat also is sensitive to wave, wind and people moving around.

Simple straight forward install.
Hardest part is making sure about the drilling through the helm.
Measure twice and look below to make sure you have clearance.

Bennett company is the very best in customer relations.
Stand behind their products and always have top notch techs for questions.

I purchased mine on e-bay brand new in the box with bubble wrap.

Below is link to my pictures.

http://clubsearay.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1693&highlight=Bennett+Auto+Tab+Control
 
It looks like this function isn't that expensive - $150-$200 depending on source. Is it something you can turn on and off - if off can you adjust the tabs manually? Reason I ask is I can sometimes adjust my drive trim to balance out the boat and would try that prior to using the tabs. I can see this as being real handy when underway and the balance of the load is shifting.
 
There may be a down side to the tab control, but I've only seen and played with one in use. It is on a larger boat I help look after in the marina. When the autopilot is set and following waypoints on a route, and a sequential waypoint is roughly 30 degrees or more off the existing course, the boat tends to heel over slightly in the turn to the new course and the ATC tries to re-trim the boat while in the turn. That gives you a cross-controlled situation where the AP tries to tighten the turn because the ATC is trying to level the boat which straightens the turn. It is entirely manageable; it just makes the boat react in a weird sort of unexpected way until you just accept what is going on.

Perhaps there is a way within the Bennett system to force a delay or lag into an AP controlled boat?
 
sfergson727 said:
Henry, I spoke to bennett, and they said they have no harnesses for plug and play. Do you have a part number off the box, so that I may call them on it?

Thanks,
Scott
Click to expand...

Sorry I missed this guys. Scott I replied to your PM. Here is the text of what I sent to Scott:

Scott,

I have attached a copy of the email Mr. Thomas sent me on the cable. (He goes by his last name) Here is the background:

They made the cable for me. It is a data cable with 4 terminal square female plugs on each end. The purpose was to move the attitude sensing device (AT Controller) from the helm area to the engine compartment. This allowed the continued use of the existing trim controls.

edit note: these are a single plug with four female connectors, not four individual plugs...

On the 2002 280, the dash controls work through the EIM / relay/ network control boxes. The dash switchpad is connected to the EIM with 4 wires that network the various switch functions on the pad with the EIM that then controls the devices. Forgive me for explaining this if you already know, but it seems this technology has not been implemented the same across the Sea Ray product line and I don't know whether your boat is configured the same.

The ATC works by sitting between the existing helm control and the trim pump. When activated it sends signals to the pump. On the 280, the EIM that controls the trim is in the engine compartment. The standard ATC design calls for the attitude sensor to be mounted in the helm area and connected to the boat's existing trim control there. But since the actual trim pump control wires are between the Sea Ray EIM and the pump in the engine compartment, the standard Bennett wiring scheme won't work. In my case the solution was to move the attitude sensor (AT Controller) to the engine compartment and make a longer wire to connect the AT Controller and the new ATC switchpad.

I am planning to finally install this spring once the snow is gone, along with trim position indicators. I didn't install it last year because the boat was already in the water by the time I got everything together and it was looking like we weren't going to be doing that much motoring.

Henry

here is a copy of Thomas' email:

Mr. Boyd,

Please take a look in the AC3000 kit you have purchased and I think you
will find a 6' Four Color Wiring Harness that will work quite well the
extension cable to connect to the Sea Ray harness! That 6' Four Color
Wiring Harness (WH3006) is standard in all the AC3000 systems, so you
should have it right at your finger tips. .

Now, we are going to ship you the 30' ATC Helm Keypad Cable (AC325030)
that we talked about, which will allow you to install the ATC Control
Unit back near the Sea Ray relay module. The 30' ATC Helm Keypad Cable
retails for $83.50, but you are going to return to us the 6' ATC Helm
Keypad Cable plus a check for $63.50 to cover the difference between the
two cables. Please wait for our shipment to arrive to you before you
return anything to us, since you will need to include the BLUE PACKING
LIST that comes in our shipment to you back with the parts and the
check. This way our receiving department will know what to do with the
return!

We look forward to your reply.

Regards,


MJ Thomas
Account Manager
Bennett Marine, Inc.
550 Jim Moran Blvd.
Deerfield Beach, FL 33442
Service hours: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Monday - Friday (EST)
Phone: (954) 427-1400
Fax: (954) 480-2897
www.bennetttrimtabs.com

***

Henry
 
Last edited:
I just got my ATC in the mail the other day. Hope to get it installed later this month before the season beings...along with everything else on my spring prep list for the boat. Thanks for the information on the cable, I believe I am going to need a long cable.

Any other problem during anyone's installations? or something you would have done different now that you installed it?
 
So several people said they planned on installing and using this season. Updates? How are do you like the setup? My boat is very sensitive to people moving around while under way, changing conditions, ect. I am considering installing one of these to alleviate the constant trimming I seem to need.

How are they working out?

-Ryan
 
Last edited:
Ryan
Read my post on Page 1.

I have had them on my boat now for 3 seasons.
Being a Bridge Boat even if just an Express Bridge they work GREAT!
I have had them on my past 3 boats and would not have ANY boat without them.

Dan
 
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