Bennett Trim Tabs

[Al Andalus]

I am hoping someone has had this same problem with their Bennett trim tabs and can help. I have an electronic switch at the helm with indicator lights either side of the two rocker switches that show the position of the trim tabs.

Whilst lowering the tabs all the lights went out at the control switch and tabs stopped working. I have looked for an inline fuse just after the switches but all I have is one blue cable going from the switch and disappearing behind the sides of the paneling on the hull.

The boat is a Sea Ray 395 (International) or 360 DA. I suspect this is an electrical issue and possibly a fuse has blown but have no idea where to look for the fuses or breakers.

Your help would be greatly appreciated.

Al

 

[endless seas]

Contact Bennett.

 

[Lazy Daze]

Depending on what year boat you're talking about, the fuses (probably actually "breakers" in your case) could be in the bilge or under the helm. If you look through your manual (download, if needed, from SR's site) it will give you the location.

 

[Al Andalus]

Thanks Endless Seas. I had contacted Bennett and according to Bennett I should have three wires from the control switch, Orange, Blue and Purple. I have one single thick cable, Blue, running from a connector which is plugged directly into the switch. According to all the info from Bennett there should be an inline fuse which is what I had been expecting to see but there is none. I therefore was wondering if anyone knew where this single thick blue cable may run to as I would imagine there must be some sort of breaker or fuse in line somewhere as Lazy Daze says. I have looked in my owners manual but its not really a great deal of help concerning location of trim fuses or breakers. I shall have another look over the boat at the weekend and perhaps I can see where this cable goes.

 

[Lazy Daze]

The manual should definitely show (or at least they usually do) where the breakers are. What year boat do you have? When I get some time, I'll take a look, as well. But they aren't too hard to find. If you have an access panel under the helm, open that and look there. In the bilge, they are usually found mounted on an electronics board - typically the forward bilge wall or sometimes the port/starboard hull side. They are never behind the engines.

 

[alnav]

When I went about modifying my tab setup to add the Bennett auto-controller, I found that Sea Ray had run its own cable from the helm to the stern, probably for manufacturing efficiency. I imagine that might be true across models. If you can locate your trim tab pump, which should be somewhere on the aft transom, you should see the Sea Ray cable spliced in to the Bennett harness and at least be able to see which color wires cross over. There may be a fuse in the Bennet harness but I'm not sure of that without looking at mine.

 

[Al Andalus]

Thank you to all that have posted and replied. You have been really helpful. The Sundancer is a 2002 year. I have managed to find a few more bits on the internet concerning the wiring and apparently there should be a blue wire harness which I can see that is connected to the EIC display control switch. There should also be another two more thinner wires and these for some reason are not there. Not sure if these have somehow been pulled off or fallen off. (can't understand how) but shall have another look and keep you updated.

Again thanks all for your help so far. Fingers crossed for the weekend.

Al

 

[Tabman]

Here is a link to the installation instructions http://www.bennetttrimtabs.com/wp-c...EIC5000-Installation-Sheet-8.5x11-for-Web.pdf

There should indeed, be a thin orange and purple where from each keypad.

By the way there is a Bennett specific forum here http://clubsearay.com/forumdisplay.php/65-Bennett-Trim-Tabs-Vendor-Forum and if you post there you will get my instant attention!

Tom McGow
Bennett Marine

 

[Al Andalus]

Thanks to everyone who has replied to my trim tab problem. I have finally managed to get it sorted out. Luckily boat has been in the yard for the past few months having work done on it so no real hurry but my mechanic eventually came down and had a look for me as I had drawn a blank.

I had been looking for a fuse that should have been in a clam type holder in one of the two wires coming from my tab switch on the helm.

My mechanic eventually found the fuse for the tabs located behind the access door under the helm. There is a set of breakers on the hatch door and there is a fuse board in front of those with about 10 fuses protecting different electrical items however the trim tab fuse had not been labeled. It was also not clear from the routing of the two cables where they went to once they disappeared deep into the helm so I could not trace them back to the board.

Any way, fuse changed and all sorted now and tabs working.