trim tab issues. 2005 sea ray 280 sundancer

OK, who is IRDaleBracey? And what is his/her relationship to the original poster? We are discussing a specific problem and a newcomer jumping in with another trim tab issue is not productive, or helpful.

The theory on "hard press required" on the switchpad misses the point, regardless of posting source. The switchpads are membrane switches. There is no hard or soft touch, it is all the same. Pressing down hard is only going to risk breaking the switch or a fingernail. That being the case if one button does not work you have significant problems ahead. The issue is a failed switchpad, or EIM. Either, or both both are high dollar (even by boat standards) repairs.
 
Where did he say the button is hard to press? So with that theory he should be able to get the tab working properly by hot wiring like the video shows.
He left that part out. Sorry.
To my knowledge, you can't hotwire the pad buttons on the serial 4-wire dash pads, right? I get that you can hotwire on the non EIM systems though.
They send a multiplex signal to the EIM which then the EIM sends the signal to the power wires on the pump.
 
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OK, who is IRDaleBracey? And what is his/her relationship to the original poster? We are discussing a specific problem and a newcomer jumping in with another trim tab issue is not productive, or helpful.

The theory on "hard press required" on the switchpad misses the point, regardless of posting source. The switchpads are membrane switches. There is no hard or soft touch, it is all the same. Pressing down hard is only going to risk breaking the switch or a fingernail. That being the case if one button does not work you have significant problems ahead. The issue is a failed switchpad, or EIM. Either, or both both are high dollar (even by boat standards) repairs.
@Henry Boyd I am helping him with his issue locally. I am a friend of his that is doing the work. He mentioned me in a previous comment to assist with explaining the steps we took so far. We are both newcomers working together on the same boat. Thank you for all the assistance and advice.
 
OK, who is IRDaleBracey? And what is his/her relationship to the original poster? We are discussing a specific problem and a newcomer jumping in with another trim tab issue is not productive, or helpful.

The theory on "hard press required" on the switchpad misses the point, regardless of posting source. The switchpads are membrane switches. There is no hard or soft touch, it is all the same. Pressing down hard is only going to risk breaking the switch or a fingernail. That being the case if one button does not work you have significant problems ahead. The issue is a failed switchpad, or EIM. Either, or both both are high dollar (even by boat standards) repairs.
Agreed on the membrane button issue and hard pressing. That's what I was pointing out and what leads me to believe a failed pad membrane button. Would it make sense to lean more toward button pad than EIM, since EIM is still working with other signals? Granted EIM firmware could be faulted on that block as well. Sucks.
Sorry for all the confusion.
 
He left that part out. Sorry.
You can't hotwire the pad buttons on the serial 4-wire dash pads. They send a multiplex signal to the EIM which then the EIM sends the signal to the power wires on the pump.
I say hot wire it like the video. If all is well, back track the wiring. Like Henry mentioned, the pad and EIM are very expensive, might be more cost effective to just add a couple of rocker switches to the helm and bypass the EIM.
 
Like Henry mentioned, the pad and EIM are very expensive, might be more cost effective to just add a couple of rocker switches to the helm and bypass the EIM.
Now, that I could do easy enough behind the EIM; if anything, temporarily until a new pad/EIM could be afforded.
And, yeaaaa $$$$$ was the first thing we noticed causing sadness.
 
OK, who is IRDaleBracey? And what is his/her relationship to the original poster? We are discussing a specific problem and a newcomer jumping in with another trim tab issue is not productive, or helpful.

The theory on "hard press required" on the switchpad misses the point, regardless of posting source. The switchpads are membrane switches. There is no hard or soft touch, it is all the same. Pressing down hard is only going to risk breaking the switch or a fingernail. That being the case if one button does not work you have significant problems ahead. The issue is a failed switchpad, or EIM. Either, or both both are high dollar (even by boat standards) repairs.

He is my friend who is helping me get the boat running. He's way more technical than me.. I'm doing good to sputter sentence fragments from time to time! HA!

Regarding the "hard press".. the Port trim tab buttons aka buttons on the starboard side.. didn't seem to work at all.

BUT>.. on the bottom button, if you pressed it really hard near the bottom of the button, not the sweet spot, it worked every time.. The top button,, nothing.
 
I say hot wire it like the video. If all is well, back track the wiring. Like Henry mentioned, the pad and EIM are very expensive, might be more cost effective to just add a couple of rocker switches to the helm and bypass the EIM.

i think all he needs is the Bennett switch module and wire harness back to the trim pump four wire plug. It would be the least expensive option if it turns out to be a switch pad EIM problem.
 

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