Opacmare passerelle wont go up / down

[nw04jen]

Piston doesnt move at all - we have rigged her up with ropes to cleats etc to hold her - I will take photos of base and inside transom but cannot see a pin / lock anywhere which I find a little surprising when underway one would have thought they would need to be 'secured' by more than just the ram / hydraulics

 

[Portofino]

Long shot ....the hinges have corroded super fast ?The pivot point @ the transom .
Next step remove the offending ram .
Is there oil spurting out of the up hose when disconnected from the ram and up command given ? Be careful ....eye protection etc .

 

[nw04jen]

Nothing obvious to me although never had a passerelle

 

[vas]

Piston doesnt move at all - we have rigged her up with ropes to cleats etc to hold her - I will take photos of base and inside transom but cannot see a pin / lock anywhere which I find a little surprising when underway one would have thought they would need to be 'secured' by more than just the ram / hydraulics

to my knowledge, there's NOTHING securing a passarelle under way, ram and hydraulic oil is enough. Mine is 2.7m fully extended, just sits there no matter.

twitching of pipes implying oil is "trying" to get there with no movement at all probably means stuck ram as already suggested.
are there two pipes going to the main lifting ram or just one? Looks like 2.
If so, I'd carefully undo the one that would lower the passarelle if oil was driven to it (so the top one), get the end of the hose in a suitable container 1lt oil would do fe, and momentarily hit the down button.
If oil comes out of the pipe, you know solenoid for down is good and operates, bolt it back in place.
do the same with the lower hose (more carefully as if there's a problem with the solenoid it could come down spilling oil everywhere...

just some thoughts

V.

 

[nw04jen]

Thanks. Bizarrely both hoses go in the top of the ram. But will try your theory before opening ram cylinder.

 

[starfire]

Nothing obvious to me although never had a passerelle

Ist photo is a check/lock valve.

I suspect that is the culprit.

If you are lucky & get the part number off it, a hydraulics place should be able to get it for you.
If not, it's opacmare prices.

If you release both the hoses to the ram a couple of turns, eye protection & rags to catch the oil.

You should be able to move the passerelle up & down, use something to take the weight.

If it moves, it's that valve.

 

[penfold]

Thanks. Bizarrely both hoses go in the top of the ram. But will try your theory before opening ram cylinder.

It may rely on gravity for lowering; try leaning or pushing on it while the lower button is pressed? Depending on the arrangement when fully up there may not be much force to overcome the stiction in the ram, especially if it's sat unused for a long time. The ram in the pic seems fully extended.

 

[nw04jen]

Thanks Penfold - we tried that - couldnt budge it - going to try and release hoses slightly a suggested and if moves replace block valve - if doesnt move will take ram apart and check to see if seized

 

[penfold]

Tape some polythene/binbags over any teak and lay down plenty of rags and newspaper, the oil will get everywhere.

 

[vas]

experience says, no matter what you do, oil will get everywhere so stopped bothering and occasionally have oily teak under the ram...
Unless OP finds which hose goes to the main ram and undo it on the pump side, then it's relatively mess safe.
if not, go and do the same in the check/lock valve.

 

[nw04jen]

I can easily trace the main ram hoses back to the pump - is it better to remove the hoses in the engine room than on the ram for cleanliness reasons?

 

[penfold]

Possibly, although you don't have any choice about the blocking valve if it's the culprit.

 

[nw04jen]

No agreed - blocking valve in engine room so bucket and wet / dry hoover will avoid any mess to teak deck - whilst maybe expensive would be a relatively simple fix if its that

 

[nw04jen]

Quick update - released up / down hoses in engine room from block valve - gangway lowers manually and raised when up hose reconnected but wouldnt lower when hose reconnected - so assumption is the block valve the guilty party so new one ordered. Will update if its a solution to anyone interested or with same issue at any stage

 

[jrudge]

the last time I bought the valve they were the thick end of £500 and on long order time !

 

[penfold]

Worth seeing if the old one can be fettled then.

 

[nw04jen]

Got it for €194 + all taxes and shipping and will attempt to repair old one as well with hp hydraulics

 

[nw04jen]

Update / solution - the new valve never materialised - chandler didnt actually have it in stock - however, in interim, sent block valve to HP Hydraulics - 24 hours later they sent it back to me, having removed a tiny piece of grit blocking a 0.8mm hole in the, (I think Lee said) the resistor valve. Re-fitted and works perfectly - £24 - postage both ways. HP hydraulics were unbelievably helpful if anyone needs hydraulic solutions - cant praise them enough. Going to try and fit hydraulic solution to radar arch next and will hopefully be able to put some more business their way.

 

[Andrew M]

That's great to hear, well done finding that solution, It's great when you can sort something like that, I had similar with one of the onboard Sanisplit units, the electric motor packed up ,a replacement was a ridiculous amount of money so I stripped it down and found and sent it to a motor rebuild/rewinding company called Robson and Francis in London, £75 later and lovely newly rebuilt armature came back, was refitted and works perfectly.

Well done with that passerelle repair.

 

[Hurricane]

Great result - well done.