Eltim trim tabs

[Canopy Locked]

I suspect I know the answer and it's probably going to be expensive

Noticed the other day that my trim tab indication was not reading correct - port showed fully down with stbd up.

Pressing the button to bring the stbd down and port up, the indication on the stbd was correct but the post side showed fully down.

Is this likely to be an electrical prob.. or shoud I shake the moths out of my wallet!

Thanks
rob

 

[halcyon]

Check for a wiring fault, wire number 3, 4 or 5.

Probably wire 4 ( pos ) or 5 ( neg ), you have lost a pos or neg feed. if wire 3 is 12 volt you have lost neg, if it is 0 volt you have lost pos feed.

Brian

 

[Elessar]

And I presume it is the indication that's wrong and the tabs are doing the right thing?

If not (and the wiring has been checked as already suggested) the buttons are prone to failing, but they are replaceable if you're handy with a soldering iron.

Doesn't sound too expensive either way!

 

[stuartwineberg]

Hi Rob

Have eltrims on my Hardy - a bit of thread creep but don't forget to check the rubber gaiters on the rams are OK. If they go brittle and crack you get water in the mechanism - end of rams.

 

[Canopy Locked]

An update on my post

Just thought I'd update re trim tab probs - thanks for the replies, they proved helpful.

Once the boat was craned out I removed the rubber gaitors from the trim tabs. the Port gaitor (the one showing the problem) had water in it and a good deal of rust on the shaft indicating water in the mechanism.

tested the tabs and they both moved up and down as required. Thought I'd have a look inside - managed to break off the nut on the cable hole :-(

Decided to buy 1 new motor for the post side and replacement rubber for the stbd.

Removed old motor and having discovered it is a seal unit opened it up with a hack saw. Sure enough salt water had got in, while the gear mechanism was not corroded, some of the components on the lower parts of the circuit board were badly corroded.

Fitted the new motor, switched on an everything worked fine including helm indicators, thus indicating that the electrical problem was at the motor end.

The Moral of this story - have ammended my maintenance schedule to replace the rubber gaitors every 2 years maximum, if they don't look too good after a year, then £20 is much better than £220!

Mind you I've now got a spare electric motor with a ram drying out by the Rayburn.... just need to find an intersting use to put it to.

Thanks again for the replies and I hope my experiences prevents anyone else ignoring changing their rubber bellows!

 

[halcyon]

The Moral of this story - have ammended my maintenance schedule to replace the rubber gaitors every 2 years maximum, if they don't look too good after a year, then £20 is much better than £220!

It has always been a Sealine recommended service item to change every 2 years, something that has been forgotten over the years.

Brian