Lenco Trim Tab Wiring Question

BigBoatinOkie

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I have purchased Lenco actuators to replace my Bennett actuators. I haven't installed them yet. I have the standard up/down switches that came with the kit, but I was wondering if I could wire the Lencos into my shift lever instead of using the supplies switches.. My shift lever has 4 switches and only two are used for raising and lowering the outdrive. I really don't care to have the trim tabs operate independently, I just want them move together using one up and one down switch. Does that make sense? Would I just wire the up wires from each actuator to the up switch on the shift lever and same for the down wires? I haven't really looked at the wiring in shift lever or the new tabs yet, I just thought I'd do some asking before I get into it. If I could do this, it seems like the trim tab operation would be way simpler since I wouldn't have to take my hand off of the shift lever. Pretty much all I do with the boat is pull skiers, tubers, kneeboarders and it's kinda hard to adjust the throttle and tabs at the same time. A little help please.
 

Home Cookin'

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Re: Lenco Trim Tab Wiring Question

you don't want them to move together; that defeats one important function, trimming the boat laterally (the option is to tell the passenger to scoot her fat butt to starboard a few). It's good to be able to raise one side slightly to deflect spray on a quartering or broad seas.
Put the control pad where you can reach with two fingers while your palm on on the throttle lever (in forward position, of course).
Lenco is known to stand by its products, so if you go riffing your own wiring you may loose your warranty, and trust me, it's important.
 

QC

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Re: Lenco Trim Tab Wiring Question

You can wire them any way you want, but I would NEVER give up the side to side adjustment . . .
 

BigBoatinOkie

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Re: Lenco Trim Tab Wiring Question

you don't want them to move together; that defeats one important function, trimming the boat laterally (the option is to tell the passenger to scoot her fat butt to starboard a few). It's good to be able to raise one side slightly to deflect spray on a quartering or broad seas.
Put the control pad where you can reach with two fingers while your palm on on the throttle lever (in forward position, of course).
Lenco is known to stand by its products, so if you go riffing your own wiring you may loose your warranty, and trust me, it's important.

I'm not certain what quartering or broad seas are, but if they are what I think, it's not an issue here in Oklahoma. Unless of course you are boating during a storm. I guess you're right about correcting for uneven weight on each side, but to be honest I don't guess I've ever had to tell anyone where to sit, they just automatically sit where they are supposed to. :)
 

BigBoatinOkie

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Re: Lenco Trim Tab Wiring Question

I've given this some more thought after reading the comments. I guess if I ever cruised over a very long distance, or if I boated in the sea, or if I boated in rough chop for any length of time, the side to side adjustment would be important to me. However, pretty much all I ever do is go from the ramp to our usual hang out spot about a half mile away and then pull skiers non-stop til lunch, then pull skiers non-stop til dark. On the rare occasion when I do just cruise, I garauntee it'll be on smooth water. I need tabs for hole shot and that's about it. I'm not going to be jacking with side to side adjustment when I'm zig-zaging and driving in circles pulling skiers and tubers. Having the controls convenient while adjusting throttle, watching where I'm going, and watching the skier is more important to me than independent tab actuation. I don't need something else to discract me, I want to do it by feel. I figure if I don't like it, I can always go back to normal switches.
 

seabob4

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Re: Lenco Trim Tab Wiring Question

Okie,
Believe it or not, as nice as tabs are to have, their usage is not as common as you might think. So wire them to the rocker switch, and enjoy the fact that they are there. 90% of your day to day boating, you won't need them...but when you do...
1sm088doubleup.gif
 

BigBoatinOkie

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Re: Lenco Trim Tab Wiring Question

Alright, maybe I can find a place to mount the switches where they are fairly convenient.
 

seabob4

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Re: Lenco Trim Tab Wiring Question

BBO,
A good place to mount them is on the dash where they are fairly close to WOT throttle position, to where you don't have to take your hand off the throttle lever to actuate the tabs. Seeing as you have a single engine boat with a side mount shifter, this can be easier said than done...
 

BigBoatinOkie

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Re: Lenco Trim Tab Wiring Question

And don't get me wrong, I need them, want them, and will use the heck out of them everytime my boat hits the water. I was just hoping I could control them with my thumb. Thanks for the advice.:)

I've heard about a thing called twin trim. I think it integrates both tabs into a single joystick like ailerons/elevators on an airplane. That sounds pretty cool. Probably expensive.
 

Fed

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Re: Lenco Trim Tab Wiring Question

Fixed tabs would probably be good for you.

Edit: Just noticed you already bought a set, sorry.
 

BigBoatinOkie

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Re: Lenco Trim Tab Wiring Question

Yes sir. My boat had hydraulic tabs on it when I bought it. I bought Lenco electric actuators when the hydraulic pump failed.
 

Home Cookin'

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Re: Lenco Trim Tab Wiring Question

If you can't put them in reach of the throttle as I suggested, look where you usually rest your other hand and put the pad there.

Mine were already on the boat and are not near anything. I don't like trying to adjust the tabs with my hand just floating (mostly bouncing) as I am often in choppy water, especially when I need them. I end up using the power trim about as much.
 

seabob4

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Re: Lenco Trim Tab Wiring Question

And don't get me wrong, I need them, want them, and will use the heck out of them everytime my boat hits the water. I was just hoping I could control them with my thumb. Thanks for the advice.:)

I've heard about a thing called twin trim. I think it integrates both tabs into a single joystick like ailerons/elevators on an airplane. That sounds pretty cool. Probably expensive.

Okie,
You can get the joystick control from Bennett, wired the same and does what you want...
 
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