Trim Tabs problem

Mathv25

Hi everyone, I just bought a Rinker 280 2007 and one of my trim tabs stopped working. The left one works well but the right one is jammed down and this it not the best for driving haha ... Anybody could help me with that ? Thanks,

diggin2day1

If they're the Lenco electric tabs- check for 12v at the wires where they pass through the transom(while pressing switch).  To test to see if it's a bad actuator you can apply 12v to the two wires leading to the actuator, then reverse the polarity to see if actuator moves in opposite direction. I recently had the same problem... Mine turned out to be the control box. Went to West Marine and bought new switches and control box($200) and replaced. Control box was in the dashboard behind switch panel of my FV270. 

raybo3

@Mathv25 remember when troubleshooting that the left switch controls the right tab and the right switch controls the left tab...... 

Mathv25

Ok thank you both ! I will let you know 

NRath

raybo3 said:

@Mathv25 remember when troubleshooting that the left switch controls the right tab and the right switch controls the left tab...... 

I don't have Lenco's but have to ask why are they reversed?  If the day comes that I install them, I'd certainly expect to wire it in such that the left operated the left and vice-versa.  You control each tab independently, right?  Boating newbie here...  if it wasn't obvious!  lol.

raybo3

I will try to explain.... A trim tab lifts the back corner of the boat, if you lift the back left (port) corner of a boat the front (S/B) will go down. So if you push the right switch for bow down the left tab goes down to raise the left back so the right front goes down....... Holy smokes I think I confused myself.....LOL but that is how it works. So if you wire your boat so the left switch controls the left tab your will work backwards than everyone else. 

diggin2day1

NRath- This is how I was explained how to use the trim tab switches(which is exactly what Ray is saying). If you imagine that your trim tab switches were laying flat like your boat... If you push on the top/right of the two switches, that will "push down" the top(front)/right of your boat.... And so on

raybo3

This is a good illustration. Now look at the boat and picture you lifting the boat where the red arrow is at the stern. The front of the boat where the green arrow  (near the pulpit) is will go down and vice versa on the other side. The whole purpose of this is..... The left bow of the boat is up to high the left switch that says "bow down" will lower the right tab witch raises the back of the right side causing the left front to go down........

NRath

Thanks for taking the time to explain it.  Seeing the pic (and others comments) points out that the reference is what the bow of the boat is doing, instead of the tabs themselves.  I can see a set of Lenco's in my future, I feel like it will take some getting used to- that's just backwards in my head!

raybo3

@NRath you wont even know the difference. If you press the bow down on the left side the bow will go down on the left side (its just that the right tab is doing it...lol)

J3ff

raybo3 said:

@Mathv25 remember when troubleshooting that the left switch controls the right tab and the right switch controls the left tab...... 

Doh, I just took apart the wrong one and banged on it with a hammer.. *$#@ 

craigswardmtb

The Lenox actuators are known to fail. After a while they simply let water past the seal and it's pretty much fried at that point. One of mine went last season. 11 seasons so I guess that's a reasonable life.