How to open the engine hatch with the batteries disconnected

luvinlife

Buy one of these for $60 from Amazon.  

Grahamu

@LaRea, I must be missing something. If you connect a 12 volt battery's positive to post 2 and negative to post 1 current will flow from post 2 to the trigger for relay 2 closing the contacts. Current is then allowed to flow through the diode thru relay 2 contacts to the motor and then thru the diode to post 1 raising the hatch. I think that was the way it was designed to operate. I can't test it on my boat as everything has been disconnected in the engine compartment.

LaRea

You are correct.  With all boat batteries disconnected, a jump box on the override studs can raise the hatch (if both diodes are working, unlike my boat).  What the studs can't do is lower the hatch.  The diodes won't allow current flow in that direction.  

LaRea

And again, many boats do not have this arrangement with solenoids and diodes.  My 342 did not have it, and I could raise/lower the hatch from the studs. 

Grahamu

I should have spent a little more time thinking this through. I now see the problem with the negative return on lowering the hatch.

Ian

Exactly what we’ve been tryIng to determine - is there a way around it. Still in background @LaRea just too much end of year focus at the moment.

Grahamu

@LaRea, on your 346 where you could raise and lower the hatch did the posts become live when operating normally from the helm switch. My posts have insulated covers and the door is closed so unlikely to cause problems for the few seconds the normal operation takes. I know ABYC would not approve of connecting the studs directly to the motor but it's a simple fix.

LaRea

Yes sir, direct connection.  Here's the schematic (although I never verified it).  When pressing the helm switch, there would would be +/ 12VDC at the studs.  

Grahamu

I'm hoping mine is as the 2004 version. Happy Holidays everyone.

NickCruz

Hi everyone, I'm new to Rinker forum. I've talked to a few of you on my problems with my boat.  As I worked on boat I hooked a come along on the rail on top of the back seat, and other end hooked on swim platform. With batteries disconnected I just ratchet open and close with lift disconnected.

Liberty44140

Glad that worked Nick but I’d be worried about breaking that hand rail on your back seat. There are people on here who have used those rails as cleats for dock lines and ripped them out of the fiberglass. I would consider you lucky so far and find another way next time. 

YYZRC

@larea did you find a source for new diodes? My hatch will only go one way. All relays are new. Blaming the diode - possible?

LaRea

@YYZRCIt definitely could be a diode not passing enough current to move the motor.

There are two different diodes -- same size and shape, but opposite polarity.  Replace both of them.  I hope you can still read the markings on your originals to make sure which is which.  

https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/vishay-general-semiconductor-diodes-division/VS-1N1183/80442

https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/vishay-general-semiconductor-diodes-division/VS-1N1183R/81258

YYZRC

Thanks @LaRea ! I ordered but after reading your thread and thinking more about it, I am going to bypass all the BS and add a DPDT switch at the hatch and be done with it all. The new actuator I added only pulls 6 amps. 

Formulaben

YYZRC said:

Thanks @LaRea ! I ordered but after reading your thread and thinking more about it, I am going to bypass all the BS and add a DPDT switch at the hatch and be done with it all. The new actuator I added only pulls 6 amps. 

It's funny you say this, as my hatch started acting up and I think I have a failed switch. I ordered what I thought was a correct replacement, but it didn't have the correct number of poles, so while pondering that, I thought it was weird that the switch is at the helm when I should be near the hatch, so I'll probably end up doing the same. 

YYZRC

The 390 has a switch panel on the port side refreshment area. I am moving the engine hatch switch there. 

YYZRC

Diodes arrived from Mouser. I wired up a DPDT hatch switch in the meantime. 

Formulaben

Hey @LaRea, @YYZRC and anyone else, can you guys enlighten me why your model has diodes in the circuits?  My FV270 doesn't have that?  And I'm trying to understand why it's necessary...I'm obviously missing something here. 

LaRea

@Formulaben Right -- the solenoid/diode circuit was used only on larger boats.  When the engine hatch is small and light enough, the actuator doesn't draw much current.  It can be switched directly without solenoides.  

Formulaben

Thanks @LaRea! I was thinking it had to be a differen setup for the larger boats, but wasn't 100% sure...especially since I had 2 of those same diodes connected to the bilge pump C/Bs that I removed due to completely changing the electrical system, so I was starting to question my memory!

rasbury

I have a 270 and if i pull out the battery selector, in the wiring I see several of these..i also have tge two posts next to the battery selector...with my jump box I can raise and lower if the batteries are dead. FYI,when I replaced my little jump back of many years, I mentioned on here the plug in harness/clamps had something inline that they would not work. I had hung on to the old which worked in the new.