Bennett auto trim tabs. - Maxum Boat Owners Club

seapuppy · 09-08-2008, 09:15 PM

well..I got the brilliant idea to equip my boat with the bennett auto trim tabs....now theoritically it sounds good doesn't it???...install this new fancy little dealy that trims the boat out automatically at the push of a button...
well..I got the pwr head installed...central processor installed....I find that one harness is too short..so...I get wire to lengthen the harness....good to go..plug everything in and it should work...wrong.... :roll:

I find my tabs go down but won't come up....no matter what I do...they just won't come up...so...gotta call bennett...which has great customer service...he tells me it's either low voltage or the switch or the pump itself...I confirm I'm getting 13 vdc thru the switch...I also confirm that I'm getting pwr to the harness ....I put the entire harness back to original configuration which is from the switch to the pump.....take the relay out of the loop and I still can't get the tabs up....so....it has to be the pump....
called our local bayliner/maxum support repair ctr...which I'm good friends with the service/parts guy...he informs me that there is a distinct possibility that Olympic boats will be going completely out of business within the month....now...this place has been an icon for I don't know how many yrs here .....they sell the most boats and service all of them....
I'm absolutely stunned.!!.....this is not going to be a good week if the news on the economy and the boat shops go out of business here...

SP

seapuppy · 09-10-2008, 04:29 AM

well...after talking to the bennett people....which by the way are great customer support...they were ready to send me out a new pump if necessary...suggested I look at a few places before I call them back...what I found was the connector to the pump had a pin that worked it's way out....thus it wouldn't pwr the pump..
I found that if I cleaned it all up and reset the pin into the connector..it worked.....but the relay isn't working...so I'll contact bennett tomorrow and ask what it could be and if they'd send out a new relay.....hopefully it will work...I did re connect the harness to the shipside wiring and the tabs went up and down...the computer is working..and the trim tab buttons are still working....it isn't an easy instl.....but it's definitely worth it...

SP

Mad Max · 09-16-2008, 04:09 PM

Olympic Boats in Spokane and Tri-Cities closed down for good last week. Same here, our biggest dealer in the area and my favorite people to work with.

Hopefully you get your tab woes worked out. That is my next b.o.a.t. expense.

seapuppy · 09-16-2008, 04:55 PM

I think I got them resolved...haven't had a chance to test it...almost became a searay owner till the bank laughed me out of the office.....shoulda known I'm not worth 174k...... :shock:

Brit Rider · 09-16-2008, 11:45 PM

Olympic boats already went bust didn't it? Aren't they in administration?

Great to hear Bennetts are being good to you but shame this got through QC to begin with.... At least they are working hard tt fix it though, that's always good to hear.

Maxumus2400 · 09-22-2008, 08:01 PM

I heard that Issaquah has already closed and the Everett Olympic may be closing their doors tomorrow...

Sad day for Nortwest Maxum owners.

I heard from a service manager that the idea was that they would re-open in the future under new ownership but no dates or names yet.

Anybody know of alternate service locations in the mean time?

seapuppy · 09-22-2008, 08:18 PM

well..if your in the everett area...the service ctr at 425-347-6000 is still doing service....then there is mike at everett marine llc....he's at 425-257-1128
also bayside marine...I haven't had anything done by them but I understand they do pretty good work....

SP

Fly Boy · 09-23-2008, 06:56 PM

WHAT!? Olympic boats here in Spokane went under?? :shock: Well, thank God for Skipper Bills I guess. Any other suggestions for the area, I am debating on having the carb rebuilt this winter.

bmax · 03-04-2009, 04:21 PM

seapuppy

Did you ever get your auto tabs working and did you get a chance to try them out? I'm considering the same set up but would like to hear from someone that has used them.

bmax

seapuppy · 03-04-2009, 10:17 PM

Bmax
yep...got them all wired up and they work fine....it was a bear to install cuz the instructions were a bit lacking...and one harness was entirely too short...but I added some wire ...called bennett to let them know that the harness was too short.....they thanked me and said they'd make the change...
if you have bennett trim tabs...and have a 28 ft boat....I recommend them totally...

it's kinda nice..as I'm idling out of the no wake zone..I hit the program buttons...sets the boat level....and then hit the throttle....as the bow comes up..you can see the tabs go down..then as the bow falls...they retract to allow the boat to settle...and then they automatically adjust to level the boat....all in a few seconds....

Sp

bmax · 03-04-2009, 10:54 PM

sp

On a long sweeping corner do they want to level the boat out? Can you turn them off at any time and just use the manual controls?

Thanks bmax

seapuppy · 03-04-2009, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmax

sp

On a long sweeping corner do they want to level the boat out?NO...there is a couple of accelerometers in the computer controller that senses turns...the boat handles normally...ok..let me rephrase that...on a long sweeping turn..the boat will remain level..on a tight power turn where the boat is leaning at say 15 degs or more..they do not react..... .... Can you turn them off at any time and just use the manual controls?yes..all you have to do is hit a trim button and the computer senses you want to go manual...to turn it back on...you have to hit the pwr button again...or select the off button and it becomes manual........

Thanks bmax

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Stressleave · 03-05-2009, 12:01 AM

Hey SP

Glad to hear you got it worked out.

Do the tabs go all the way off when on plane or do they stay down a little?
I mean for bow rise not side to side leveling.

Paul

seapuppy · 03-05-2009, 12:07 AM

they will drop all the way down until the bow drops..then retract to keep the bow level...they adjust for level trim after that....

Sp

BayBoy · 03-23-2009, 04:04 PM

I installed on my 3200SCR last year and they work great. Had the same problem with the relay and I also wound up replacing the pump as the valves were leaking and the causing the pump to work overtime trying to keep up with the controller commands. Bennett has an exchange program for the pump which is much cheaper than buying one outright. I agree, the instructions need some work. It also took me forever to find the 20 amp fuse to the trim pump so I could swap out with the 3 amp. Finnaly found it next to my battery switches.