Kevin,

My boat’s actual trim works fine, but even so, the trim gauge always reads up.

I tested the wires from the sender under the motor all the way to the dash with a meter and found that the resistance varies. So, I took the gauge out to buy another. Before I spend the dough, is there some way to bench test the gauge?

Thanks.

Tony

A trim gauge is basically an ohm meter, so a bench test is possible.

• Connect your battery positive (+) to the positive post on the gauge.
• Connect your battery ground (-) to the the negative post on the gauge.
• Momentarily connect a wire from the battery – to the sender post on the gauge.

No wire connected will make the gauge move completely in one direction and a ground wire connected to the sender post will make the gauge move completely in the other direction.

Let me know if you have more boat wiring questions,

Kevin

Dear Kevin,

I am currently beginning my first boat wiring project, a total rewire of a small Owens cruiser from the late ’60s.

Here’s my problem:

The old wiring runs behind the original paneling and headliner. I could try dismantling everything to remove and replace the wires, but am concerned about damaging any of the woodwork. It’s old. It’s gorgeous. It would be a bitch to replace.

I don’t mind leaving the old wiring in place and just running a new harness, but that still leaves the problem of installing the new wires without causing any damage.

Any ideas?

RP

Dear Ron,

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Kevin.

Hi Kevin,

My name is Thomas.

I just picked up a set of Lenco trim tabs and the directions say to connect the retractor wire (orange) to the engine tach signal. On my boat that’s the negative side of the ignition coil.

Is this what they mean? Or does it go somewhere else?

Thanks in advance.
Thomas

Hi Thomas,

If you want to use the retractor function of your Lenco tabs, you will need to connect the orange wire to the negative side of your coil.

I believe that the retractor function of the Lenco tabs will work by simple connecting the orange wire to your switched ignition wire, but this might explain why Lenco doesn’t seem to publish this anymore.

Great question,

Kevin

Kevin,

Thank you for all your help. I found that info.

By the by, following the suggestion on your web site, I got a boat wiring harness and a marine electrical panel from EzAcDc. It all works perfectly!

The EzAcDc boat wiring was easy to install and modify to my particular needs. I set it up independant of the ignition so the panel is live so long as at least one of the batteries is switched on.

However I am thinking that I want another automatic bilge pump, my third, unfused & wired direct – bypassing the main switch so it will pump any time and unattended while I’m ashore goofing off.

Any thoughts on that?

Thanks again for this awesome resorce!

Thomas

Thomas,

You will want to have circuit protection for your third pump. All new bilge pumps have their fuse size stamped on them.

To wire this new pump correctly, install your fuse/breaker as close as possible to the battery. You will have two wires leaving your fuse. One goes directly to your auto float switch and the other to your manual bilge pump switch. The wires leaving your float switch and your manual switch are connected together (usually near the bilge pump) to provide two different ways to turn on the pump. Attach your bilge pump ground to your battery negative or a ground buss.

Happy boating,

Kevin

Hi again,

Sadly your trim tab link didn’t work. Pitty, as I like to know all I can about any given thing.

So conecting to the tach wont disrupt the tach reading? Is one way better than the other?

Thanks,

Thomas

Sorry about that.

Do a Google search for “Lenco Bennet Lawsuit” and check out the articles on the Boating Industry site.

As for the trim tab installation, connecting the retractor wire to the coil will not disrupt the tach reading.

Have a great day,

Kevin

Kevin,

Please help. I have tried so many things and still cannot get it to work. Here goes.

Bought a boat a few months ago and the fuel gauge reads full.

• I replaced the sending unit and gauge with a matching set. Still full.
• Replaced the wiring, still full.
• Wired separately from the battery on a dual battery system. Here is how I wired it. The hot off the battery to a toggle switch then to the ‘I’ terminal on the gauge. Ground from the same battery to the ground terminal on the sending unit and also the ‘G’ terminal on the gauge. Also a new separate wire from the ‘S’ terminal on the gauge to the center terminal on the sending unit. Still reads full.
• I then bonded the ground wire to the motor. Still reads full.

I removed the sending unit and only 1/4 tank fuel. I put a meter across the center terminal of the sending unit to the ground side of the sending unit and I am getting constant continuity as I moved the float arm up and down.

What am I doing wrong or not doing at all? Is the new sending unit bad possibly???

I tried calling the boat manufacturer and they wont even talk to me as the boat is too old and their service manuals don’t go back that far. It is a 1993 Rinker 260 Fiesta Vee with a 5.7 liter Mercruiser that was replaced in 2005.

Supposedly, the fuel gauge and trim tabs quit working after the motor was replaced. Also, the lower unit trim quit working.

I checked power at the relays as a friend moved the trim switch and I had 12 volts there with the wire disconnected, but as soon as I touched it to the relay the voltage went to zero.

So, I completely rewired it directly off the battery also and it now works fine. It has blown a 30 amp fuse one time though. This is all I have done with the electrical on the boat.

Got any ideas what is going on? I would like to get my fuel gauge working.

Regards,

Scott

Scott,

Fuel Sender

It sounds like your replacement fuel sender is the problem. Full should be about 33 ohms and empty around 250.

Power Trim

Poor connections on a power trim system will give the voltmeter reading that you have described. There is 12 volts available at a very low current (enough to make your meter happy) but not enough when you have the high draw of your trim pump.

Hope this helps,

Kevin