I once owned an electric toothbrush that used a push-pull shaft. After several replacements under warranty and a final failure past the warranty, I cut the thing apart. I found a simple o-ring seal that was subject to constantly changing pressures due to the constantly changing internal air volume as the shaft moved in and out. Failure was simply a matter of time, since it would eventually wear the o-ring until it sucked water into the electric parts. A hydraulic design makes up the missing volume with fluid, and the electric parts are located well away from the water. Unable to find a hydraulic toothbrush, I presently use one that has a rotating shaft and therefore un-changing internal air volume. For trim-tabs, I use hydraulic.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
LectroTab Trim Tabs
- Thread starter RamSport47
- Start date
quote:
Originally posted by Sandy
quote:
Originally posted by Tabman II
Kenny,
My name is Josh and I work in the Client Services Department at Bennett Marine.
Regarding the issues you are having with your hydraulic power unit, have you taken a look at our Troubleshooting Guide (http://bennetttrimtabs.com/pdf/trobIcon/trimtab_troubleshooting.pdf)? Please give this a try and get back to us with your findings by e-mailing us at inforb2rb2rb2@gr5tgr5tgr5tbennetttrimtabs.com.
After we determine what the issue is, we would be more than happy to work with you by providing some hydraulic tubing and fittings (less shipping costs) in order to relocate your hydraulic power unit to a more suitable location. Please conduct the tests and get back to us as soon as you can.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Regards,
Josh Berg
Account Manager - Bennett Trim Tabs
550 Jim Moran Boulevard
Deerfield Beach, FL 33442
E-Mail: jbergrb2rb2rb2@gr5tgr5tgr5tbennetttrimtabs.com
Phone: (954)-427-1400
[Josh - Just a heads-up: The email addresses in your post display as garbled because BoaterEd has automatic anti-email-mining procedure that adds the extra alphanumerics whenever the apetail "at" symbol is detected. Just typing the word at instead will eliminate that garble. ]
Josh is no longer with Bennett. If you need help you can e-mail me directly at Tabmanhelp"at"gmail.com
Tom McGow
Bennett Marine
This topic being "Lectrotab" trim tabs... I'd like to make note that the patented features of LECTROTAB's actuators include: O-ring placement such that no part of the ram that is exposed to the seawater is ever drawn into the housing of the motor/ball screw. The other patented feature includes a one-way valve such that upon testing at the factory, air is drawn into the cylinder housing to positively pressurize it - just one more guard against taking in water. Lectrotab's failure rate for actuators is less than 1 percent.... which is why they offer a lifetime warranty. You will find their customer service second to none. Additionally, their stainless tabs are designed without any tack welds for the hinge, but instead a rolled tab and hinge that needs only a pin to keep the assembly together. Lectrotab's aluminum alloy tabs feature a patented "live" poly hinge - very unique and useful.
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2004
- RO Number
- 14793
- Messages
- 230
I replaced the tabs on my current boat from Bennet to Lecrotab. I had to increase the size of my tabs due to putting a heavier dinghy on the swim platform.
I called Bennett to see what I needed, and they were (uncharacteristically) unhelpful. My first few responses from them were that what I was asking was impossible, I can't increase the size of my tabs. I called Carver who directed me to Lecrotab.
Lecrotab got the size of tabs I wanted, made some calculations and told me exactly what I needed right on the phone. He was extremely professional and I ordered the parts on the spot. They arrived the next day.
Both on this boat and my last one, I was plagued by hydraulic leaks. Bennett was good about sending me replacement seals and help but I never got it totally working. When I saw a leak on the inside of the new boat and had to put bigger tabs on, moving to an electric was an easy choice.
I like the fact that the Lecratab unit autoretracts the tabs when you turn off the engine and there is a trim indicator on the control unit. These are not extra purchases.
The wiring is also much easier - they have a colour coded diagram for using existing Bennett wiring, but if you were wiring fresh, it would be a way easier job.
PS. Bennett did finally get back to me, days later, with some $12000 tab option. My lecratabs cost me around $1400 and they do the job I wanted.
I called Bennett to see what I needed, and they were (uncharacteristically) unhelpful. My first few responses from them were that what I was asking was impossible, I can't increase the size of my tabs. I called Carver who directed me to Lecrotab.
Lecrotab got the size of tabs I wanted, made some calculations and told me exactly what I needed right on the phone. He was extremely professional and I ordered the parts on the spot. They arrived the next day.
Both on this boat and my last one, I was plagued by hydraulic leaks. Bennett was good about sending me replacement seals and help but I never got it totally working. When I saw a leak on the inside of the new boat and had to put bigger tabs on, moving to an electric was an easy choice.
I like the fact that the Lecratab unit autoretracts the tabs when you turn off the engine and there is a trim indicator on the control unit. These are not extra purchases.
The wiring is also much easier - they have a colour coded diagram for using existing Bennett wiring, but if you were wiring fresh, it would be a way easier job.
PS. Bennett did finally get back to me, days later, with some $12000 tab option. My lecratabs cost me around $1400 and they do the job I wanted.
I am sorry to hear about your unsatisfactory experience with Bennett Marine. Last week I forwarded your post to the entire Client Service team at Bennett and we discussed what happened and what we could have done better.
Fitting larger Trim tabs on your Carver certainly sounds like a good idea with the added weight of the dinghy. Since the 466 has propeller tunnels there is no room to increase the span (side to side measurement) and you wished to increase the chord (fore to aft measurement). I believe you ultimately had a fabricator extend the existing Trim Tabs to 18”.
With our Classic series of Trim Tabs we do not recommend increasing the span beyond 12” due to the increased leverage and resulting strain on the actuators, particularly when the boat backs down and water pressure is applied to the top of the Trim Tabs. If the boat has a solid swim platform it can “trap” the water pressure when backing down and increase the strain on the Trim Tabs and actuators.
For these reasons we could not recommend increasing the chord on your Trim Tabs.
Out SST and BXT Trim Tab systems utilize all stainless steel actuators and heavy gauge Trim Plans for applications that require longer chords. But as you correctly point out they are expensive.
I am not sure if we suggested looking into installing a second set of smaller Trim planes in the inboard side of the propeller tunnels. If we did not, we should have. Adding a second set of Trim Planes and teeing them into the hydraulic lines for the existing Trim Tabs on each side has worked very well and is relatively easy and inexpensive to do. In fact, many boats with propeller tunnels have two Trim Tabs per side installed at the factory. Coupled with 3” Drop Fins on all of the Trim Tabs this would give much more lift aft without the risk of damaging the Trim Tabs due to the longer chord.
But I do not know if there is enough room on the 466’s transom to add the inboard Trim Tabs and would have needed some measurements. Additionally, I have seen some 466s fitted with stern thrusters that may be in the way of adding inboard Trim Tabs.
We try as hard as we can to supply the best possible products and service and sometimes we cannot recommend a particular system that may not suit a particular application.
I do need to point out that (just like Bennett) the LectroTab indicator control with the retraction feature does cost more than their “standard” rocker switch.
Tom McGow
Bennett Marine
Fitting larger Trim tabs on your Carver certainly sounds like a good idea with the added weight of the dinghy. Since the 466 has propeller tunnels there is no room to increase the span (side to side measurement) and you wished to increase the chord (fore to aft measurement). I believe you ultimately had a fabricator extend the existing Trim Tabs to 18”.
With our Classic series of Trim Tabs we do not recommend increasing the span beyond 12” due to the increased leverage and resulting strain on the actuators, particularly when the boat backs down and water pressure is applied to the top of the Trim Tabs. If the boat has a solid swim platform it can “trap” the water pressure when backing down and increase the strain on the Trim Tabs and actuators.
For these reasons we could not recommend increasing the chord on your Trim Tabs.
Out SST and BXT Trim Tab systems utilize all stainless steel actuators and heavy gauge Trim Plans for applications that require longer chords. But as you correctly point out they are expensive.
I am not sure if we suggested looking into installing a second set of smaller Trim planes in the inboard side of the propeller tunnels. If we did not, we should have. Adding a second set of Trim Planes and teeing them into the hydraulic lines for the existing Trim Tabs on each side has worked very well and is relatively easy and inexpensive to do. In fact, many boats with propeller tunnels have two Trim Tabs per side installed at the factory. Coupled with 3” Drop Fins on all of the Trim Tabs this would give much more lift aft without the risk of damaging the Trim Tabs due to the longer chord.
But I do not know if there is enough room on the 466’s transom to add the inboard Trim Tabs and would have needed some measurements. Additionally, I have seen some 466s fitted with stern thrusters that may be in the way of adding inboard Trim Tabs.
We try as hard as we can to supply the best possible products and service and sometimes we cannot recommend a particular system that may not suit a particular application.
I do need to point out that (just like Bennett) the LectroTab indicator control with the retraction feature does cost more than their “standard” rocker switch.
Tom McGow
Bennett Marine
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2004
- RO Number
- 14793
- Messages
- 230
Thanks Tom.
Nobody suggested another set of tabs, but I do have a stern thruster that could get in the way of that.
My surprise with Bennett wasn't the cost of the solution, it was that this more expensive solution wasn't even mentioned for 2 days, after I'd already ordered the Lectratab units and was having them installed. Had I had both products to compare, I may have made another decision, although I don't know. The cost difference is significance.
Truthfully, if the first few people I'd spoken to had suggested the stainless steel line, I would likely have purchased them because I wouldn't have ever heard of Lecratab, nor would I have looked for an alternative.
Nobody suggested another set of tabs, but I do have a stern thruster that could get in the way of that.
My surprise with Bennett wasn't the cost of the solution, it was that this more expensive solution wasn't even mentioned for 2 days, after I'd already ordered the Lectratab units and was having them installed. Had I had both products to compare, I may have made another decision, although I don't know. The cost difference is significance.
Truthfully, if the first few people I'd spoken to had suggested the stainless steel line, I would likely have purchased them because I wouldn't have ever heard of Lecratab, nor would I have looked for an alternative.
Not sure how this thread got to be a "Bennett - Lenco" comparison.... The original question was about Lenco vs. Lectrotab. There is a little bit of information in this thread about Lectrotab... for more, see their website at: www.LECTROTAB.com
- Joined
- Aug 16, 2007
- RO Number
- 28240
- Messages
- 1,772
No...the original question was if anyone had experience with Lectrotab as i was thinking of replacing my Bennetts with them. No mention of Lenco in my original post. It's all in vain now as I now have a different boat with perfectly performing Bennetts.