ATC Installation Tips?

M

MikeWood

Member
Jan 19, 2012
114
Seneca Creek, Baltimore
Boat Info
2008 270 Amberjack
Engines
6.2 MPI & Bravo III
Just bought the ATC and I'm getting ready to do the install as soon as I can find the time. Any tips before I start pulling things apart? Any mistakes I can learn from? :)

thanks in advance,
Mike
 
Mike,

The best advice I can give you is to read over the manual a few times and let me know if you have any questions, you can contact me if you need help at Tabmanhelp@gmail.com when you are installing it.

One heads up is to try to install the relay (white box) in a nice dry location.

Tom McGow
Bennett Marine
 
since tabman responded I assume ATC has something to do with tabs.

Anyway, have you checked on youtube for videos. I've prepared for a lot of first time projects that way.

Good Luck!
 
Auto Tab Control
 
If Sea Ray used its own wiring harness from the tabs to the helm, the Bennett plugs may not be there so you will have to cut and splice the existing wiring near the tabs. My boat had this setup. It seems simple but there were a couple of wires of the same color (orange, I think) that could go to a couple of ways and I guessed wrong. I think I called Bennett directly to get the right answer but it could have been done by Tabman. In any event, if this is your situation, recommend you let Tabman give you the right configuration up-front.
 
Thanks Guys.... This weekend was a bust, so I still haven't gotten started. Tabman, thanks for the offer, I'll be sure to send you an email if I get stuck!

mike
 
I installed an ATC on my 97 DA and it was a simple plug and play. The most difficlt part was finding a location for the sensor that was low enough, out of the way (from damage by bumps), and reasonably accessible. I ended up putting it in the storage locked under the helm seat on mine, as far forward as it could go. That is a relatively easy place to fish the wire back up o the helm. It works fine so it must be low enough.
 
Well, believe it or not, life got in the way and one year has passed. But I'm now beginning the installation of my ATC. I have a question about power sources at the helm. Does the source really need to be switched by the ignition? If so, what have folks used for this? Seems to me that most things work without the ignition switched on, only requiring the battery switch to be on. Is that good enough?
 
You want it on a switch so you don't leave it on accidentally. I tapped into the accessory switch that feeds the tridata unit since I turn that off when I turn off the boat.
 
/\ That will work just fine.

Since you will only use it underway having it linked to something that is on when the engine is running is a good idea. That is why we call out power source that is switched “on” with the ignition. If the system were left on and there was power to the Tabs it would keep running them even with the boat at rest since it would not be at the "cruising attitude" .

Tom
Bennett Marine
 
Back at it this morning and I have a couple confirmation questions from the experts:
1. On the back of my existing manual switches, the 4 wires come in and attach, but there are also jumper wires that attach at the same points and jump to other terminals on the back of the switch. I'm assuming all of those jumps have to be maintained, correct?
2. It looks like the power wire from the back of the manual switches runs straight to a fuse block and connects to a 20amp fuse. It's all bundled up with other wires so I can't that for certain yet, but if that's the case and there's no in-line fuse, does that mean I ignore the instructions as far as replacing the in-line fuse with the one supplied with the ATC?

thanks!
 
1. Yes all the jumper wires on the switch must stay in place.

2. To see if that 20 amp fuse you located is indeed the one for the Trim Tabs, remove it and see if they stop working. If so that is the fuse that needs to be replaced with a 1.5 amp one.

Tom
Bennett Marine
 
Mike,

Yes, the original 20 amp fuse in the power supplied to the manual Trim Tab switch is replaced with a 1.5 amp fuse.

Tom
Bennett Marine
 
Ok, finished making all of the connections this evening. Manual controls seem to be working perfectly. However, the port side down arrow on the new ATC lit up solid as soon as it had power. I wasn't expecting this? The instructions say the blue set zero light should be flashing? I tried pressing the on/off button, holding it for a few seconds, but it didn't do anything. It was getting dark, so I didn't do anything else. Do I have a problem, or do I just need to go for a ride and set the zero point?
thx, mike
 
Last edited:
Mike,

Try setting the Zero Point, holding the "sun and moon" buttons down simultaneously for about 4 seconds and see if the blue light starts flashing. If it does you are good to go. Just don't forget to reset the zero point when you are out on the water up on plane per the instructions.

Tom
Bennett Marine
 
No joy Tom. Those buttons seem to do nothing, and neither does the power button. I unplugged the keypad from the control unit and plugged it back in, and tried the same with the power to the control unit. I was hoping maybe something wasn't seated properly, but nothing changed.
As soon as power is on, the port down arrow lights up solid and that's all it does. And that's without touching the power button or anything else for that matter.
Manual controls still seem to be working normally.
What did I screw up?
mike
 
Mike,

I don't think you did anything wrong! It's odd since the arrow on solid means that the Tab has "timed out" and means that the system has a zero point set in it. I am going to forward your info to an engineer in the factory.

In the meantime can you tell me if pressing just the sun or the moon button dims or brightens the light?

Tom
 
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