Lenco trim tabs both stopped working
Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: General Forums
Forum Name: The Boat Shed
Forum Description: Discuss all things boating.
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=133044
Printed Date: 09 Jun 2026 at 4:46am
Topic: Lenco trim tabs both stopped working
Posted By: Ecko
Subject: Lenco trim tabs both stopped working
Date Posted: 05 Mar 2020 at 12:17pm
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Went to use trim tabs on weekend and no movement from either. They worked fine the previous trip out (about 2 weeks prior). Any ideas on where to start? I'm new to this... Thanks
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Replies:
Posted By: CBF-Whk
Date Posted: 05 Mar 2020 at 12:35pm
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There is a trouble shooting procedure in the lenco tab manual. But I would start with the power feed to the switch. ( wire on the ends from memory) CBF Whk |
Posted By: Ecko
Date Posted: 05 Mar 2020 at 12:47pm
| Thanks will see if I can dig out the manual for them. |
Posted By: puff
Date Posted: 05 Mar 2020 at 12:54pm
| Fuse? |
Posted By: Tzer
Date Posted: 05 Mar 2020 at 4:45pm
Yep always check fuse first, don't know how many time I've over looked the fuse when I have had mate check things for me.
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puff wrote:Posted By: ofthesea
Date Posted: 05 Mar 2020 at 10:11pm
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Technical guess is that it isn't an expensive trim tab issue, unlikely they both fail at once. More likely power supply, fuses switches, terminals. If nothing obvious find some old SOB with a multimeter. Anything else not working, lights?
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Posted By: Ecko
Date Posted: 05 Mar 2020 at 11:38pm
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Lights allsleming, pumps working. Bought some spare fuses and a multimeter tonight. Boat is an hour and a half away so will review on the weekend and report back! Any other suggestions on things to check out will be appreciated |
Posted By: Ecko
Date Posted: 07 Mar 2020 at 9:35pm
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Found the fuse and inspected. Fine. Replaced anyway. No luck. Checked connected at switches, all good. Checked and control box, all seems fine. Traced orange wire to isolating switch and all fine. The positive and negatives are connected and clean. Im suspecting it's either a faulty switch or a bad connection somewhere between the helm and the actuators. Will need to give it a good look on Monday |
Posted By: JustAnotherSpearo
Date Posted: 08 Mar 2020 at 5:31am
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Boats clearly broken Ecko tell the wife it's time for an upgrade.. Sarcastic remarks aside can you bypass the switch and see if they move to rule out the switch? Not exactly sure how trim tabs are installed as I've never played with them. |
Posted By: MacSkipper
Date Posted: 08 Mar 2020 at 6:44am
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A good trick for troubeshooting is a light bulb attached to leads - hook one wire to battery - other follow power from battery through switch to trim tab - bulb will light bright if power - dim/out bad connection. Can use a multimeter but 12V can be tricky sometimes due to impedance (bad connection) voltage drips - meter reads ok as doesnt draw any current - I have been caught out. To test under load best.
------------- Good fishing trip nothing breaks, great trip catch fish. |
Posted By: Big -Dave
Date Posted: 08 Mar 2020 at 9:07pm
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The fault might be in the negative part of the circuit. ? ------------- you can't fix an idiot with duct tape, but it does muffle them for a while... |
Posted By: Ecko
Date Posted: 10 Mar 2020 at 7:30am
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Update: I fixed it in the end. On the way out early on Sunday morning I noticed when I turned the Nav lights on the switch panel there was a light to indicate the power to them. Tried the trim tab switch and no light. Turns out it was the fuse for the switch box that had blown. Thankfully previous owner had some spare fuses in the boat and swapped out. Turned them on and both working again. What a relief!! Felt a bit daft after that but thanks to all for your assistance and advice. |
Posted By: Bounty Hunter
Date Posted: 10 Mar 2020 at 9:18am
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thats sneaky... good result though!
------------- No disintegrations! |
Posted By: JustAnotherSpearo
Date Posted: 11 Mar 2020 at 5:03am
| Yippie! |