Trim pump solenoid - Alpha I

[Augoose]

I've got an issue with the lower unit going up intermittently. If you press and release, and press and release the switch a couple of times, the unit eventually goes up. It will go down perfectly each time. Until today, the trailer button would work every time to bring it up, but twice today the trailer button failed and only worked after pressing it 3 times.

I recently had the trim sending unit and limit switch replaced, so I thought it may be a problem there. After adjusting the limit switch, it didn't seem to have an effect on the unit, so I moved on.

I then heard the clicking sound coming from the trim pump. After getting home and reading the threads on the trim pump, it sounds like I might have a bad solenoid.

However, I thought when a solenoid went bad, that's it - its bad forever, isn't it? Can a bad solenoid work, not work, then work again?

Second question - does the trailer button bypass the up solenoid? I'm wondering whey it all of a sudden started acting funny.

Thanks

 

[stonyloam]

Re: Trim pump solenoid - Alpha I

I then heard the clicking sound coming from the trim pump. After getting home and reading the threads on the trim pump, it sounds like I might have a bad solenoid.

However, I thought when a solenoid went bad, that's it - its bad forever, isn't it? Can a bad solenoid work, not work, then work again?

Second question - does the trailer button bypass the up solenoid? I'm wondering whey it all of a sudden started acting funny.

Thanks

Nope! The trim solenoid is an electromechanical switch that closes a set of points that provide a high amperage current to the motor. If the windings of the electromagnet open then it is shot, however if the electromagnet is working (Yours clicks so it is), but the points are going bad (the contacts become pitted and burnt from the high amp load over time) you may or may not make a connection when they close. May work on the first try or the third.????or never.

The trailer switch bypasses the trim limit switch and is connected directly to the up solenoid, as is the trim up switch (through the limit switch).

 

[Augoose]

Re: Trim pump solenoid - Alpha I

Terry, thanks for the great info - makes me feel better about a solution.

Thanks again

 

[wannablast]

Re: Trim pump solenoid - Alpha I

My switches sometimes get corroded and are intermittent.

 

[Augoose]

Re: Trim pump solenoid - Alpha I

Well it appears not to be the solenoid. I ran all the tests listed in the manual for the trim motor and they all passed. So......

I tore further into the problem (intermittent raising of the lower unit) and discovered that the wires which screw down into the brass contacts inside the trim limit switch housing were not tight! It seems either they were bad from the manufacturer or the tech didn't tighten them down when he installed the switch several months ago. Either way, they are tight now.

This seems to explain why the unit sometimes refuses to go up, however this doesn't seem to explain why the unit has always been able to go down. If the wires were loose, wouldn't I have problems going down? Doesn't the limit switch "limit" the lowering movement as well as the raising movement?

The other issue I'm having is that I am unable to adjust the limit switch to stop the unit during its upward movement at the designated 21 3/4".

Following the directions in the Alpha I manual, it says when installing the limit switch, "align the index marks on switch". Well the center "star" piece which has the screw and brass connector, or bridge, has a index mark, but the rest of the limit switch housing that the "star" fits into does not. I've tried several different positions with the "star" piece but no position seems to allow the unit to move down freely and then back up to the 21 3/4" mark with any consistency (even with turning the limit switch housing). The only way I can get the lower unit to go up and down is to either jump the terminals, or put the "star" piece in one particular spot which allows the unit to move throughout the ENTIRE range of motion - trailer position to all the way down, and all the way back up again - otherwise nothing moves at all. This one position has the brass connector, or bridge, centered between the two individual brass bases connected to the wires. So at this one particular spot, there is no stopping at the 21 3/4" as it goes all the way up to the trailer position.

I'm trying not to get frustrated, but its a battle. Does anyone with an Alpha I have a picture of their limit switch with the housing cover removed? I'd like to see where to align that index mark and then try rotating the housing to try and get the unit to stop at 21 3/4".

Last question - am I safe running the boat but ensuring that I keep the lower unit down below the 3/4 low mark on the gauge? We had a family trip planned tomorrow and I spent all day in the garage working on the ^$*&# boat trying to get it ready.