Trim Tabs

[BarrNone]

How full should I fill it? Until it starts to come out of the filler?

 

[pamarine]

See the black bar on the front of the tank in the picture I posted? Fill it so the fluid level is within the limits of that bar. Anything more than that you'll have a mess when you fully retract the tabs.

 

[BarrNone]

Do I have to bleed the system?

 

[pamarine]

It's self bleeding

 

[BarrNone]

Cool, Thanks.

 

[BarrNone]

Huge Thank You to pamarine. It was just low on fluid. Finally got around to checking the fluid but I couldn't see through the side to see the level so I just filled it up and they work fine now. Will test them out on the water tomorrow, supposed to be somewhat calm but I'm sure I can find some rips somewhere.

 

[Push&Pull]

your not outa the woods yet. Hydraulic fluid doesn't evaporate. If you were low, it went somewhere. Run the tabs all the way down. Then mark the tank fluid level. Then while the tabs are all the way down hold the switch for a couple seconds in the down position to apply pressure to the system. If there was a leak it should show up dripping or squirting somewhere. Bennetts are notorious for leaking at the fitting going into the actuators. And yes, that fitting is probably out of sight in the transom. Just check for any visible leaks first and if the tank level goes down. If you don't see any leaks and the level still goes down, you'll have to remove each actuator and check the fitting going into the top.

Note; if you can't see the level in the tank, then after holding the switch in the down position for a couple of seconds, run the tabs all the way back up and see if the fluid is at the top where you started. Do it a couple of times.

 

[BarrNone]

I think that the fluid was escaping from the filler. When I finally located it it was not fully seated. So I believe that the fluid was being pushed out through here. Will have a better idea tomorrow after the sea test.

 

[Push&Pull]

The filler is static and not under pressure. It can't escape out the filler unless it's overfilled. Here's another way to check. Run both tabs all the way down and leave them over night. They are spring loaded. If there is a leak the tabls will retract on their own overnight as the fluid leaks out.

 

[BarrNone]

Thanks, I'll go lower them now.

 

[pamarine]

your not outa the woods yet. Hydraulic fluid doesn't evaporate. If you were low, it went somewhere. Run the tabs all the way down. Then mark the tank fluid level. Then while the tabs are all the way down hold the switch for a couple seconds in the down position to apply pressure to the system. If there was a leak it should show up dripping or squirting somewhere. Bennetts are notorious for leaking at the fitting going into the actuators. And yes, that fitting is probably out of sight in the transom. Just check for any visible leaks first and if the tank level goes down. If you don't see any leaks and the level still goes down, you'll have to remove each actuator and check the fitting going into the top.

Note; if you can't see the level in the tank, then after holding the switch in the down position for a couple of seconds, run the tabs all the way back up and see if the fluid is at the top where you started. Do it a couple of times.

Actually, hydraulic fluids will evaporate slowly over time, and at differing rates depending on the base (mineral based fluid such as Mil-H-5606 will evaporate the fastest, while petroleum based fluids such as natural ATF and pure motor oil are the slowest). With some fluids that have faster evap rates it is due to VOC's evaporating out. But all fluids break down over time and use and as they do the byproducts of that decomp evaporate out, leaving behind a denser residue of the solids, thus reducing the overall fluid quantity in the system.

That's not to say he doesn't have a leak, however.

 

[Push&Pull]

The ocean's evaporate too, but you haven't seen them go empty yet. The only way the Bennett tank got almost empty is if someone sucked it out with a straw, the boat was stored upside down, or there was a Leak.

Now, let's move on the the award for the most technically accurate, yet superfluous data - the winner is ***Paramarine***.....yea....

cmon Frank.....this is funny stuff

 

[BarrNone]

Well I don't have a leak. The tabs stayed put all night and they worked just fine today. We had 3'-4' seas in the ocean with the occasional 5' thrown in and they stayed put no matter where I put them. Once again thank you pamarine.

 

[Push&Pull]

Glad to hear they are working fine for ya. Boat safe.

 

[pamarine]

Hey, above all else I'm know for one thing at every job I've ever had, give you a guess what it is Bill

 

[Push&Pull]

Hey, above all else I'm know for one thing at every job I've ever had, give you a guess what it is Bill

Hey, I get called anal retentive quite often,