2nd helm selector switch out

[gray duck]

Took the family for a harbor cruise yesterday - the selector switch worked right after I launched but later in the trip all it would do is blink when I pushed it. The main controls were in neutral as were the aft controls. Any tips or ideas? Thanks.

 

[BradV]

What kind of system

 

[gray duck]

sea star power hydraulic with tech marine switch. here are some pics:

any ideas what I can do to diagnose the problem??? thanks

 

[gray duck]

Come on, guys. I know I'm not the only guy with two stations - maybe just the only one with this problem.... I called Sea Star but they did not have an immediate idea...
Thanks

 

[Megabyte]

My dual stations look nothing like yours.
I have to say that is the first time I've seen a system like yours.

 

[DaleH]

I guess you can see that none of us running 2 or 3 stations have a comparably equipped system.

I don't get it ... I'd never install a system that forced me to use one station or the other via a switch ... :roll:

What is it supposed to do for you? Are there any benefits?

 

[gray duck]

Eric at Parker Marine in NC shed some light on my situation yesterday - It seems that they were putting in second helms like mine until about 2006 or 7. Some guy designed the system (one of the first apparently), had a small company, and then sold it to a bigger company. Parker didn't like the way the new company was doing business with them so they switched to something else.

I don't know how others work - but I will say that one advantage of being able to switch from one to the other and have the one that's "off" really OFF is that when your mother-in-law uses the throttle as a boarding handle and cranks it into reverse nothing happens.

I still don't know what I need to fix - but Eric thought I might be able to reset the computer which is under the forward helm.

With other dual helms when one wheel turns does the other turn as well? Throttles too?

 

[Megabyte]

With other dual helms when one wheel turns does the other turn as well? Throttles too?

Throttle handles move, but the wheel does not.

 

[ReelyNauti]

lol ...its a safety issue of control, i have an electronic throttle controlled second station..... i cant tell you how many timed people play with the helm while im in the pilot house ....!!!!

The response time to switch the controls(a switch is at both stations) is a 1/10 of a second

 

[BradV]

The seastar hydraulic steering you can turn the wheel at either station. However, with the yamaha dual station control once one of the stations has shifted into gear the other station can not be moved period end of story. It mechanically locks you out so you dont have this issue. I hate electronics on a boat. You find out whats going on yet? Since it is 4 years old I wouldnt hesitate to take it apart and redo the wiring connections and recheck everything and that way youll know how it works so next time you can do your own diagnostics. Most of the time with electrical stuff on a boat its one of two things. Bad power or bad part. If its getting juice its a bad part and time to replace.

 

[BradV]

Nauti what system do you have in yours? I thought you had one of the tech marine ones too no?

 

[gray duck]

I'm happy to say this has been much a do about nuthin' - sorry to have wasted your time but I think it has been interesting for folks to hear about different systems - it has been informative for me. I went out to work on the boat in the yard and tried to use the switch - still blinking. I remembered right after using it the last time when i docked the boat my wife got on and behind my back I heard a shifting sound but when I turned she was on the boat and the throttles "looked" to be straight up in neutral position. Yes, I'm pinning it on her when I should be taking the blame for not playing with them more. Seems to be fixed on dry land. Thanks for listening.

Oh - I almost forgot - the wheel does move freely when the station is "off" and this pretty funny when you're fishing/trolling - you can get a guy on the cockpit helm and tell him to take the helm and then go up to check the gps and then play some tricks steering - I'm LMAO right now just remembering one time this past summer when my friend was really getting a steering complex - writing his name in the wake.

 

[ReelyNauti]

Tech marine ...same set up as all the helm works but throttle is locked out its a nano second to hit the button

 

[gray duck]

Well, the system "fix" was short lived. The light started blinking on last trip. So I checked the switch connections at the second helm - a lil corrosion but not bad. Replaced one clip: still blinking when switch pushed. What to do? Bigger hammer? Yes - so I pushed the switch and joggled the throttles to fwd and reverse at the same time and the light came on solid. This was with the boat on the trailer engines off in my yard. Then I went to the fwd helm and that light was blinking!!!! So now I'm thinking that would be a long trip home if I was stuck using the aft helm. But now I'm thinking that the problem must be a central problem if it affects both helms. Right? I looked under the dash and found the tech marine box which has cables/wires marked for stbd/port engines and fwd and aft helms - is this the "switching computer" for the system? Thanks for any help with this.

 

[ReelyNauti]

check for corrosion i had a problem and had to jump out the neutral safety switch !!!

 

[gray duck]

RN - thanks for the reply. What problem were you having? what/where is the neutral safety switch and how did you bypass it?
thanks

 

[gray duck]

Here's what Eric Denton said from Parker in his very prompt response:
Mr. Muirhead,

It almost sounds like there is an issue with the neutral safety connections. At the Power Station there are 3 wires associated with the neutral safety system. Coming out of the Power Station you will find a Red/Black wire, a Black/White wire, and an Orange/Black wire. Only two of the three wires are used to complete the neutral safety connections and functionality. Check the connection between these wires and the wires connected to them. In turn trace the wires connected to Power Station (they may be either yellow or brown in color) to where they connect at or near the Yamaha controls. There are two brown wires that lead from the neutral safety switch inside the Yamaha controls that make up the end of the circuit. There is also the chance that the neutral safety switch inside one of the Yamaha controls is faulty.


I'm going to check these out as he has outlined...

If the neutral safety switch is bad, can I replace it or "jump it out" like RN? RN how did you do that???