I have been having issues lately with my hydralic engine hatch actuator and am thinking about pulling out that system and installing one of Hardin's electric hatch actuator. Has anyone else gone that route? The hydralic one in my boat is a Trimmaster pump that takes FOREVER to open and close. It also looks kind of ratty as well.
Would I be able to use the same wiring that currently poweres the DC motor on the hydralic pump?
Here is the system I am looking at. http://www.cpperformance.com/p-30-18...-actuator.aspx
I still need to measure mine to see if its an 18" or 24". I think its a 24". They also make an actuator accelerator relay that is supposed to speed up the process. http://www.cpperformance.com/p-13440...tor-relay.aspx

Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks

I honestly prefer hydraulic actuators.
First, is your pump operating properly, and is the system purged of all air?

If so, is your wiring heavy enough to support the pump without it slowing down as it pumps?

If those are all "yes" then check into the possibility of adding a second pump to double the speed. Doesn't have to be the same pump, and can be a trim pump, etc.

MC

It was working last summer but still slow. Then the dc motor went out at the end of the summer, so I pulled out out and had it rebuilt. Problem was, I pulled it out in such a hurry I can't remember which wire colors match together. Regardless, I am not really a fan of how the system is set up which is why I was looking to go electric. I am also in the process of putting my boat on a diet and any excess weight that is not needed is coming out.

I use an electric 24" stroke. It came with the boat, and was completely siezed up when I got it. I was about to convert over to hydraulic, and even had most of the parts on hand, but had a few extra minutes one day and tore it apart. I was able to unstick the parts, clean it up, pack it full of grease, and now it works like a champ.

Hydraulic may be better if you have a system with a short lever arm, and you require lots of force, but if you are lifting the hatch out past the CG, and it is not a terribly heavy hatch, electric is way simpler to deal with.

It's just a relay.
The hatch switch triggers the relay which sends power straight from the battery to the actuator.
Basically 4 wires, 2 circuits
1 battery voltage from key on power through fuse to switch to relay
2 to ground
That's circuit 1
Circuit 2
3 from battery voltage to fuse to relay
4 from relay to actuator to ground

Keep the relay as close to the actuator as possible. Circuit 1 could be 16G wire. Circuit 2 should match actuator wires.

I found a remote control relay online for $44 that looked like CP's. Basic relay kits are about $16 at NAPA. Get a plastic bodied kit with wire ends not pigtails. Seal the wire end with silicone and the connector end with dielectric grease.

Thanks Rob. Does anyone know if the electric actuator is faster than a hydralic? I do have a heavy hatch, but the electric actuator is rated at 500 lbs.

The actuator speed up thing is simply about having enough power at the motors without a voltage drop and under powering the motor. The result is speed but that is the speed they should be properly running at anyway. Most boat builders run WAY to small guaged wire and run it way tooooo far for proper power feed so the box makes sure the motor gets all the power it needs.

Also the electric actuators come in different ratings but the more it is rated for the more it costs.

You can check with most actuator builders to find one that is the right load rating and stroke for a conversion. Just make sure that the unit is "ignition sealed" meaning it is safe to use in a marine bilge enviornment.

I just got the Single Actuator Accelerator Relay from CP Performance and need a little clarification on the wiring please. It has a red and black wire..red goes to 12 volt positive battery, Black goes to ground. Then it has two white wires that I think go to the hatch actuator motor? Then on the side of the relay it has 4 terminals. The instructions say the two middle ones are for the positive wires from the switch and the two outside ones are for the negative wires from the switch. Problem is my switch only has two wires coming back to the actuator motor. Do I need a different switch? Or do I need to run a couple more wires?

I think you need a different switch. The relays have to reverse polarity so the switch needs to have the poles for all four wires as i understand this.

Any update on that accelerator relay? I'm curious to see how much it helps.