Albin 28 flush deck Hydraulic lifts

[dgetswet]

So I buy the boat after the inspection. I get the boat home and hit the button for the hydraulic lift in the center compartment and nothing. No click no noise no lift no nothing. Any ideas?
The engine hatch works fine. Seems like finding little things that the owner did not talk about and my crack inspector did not find or care to look at.

Don

[Capt Brad]

There is a switch on my helm power panel that Must be on also. Mine is labeled “hatch lift”. Only being my second season with my 28TE flush deck, I find Albin used more redundant switches and breakers than are needed. Switch also could be bad. The hatch is so heavy, the lifts struggle to lift the hatch unless both batteries are on, engine warm and running with now glow plugs and Alternator at 14amps, or battery charger is on.

[Russell]

The switch on the helm panel powers both rocker switches on the starboard side of the pilot house . So you should be able to open the center with the outside rocker switch. If there is no response you can lift the hatch yourself or with help and have a 2x4 or something strong to prop it open. This will not damage the lifts. The lifts are not hydraulic but electrical and you can check for voltage and continuity of the wires. Especially check the very small ones that carry position feedback to synchronize the two lifts. On my boat one of those broke and the hatch opened in a start stop fashion. You can also disconnect the lifts and see how they respond to the switch. Here is a link to the Uflex site where you can get information and wiring instructions.

http://uflexusa.ultraflexgroup.com/default.asp

[dgetswet]

The switch on the helm panel powers both rocker switches on the starboard side of the pilot house . So you should be able to open the center with the outside rocker switch. If there is no response you can lift the hatch yourself or with help and have a 2x4 or something strong to prop it open. This will not damage the lifts. The lifts are not hydraulic but electrical and you can check for voltage and continuity of the wires. Especially check the very small ones that carry position feedback to synchronize the two lifts. On my boat one of those broke and the hatch opened in a start stop fashion. You can also disconnect the lifts and see how they respond to the switch. Here is a link to the Uflex site where you can get information and wiring instructions.

http://uflexusa.ultraflexgroup.com/default.asp

Thanks for the info. I thought they were hydraulic good to know. I'll have to get something to hold it open while I get in there and check the wires. Hopefully it will be an easy fix. So much to learn on this boat.

[Russell]

Here are the Uflex instructions I found in my computer files. Note on the wiring diagram that the red and blue feedback wires are crossed. When I first found this on my boat I thought that was the problem which it obviously was not.
Another tip while you are in there inspect the mounting attachments. On my boat they had mounted the lower end of the starboard lift with screws through a piece of plywood. The force of lifting the hatch pulled the forward screw loose so the bracket would tilt and possibly cause misalignment during the lift. Once it was up the bracket was flat and looked fine. I remounted the bracket with bolts and a backing plate. The lifts seem to have no trouble raising the hatch on my boat, so if they do there may be a mechanical problem or you have a lot of weight in the fishbox. Mine only containes lines and fenders.

Uflex hatch lifter instructions.pdf

[Ben423]

On my boat there is a slight delay (1 -2 seconds) after I press the rocker switch until lifts start. Also recommend having the engine running or the shore power connected and charging the batteries when you lift the hatch. On my 2005, the small wires were all corroded at the connections. Had to replace them before my lifts became reliable.

[dgetswet]

Okay have to say thanks guys. The lifts are not hydraulic, they are electric. Turns out after searching all over I pulled out the cabinet behind the captains chair. The wire was disconnected. Simple fix. So that's one problem down and a few to go. Still can't find the macerator pump switch that's under the fish box in the center.

Thanks
Don

[Carl]

I would look behind the dash panel for a couple disconnected wires, maybe even just one. That switch was in that panel from factory, PO must have repurposed it for something else. The only time I have ever used mine was to winterize.