Author Topic: 12v linear actuator on boat?  (Read 12333 times)

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greenkarson

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12v linear actuator on boat?
« on: March 30, 2014, 09:40:51 AM »
Last year I bought every tinkering man's dream boat! In the process of fitting it all out with modern led lights and solar panels on the roof. But all that's for another post. The question today is about 12v liniar actuators. Here's my situation. The boat has a 35hp motor now it's a little under powered. So I have acquired a 1976 70hp motor. It has to gas shocks to assist in the tilting of the motor. But no power trim. Which I'm thinking is going to be a must with the bigger motor. I was thinking about switching on of the gas shocks with a 12v actuator of the same demensions. Roughly 10" closed. But I have no experience with these actuators at all. So I'm wondering how waterproof they are(will be under water)?   and how well they would hold a position under load?  Or any other info you can provide.  I asked around on a few marine forums. But it turns out they are not as inventive as homebrewed renewable energy guys.lol
Thanks
I will add a few pics of boat when I figure out how to resize on iphone

madlabs

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Re: 12v linear actuator on boat?
« Reply #1 on: March 30, 2014, 11:14:26 AM »
I was a marine mechanic for a short while in my youth. Those outboard trim actuators have to be rugged and marine grade to last long. Poke around outboard shops for a dead motor with ok actuators?

What about trim tabs for the boat instead of tilting the OB? Not as good but would help and actuators for those are much easier to come by. By setting the OB up a little with the mount and the tabs you might do OK.

Jonathan

greenkarson

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Re: 12v linear actuator on boat?
« Reply #2 on: March 30, 2014, 01:16:27 PM »
Finally figured out how to resize picture on phone. Here it is

Mary B

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Re: 12v linear actuator on boat?
« Reply #3 on: March 30, 2014, 05:32:04 PM »
A standard actuator is not water proof, in fact most are not even water resistant! Satellite dish actuators had drain holes because they leaked.

Frank S

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Re: 12v linear actuator on boat?
« Reply #4 on: March 31, 2014, 01:54:57 AM »
the amount of shock and torsional stress that the prop can transmit will rip a standard actuator apart the first trip out.
 go with marine trim actuators.  The better ones are hydraulic.
 But a 70hp  is still small enough to not need one even if it is a V4 Johnson
 Nice sized cabin for that sized craft
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smidy

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Re: 12v linear actuator on boat?
« Reply #5 on: March 31, 2014, 02:02:41 PM »
with that type of boat i would not bother with powertrim, my experience with powertrim is that you can arcive best of two worlds, both speed and acceleration but i can´t see you race that boat, so in your position i would go for boat mounted trim flaps, much more easy to mount than too convert your motor to powertrim unless you can find powertrim assembly that is made for your motor, and that would cost alot unless you can find a sparepart motor with powertrim of the same make as yours. actuators i think you can forget, i have a few actuators spec to 250kg, they are not waterproof and they are huge, simply too big to mount on a outboard motor. the idea too change one servo gas shock too some trim thing i think is bad, all outbord motors i´we seen have separat hydralic pistons for trim/tilt, the two you can see is the tilt pistons (where you have gas shocks) and the trim pistons hidden in the motormount, the trim pistons have very short travel and are very powerful.
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Mary B

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Re: 12v linear actuator on boat?
« Reply #6 on: March 31, 2014, 03:46:42 PM »
think he was looking for power lift to get it out of the water not for trim. So it won't see the pressure during use if it is lowered to the stop. Those mid 70's 70hp are heavy beasts too.

greenkarson

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Re: 12v linear actuator on boat?
« Reply #7 on: April 01, 2014, 06:20:45 AM »
Thanks everyone for the replies. You have convinced me to give up on using the actuators. Maryalana is right I don't need to trim the motor for trim sake. We do a lot of overnighting in the boat in back lakes with no docks and shallow beaches and ramps.  With my family on board the boat only has a draw of about 10". So to pull up on to a beach or ramp.  I have to go up 3 steps around the gunwales into the back and lift the motor. Then back around and back inside again. It's a pain with the smaller motor and impossible with the larger motor.   Going to keep trying to find a old power trim system

coldspot

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Re: 12v linear actuator on boat?
« Reply #8 on: July 16, 2014, 09:59:14 PM »
SWEET looking Boat !
$0.02

Harold in CR

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Re: 12v linear actuator on boat?
« Reply #9 on: July 24, 2014, 10:34:47 AM »

 Don't know where you are located, but, here is what you need.

 LINK