Electronic Throttle Controls

[eyschulman]

Fly by wire systems have gone through initial growing pains thus the failure stories. Those units that have debugged and are properly installed will do fine. Eventually it will be hard to find none electronic controls or parts for older manual units. This is not just a boat thing and includes cars planes industrial equt. etc. Some of the present systems have addressed the failure possibility with redundancy. My Glendinning SX has two sets of control black boxes with two separate sources of battery power. My Yacht Controller remote and Joy stick has two separate frequency inputs for the same purpose of redundancy. I am convinced that both of these systems allow for smoother and more positive control than any other system I have previously used on many boats. I think it is a lot easier for motor manufacturers to do electronic controls on what are now (due to EPA standards) electronic motors than play with any kind of mechanical link. Converting an older mechanical motor to electronic controls may still be up in the air while there may not even be a choice on a new motor.

 

[Billylll]

I have been using Morse Teleflex KE-4A's for over 5 years they are flawless. The Morse systems require DC voltage through 2 paths and they warn you if either DC buss is not providing the correct power. I installed the engine sync provided by Morse as well it is a very inexpensive option.
Bill

 

[jamie mac]

Stick with cables!
I've seen and have friends that have too many failures with electronic controls.
I've owned boats as well and have had them fail while docking....causing damage to the boat.
Electronics and salt water do not mix!
Cables are way more reliable!
KISS

I had the Mather's zf micro commander that let me down at critical times. So I went back to Morse controls

 

[Pau Hana]

I picked up an older Glendinning system; when I called the company for a cable, they not only know everything about the system I have, but assured me that they are ready and capable of fully supporting my system. They can rebuild the actuators, control heads, and more.

The cable I needed? They built it ('Have to drag tha ol' machine out of tha corner to build the thing") and had it it my hands in 5 days.

I installed the salon control head today, and will finish the install tomorrow.

 

[MYTraveler]

what are the benefits of the eletronic throttles? Seems like a large expense for?????

*

I spent the money (on a prior boat) because I was tired of a novice at the helm (unavoidable on my offshore fishing trips, unless I was to drive all day and night) pull the boat out of gear then shove it back in upon realizing his mistake. With the electronic controls (at least my MicroCommanders) that becomes impossible. No matter how quickly you move the throttles from full forward to full reverse, the gears won't engage until the engine first drops to idle.

 

[JDCAVE]

This discussion makes me a little nervous. The PO installed a Microcommander system on our boat. Thus far it works fine, but seems others here have had difficulties. I still have to install the controls on the upper helm but the wire is in place.


Jim
Sent from my iPad using Trawler Forum

 

[Irish Rambler]

Maybe I've missed the point but why do you need electronic throttle controls ? it seems to me there's just more to go wrong and in my limited experience I have found that in salt water they will definitely work, but indefinitely.

 

[Rogerh]

For us, we have a run of about 50 feet to the starboard engine and about 80 feet to the port. Just the way it was ran and no real way of changing it. The path goes through some pretty tight bends through the ceilings and bulkheads. I nor any of the mechanics we have had were able to make the pressure the same and get out all the slop even after replacing the cables. So, we are very much considering this to aleviate the issues above. I think I will still leave the cables in whenever this gets high enough on the list to change.

 

[N4712]

This discussion makes me a little nervous. The PO installed a Microcommander system on our boat. Thus far it works fine, but seems others here have had difficulties. I still have to install the controls on the upper helm but the wire is in place.


Jim
Sent from my iPad using Trawler Forum

We have MM and also thus far have had no problems. (Knock on wood)

 

[Art]

I love my Morse controls, I love my Morse controls, I love my Morse controls... For little boat such as ours... Bum, Bum, Bum, Buuum!!!

 

[Irish Rambler]

On a larger boat it makes sense but for the smaller guys like me. We're experimenting with Morse single lever with combined bow thruster controls to put a stop to the juggling match when tying up or manoeuvring in close quarters.
I agree that we all have a different take on life which is perfectly normal, some guys like loads of gizmo's but based on past experience I like to keep things simple so I'm self sufficient as much as possible maintenance wise and can fix a critical breakdown at sea.

 

[Bay Pelican]

I love my Morse controls, I love my Morse controls, I love my Morse controls... For little boat such as ours... Bum, Bum, Bum, Buuum!!!

Just remembered my Morse controls have not been trouble free over the last 30 years. I had to replace the red and black screw on knobs because on the upper helm the knobs had sort of faded in the sunlight.

Now with respect to my Microcommander unit on the auxiliary engine, let me count the ways.

By the way the Microcommander dealer finally came to replace the 3 inch drive belts on the actuator - only a 4 month delay, and I had the replacement belts as spares.

KISS

 

[Capt GB]

I agree. I have a two station ZF Mathers and I also have a starboard engine that intermittently won't shift out of neutral. Currently, no one can isolate the problem... KISS has some merit.

 

[stone beach]

of course your boat, your money, your choice etc ... personally I cant see the point of moving away from mechanical controls, almost anyone can understand what is going on with them.... electronic controls the converse is true

 

[Conrad]

We have a 20 year old Twin Disc electronic system on our NT that just packed it in and they no longer carry replacement parts for that vintage.
Their replacement (new) system is $12K just for parts so we have elected to go with a Kobelt mechanical twin lever controller for $650 & control cables for our single station vessel. The economics look much better, and any future issues, which shouldn't be for a very long time, will be easy to deal with.

 

[Sailor of Fortune]

Kobelt control heads and Green cablecraft shift cables and your done. No worries, no issues just bullet proof control of your transmission and throttles.

 

[Art]

On our 1977 Tolly Tri Cabin:

We've the original Morse controls and cables. Fellow with same year identical boat just decided to put electronic shifters/throttle on his. So... I asked em - How's your original cables doen. He says... fine. I says... send em to me if you no longer want em. He says OK, if you'll pay shipping. I says plus $20 smackers for your time and trouble o' packaging.

Now I have two great condition cable systems. Redundancy = Safety/Longevity!

Every year or two (if I get bored in very early morn while on the hook) I remove covers and well lube control stations. In ten year intervals +/- I air pressure inject (force) lightweight lube into cable sheaths from fly bridge down and salon station down... until the lube seeps out at cable bottoms.

I tried to get the good condition bridge and salon Morse controls from the fellow too, but he'd already promised them to someone else.

I figure my boat's mechanical control setup will outlive us!

That taint at all bad!!

Taint broke - Don't fix it! KISS