Parallel Engine Controls

[PennBruce]

Quack Shack is setup with series engine controls. She has flush mount Morse controls both in the cabin and the fly bridge that are original. Operation is very stiff.

I would like to do parallel cables both for redundancy and perhaps smoother operation. However, I have never seen the dual cable setup for the throttle and gear shift. Are there brackets for the dual cable setup?

Does anyone have any pictures of the setup at the throttle and gear shift to share?

Eventually, I would like to change out the flush mounts to a binnacle single lever control.

Thanks,

Bruce

 

[C lectric]

Your series cabling should not be stiff unless the core or the sheath is corroding or has bends that are to tight.

Have you tried lubing the cables?
Have you tried lubing the controls arms?
Have you looked at the bends? Can some of them be reduced by moving clamps? Too tight bends will make any cable tight. THere are minimum radii published by the mfgrs. and not paying attention can cause short life and high friction.
Have you tried disconnecting the bridge to salon cable to try to isolate which is causing the trouble? Bridge cables are far more prone to getting water in them and then corroding. Same for the actual control levers.

I may be wrong but I wonder about the parallel cable helping reduce stiffness except for the fact they will be new cables. In fact you will have more footage of cable with parallel cables.

I understand the redundancy aspect but if the installation of the series type is done properly they give LONG service.

I have seen, only seen, the parallel setup and a long time ago at that.

I don't see why a bracket could not be fabbed to hold two cable clamps at the engine and gearbox. You would have to ask the cable suppliers which way has to be taken.
THey may very well be able , and should be able, offer dual clamps or make suggestions.

 

[Keysdisease]

Parallel cable runs are common, that's the way my olde MSI was set up. Morse/Teleflex make all the hardware to connect 2 cables at the engine/gear end. Below is that is called a dual cable clip, all the other small parts you may need are readily available. You will have redundancy and the extra push/pull effort, if any, will be negligible.

I would recommend Teleflex Xtreme cables, very smooth and worth the extra $

Dual station with single lever control with push/pull cables is difficult, complex and will have additional friction. See image following post.

If you really want single lever dual station electronic controls would be my choice.

 

[Keysdisease]

This is the setup for dual engine dual station single lever controls using push pull cables.

2 upper station throttle
2 upper station gear
2 lower station throttle
2 lower station gear
transfer box
2 from transfer box to engine 1
2 from transfer box to engine 2
1 from upper station selector to transfer box
1 from lower station selector to transfer box


Total # cables:14 (8 cables for single engine dual station)

 

[kapnd]

I added second cable under the bracket (throttle and shift) by using longer bolts to hold the cable clips in place. You can buy a longer pivot bolt to stack both cable ends.
This put the cables precisely in line with each other, and eliminated the cable combiner device, which is just one more complication along the line.
I’m switching to Kobelt controls in order to add a third station, wish me luck!

 

[PennBruce]

Thanks for the info. I had missed this with my internet searches.

I particularly like being able select the station to be active.

Thanks again,

Bruce

This is the setup for dual engine dual station single lever controls using push pull cables.

 

[PennBruce]

Will the third station be back in the cockpit?

I was thinking a third station on the bow by the windlass would be handy and much less expensive than a wife on the fly bridge.

Bruce

I’m switching to Kobelt controls in order to add a third station, wish me luck!

 

[kapnd]

Will the third station be back in the cockpit?

I was thinking a third station on the bow by the windlass would be handy and much less expensive than a wife on the fly bridge.

Bruce

I have added a rooftop station to the existing cabin and transom stations.
Still a work in progress, no controls yet.

 

[PennBruce]

Are you planning on changing over to electronic controls?

Bruce

... no controls yet.

 

[PennBruce]

I am not understanding what you are trying to tell me. I understand about stacking the cable clips but don't understand stacking the cable connection to the throttle.

Here's the type of ball connector on my cable ends:




Thanks,

Bruce

I added second cable under the bracket (throttle and shift) by using longer bolts to hold the cable clips in place. You can buy a longer pivot bolt to stack both cable ends.

 

[PennBruce]

Looks like this is what I should use for the dual throttle cables, engine side. This one is aluminum:



It is also available in Nylon:




Bruce

 

[PennBruce]

Thank you for your suggestions.

I watched a video about lubing cables. I would rather replace my cables then go through the lubing process. Also, the controls are definitely original and the cables maybe as well. That puts them at 35 years old at a minimum. These critical components need to be replace.

Bruce

Have you tried lubing the cables?

 

[Keysdisease]

In place of the ball joint connector you have now, you would install the threaded/clip grooved stud in the hole the ball joint uses now. You would then stack the eyelet cable ends on the stud and secure with the sir clip

 

[PennBruce]

The picture looks like a commercially available item. What's the source?

Thanks,

Bruce

In place of the ball joint connector you have now, you would install the threaded/clip grooved stud in the hole the ball joint uses now. You would then stack the eyelet cable ends on the stud and secure with the sir clip

 

[Keysdisease]

It's a standard Morse/Teleflex control cable gear kit for several gear types, part number 1019347

Same is available for throttle kits. This is standard off the shelf stuff

The picture looks like a commercially available item. What's the source?