C-28 Hatch Switch...(Again)

[Bob/Bradenton]

I'm going to revisit my previous post about the "Hatch Up" side of the Hatch Switch, sticking.

(By the way, I took the old switch apart and pieces of black plastic fell out. Probably not a good sign. And one more "Cutwater" item. Two of the wire leads fell out of their terminals. This appears to be a common issue with Cutwater, the terminals are not crimped properly, but back to my sticking switch adventure):

I bought a six prong Blue Seas switch however I don't think that this is going to do the same thing as the original Cutwater rocker switch.

The way that the original Rocker Switch is wired is:

Orange (which is spliced into the Red Positive from the blue LED Cockpit/Underwater Lights) is the Positive (+) lead.

This goes to the center two (joined together with a brass strip) terminal screws.

The Yellow wire is the Negative (-). This is on one side of the switch.

There is a Blue wire at the other end of the switch on one side and a Green wire on the other side (same side of the switch)

Here's how this thing works:

-When you connect the Blue wire and the Green wire together and then touch the Orange (+) wire to that pair, the hatch opens.

-When you disconnect the Green from the Blue and then touch the Orange (+) wire to the Green wire, it apparently opens a drain valve in the pump and allows the hatch to close by gravity.


I do a lot of electrical DC work but I'm having a tough time trying to figure out how to make a switch like the Blue Seas work with this set up. The Orange/Blue/Green to open the hatch. The Orange/Green to close the hatch.

Can't get my brain around this one. HELP!

Bob/Bradenton...

 

[Andrew Custis]

Hello Bob,

I wish we could dive right into this one but, we are swamped with the Seattle Boat Show setup right now. Can you please contact customer service and leave a message if you don't get them on the first attempt? We will work to figure out the issue with you once you ring in. (253)839-5213.

Thank you,

 

[scross]

Bob,
Please keep us posted.
Ever since I saw the hydraulic hatch, I worried about how you could have access to the engine, sea cocks, etc. if the hydraulics failed for whatever reason.

 

[Bob/Bradenton]

Figured this out!!!

The issue with replacing the existing Cutwater Engine Hatch switch with another brand switch is that the Cutwater version has some internal Jumpers that I needed to figure out and translate over the Blue Seas “Hatch” switch “Contura III Switch #8290.

The Blue Seas switch has six pronged contacts on the back, none of which have any electrical connection unless the rocker switch is pushed for the Up or Down direction.

As noted, the Cutwater switch has two internal Jumpers that join several of the internal contacts together. Hard to figure out unless you take the old switch apart (the internal plastic had broken and the UP direction was sticking) and see how the contacts relate to one another. A Composition Notebook and sitting watching the sunset for the last evening, sketching the schematics out really helped.

So here’s the fix when replacing the Cutwater Hatch switch with the Blue Seas #8290.

(See my original post here about which colored wires control the Up and Down).

The Blue Seas #8290 switch has six pronged blade type terminals. (You have to cut off the Cutwater spade type terminals and replace them with common spade terminals made for 12 gauge wire. The Cutwater wires are actually about 14 gauge but you will see why I bought the 12 gauge terminals in a moment).

The Blue Seas switch has small numbers on each of the six terminals on the back. #1 at the top left (the switch also has an “Up” arrow on the back) with #2 and #3 below it. Then at the top right is #4 with #5 and #6 below that.

To replicate what the Cutwater switch does, the Green wire goes to #6, the Yellow wire goes to #1, the Blue wire goes to #3.

The Orange (+) wire (which starts out as Red behind the Aft Deck/Underwater LED Lights) goes to the Blue Seas terminal #2.

(Here’s where it gets a bit tricky).

In the Cutwater switch, there is a brass Jumper between (using the Blue Seas switch terminal layout), terminal #6 and terminal #4. And another one between terminal #2 and terminal #5. I made a wire Jumper to replicate the internal Cutwater switch Jumpers.

I used the 12 gauge terminals since I had to insert two wires into the new terminal to make the Jumper. I trimmed off about a third of the wire strands to get them both to fit. A Dual Terminal would have been better but ACE didn’t have one.

Turned the House power On and the new Blue Seas switch worked perfectly.

I’ll be taking some photos of this installation so if anyone needs to see what it looks like, just send me an email. A photo might help to show the layout better than my description above.

Bob/Bradenton

PS: Our 2019 C-28 LE is for sale (126 hours!) but I put together a quite nice website full of the modifications/additions that we have done to her. Take a look sometime, lots of ideas: http://www.CutwaterC28Diesel DOT com. Thanks, Bob/Bradenton

 

[Bob/Bradenton]

Vickie/Al

Regarding a failed Hydraulic hatch lifting pump, you can lift the hatch by hand. Very very heavy and the main issue is if you are checking something in the engine room and that thing falls on you. Like working under a car using jack stands in case the jack fails, use whatever you can find to pad between the hatch and the floor. Lots of cushions, maybe some sort of rod like the boat hook in combination with other supports (although the boat hook won't hold the hatch up if it wants to come down), anything that you can find that slows the falling hatch.

My low-hour AGM sealed batteries failed and our hatch would not open. Lifted by hand, not fun. By the way, we replaced all four AGM sealed batteries with Interstate wet-cell batteries. Old School but I like to be able to check the fluid levels and you can't do that with sealed batteries. Bob/Bradenton...

 

[scross]

Bob,
Thanks! I had a feeling that something like the (anchor light/off/navigation light) three position switch might work.
I think I follow your explanation except for where the original orange (+) wire from the Cutwater switch goes on the BS 8290. I’m guessing it goes to either #2 or #5 on the 8290. Is that correct?

 

[Bob/Bradenton]

Hi Vickie and Al,

Forgot all about that very important Orange wire. Yes it goes to to either #2 or #5 but because there is so much going on with the Jumper on the #5 side, #2 is the one you connect the Orange to.

No other changes, just add to my description, the placement for that Orange wire.

(Which by the way and as per my original post, starts as a Red Positive (+) wire over at the Aft Cockpit and Underwater LED blue lights and changes to the Orange. No idea why Cutwater did that. Just as easy to use a foot of Red wire).

Thanks again, Bob/Bradenton

PS: Per my website, I moved my barnacle encrusted blue underwater LED lights to up under the swim platform. Does the same thing but no marine growth...

 

[seadot]

Does Cutwater sell replacement switches for the hatch?

 

[Bob/Bradenton]

Hi Seadot,

Per Andrew's nice response, he suggested to contact Fluid Motion Customer Service. I assume that the hatch switch is available, BUT, you need to make sure that it matches our older C-28 switches. If not, you are in the same "boat" that I was in, figuring out the wiring. The Blue Seas switch is made for hatches and apparently works well. It's available instantly from Amazon along with the Trim Plate.

I haven't installed the switch into the fiberglass yet but will report back with the install details since it is a slightly different size than the original. Bob/Bradenton

PS: Per Vickie's/Al's reminder about me leaving off where the Orange wire goes, I added that to my original install instructions...