Lenco LED Tactile Trim Tab Switch Kit Single Actuator

The Lenco 15170-001 LED Indicator Integrated Tactile Switch Kit is the modern replacement for older Lenco trim tab control switches. The integration is the meaningful upgrade: previous-generation Lenco systems required a control switch (the user interface at the helm) plus a separate control box (the electronics that actually drive the trim tab actuators) wired through the dash. The 15170-001 puts both functions into one all-in-one keypad - simpler install, less wiring complexity, and meaningfully fewer failure points than the two-component older systems.

What this part actually is. The trim tab system has three functional pieces: the trim tabs themselves (the metal plates that hinge down off the boat's transom and create lift to adjust running attitude), the actuators (the electric motors that move the trim tabs up and down), and the control system (the user interface and electronics that tell the actuators when to move). The 15170-001 is the control system - the part that lives at the helm where the operator can reach it. The trim tabs and actuators are sold separately as part of a complete Lenco trim tab kit.

For single-actuator systems specifically. The 15170-001 is sized for single-actuator trim tab installations - typical of smaller boats with one actuator per side (two actuators total: port trim tab + starboard trim tab, controlled together as one pair). For dual-actuator installations (typical of larger boats with two actuators per side for additional pull strength), Lenco offers a separate dual-actuator switch kit. Check your existing trim tab system's actuator count before ordering - the wrong switch kit will not properly drive the wrong actuator configuration.

LED indicator position display. Two high-intensity LED indicators on the keypad show the exact position of your trim tabs at all times - no guesswork, no need to look over the transom to confirm tab position. The LEDs illuminate progressively as the trim tabs deploy: more LEDs lit = trim tabs deployed further down. For boats running trim tabs in conditions where you can't easily see the transom (offshore in chop, at night, or in rough water), the LED position indicator is meaningfully better than older switches that gave no position feedback at all.

Photo-eye ambient light sensor. The keypad has a photo-eye sensor that reads ambient light levels and automatically adjusts the LED indicator brightness for optimum viewing - bright LEDs in daylight conditions (so they're visible against high ambient light), dim LEDs at night (so they don't impair the operator's dark-adapted vision and don't reflect distractingly off the windshield). Same auto-dimming concept that modern automotive instrument clusters use, applied to the marine trim tab interface.

Backlit keypad. The keypad's button graphics are LED-backlit for night-time visibility - the up / down buttons are easy to find and identify in total darkness. Combined with the photo-eye dimming, the night-mode keypad illumination is bright enough to use but dim enough to preserve dark-adapted night vision.

Plug-and-play Deutsch waterproof connectors. The 15170-001 uses the modern Lenco Deutsch-connector wiring system (the standardized Deutsch DT-series connectors that have become the marine industry standard for waterproof low-current electrical connections). Plug-and-play install: the keypad's wiring harness has the Deutsch connectors pre-attached, the trim tab actuators have matching connectors, the connections snap together, lock with the integrated locking tab, and seal against water intrusion. No bare-wire splicing, no crimping, no electrical tape.

30-inch keypad wiring harness, 36-inch power pigtail. The keypad has a 30-inch (76 cm) wiring harness from the back of the bezel - long enough for the typical run from the helm panel to the boat's main wiring chase or to the actuator junction location. The 36-inch power pigtail is the run from the keypad's power input to the boat's 12V or 24V accessory bus. For installs where these lengths aren't sufficient, Lenco offers extension cables (sold separately).

Low-profile keypad with 2.75 x 2.75 inch face. The keypad's face is 2.75 x 2.75 inches with a 2-1/16 inch round hole cutout - the standard Lenco helm panel cutout size. Behind the keypad you need 4.08 inches of clearance for the integrated control box and the connector terminations. The low-profile design means the keypad sits roughly flush with the helm panel surface (no significant protrusion), which matters meaningfully on tightly-packed helms where every fraction of an inch counts.

Built-in retractor. The retractor function automatically retracts the trim tabs to the fully-up position when the boat ignition is turned off (or when the operator hits a dedicated retract button). The retractor prevents trim tabs from being left in deployed position overnight (where they're exposed to dock-line abrasion, fish-line snags, and other environmental damage) and also prevents the trim tabs from sagging down under their own weight over long periods of disuse.

Self-check feature. The keypad includes a self-check function that verifies all the trim tab system's components on power-up - LED indicators, button continuity, actuator presence on the network, and basic system health. If anything is wrong (a disconnected actuator, a failed LED, a wiring fault), the self-check displays an error indication so the operator knows to check the install before relying on the trim tabs in critical conditions.

Instant response. Lenco trim tab actuators use the company's ballscrew design (rather than hydraulic cylinders that older trim tab systems use) - meaningfully faster response time and twice the pull strength of equivalent hydraulic systems. The 15170-001 keypad gives instant electrical response: press up or down, the actuators move immediately. No hydraulic pump spool-up time, no fluid lag.

12V and 24V compatible. The keypad accepts both 12V and 24V power - automatically detects the input voltage and adjusts internal voltage regulation accordingly. For boats with 12V house systems and 24V trim tab systems (or vice versa), no separate part numbers are required. Compliance: CE certified for European market sales (also acceptable for U.S. and other markets).

Install. Drill the 2-1/16 inch round cutout in the helm panel at the desired keypad location. Drop the keypad through the cutout and secure with the included mounting bezel (snap-fit, no fasteners visible from the front). Route the keypad wiring harness through the dash to the actuator junction location. Connect the Deutsch connectors to the matching actuator-side connectors. Run the 36-inch power pigtail to the boat's 12V or 24V accessory bus through a 5A inline fuse. Total install time is typically 1-2 hours for a competent boat owner with the rest of the trim tab system already installed.

Three-year warranty. Lenco's standard 3-year warranty applies. Service runs through Lenco's authorized service network.