TAPS hoses 2000 21V

[R&T Babich]

The TAPS pump in our 2000 21V is mounted in the right rear compartment where I would like to mount a 2nd battery. The 1/4" black plastic hydraulic hoses come off the pump, make a large loop in the compartment, pass under the board the pump is secured to and go down into the bilge. These hoses are probably twice as long as they need to be. With a few brass fittings the pump output could be routed around the corner of the housing and make a straight shot to the rams eliminating the large loops (and as a plus providing 2 spare hoses).
1. Are the loops or length of line required for anything? I know the loops prevent kinking.
2. How does the TAPS fluid flow work? It seems the pump must push fluid into the rams to get them to extend, then must suck the fluid back to reverse direction.
3. There is a glob of some sort of putty where the hoses go thru the transom to the rams. There is probably another compression fitting under the glob. Anybody taken one apart?

[Moki]

R&T,
I don't have the answers you are looking for, but I asked the question on the forum as to where to put the second battery and it was suggested to put it in the left rear compartment with the other battery.

[dogbert]

Re: TAPS hoses 2000 21V

Originally posted by R&T Babich
The TAPS pump in our 2000 21V is mounted in the right rear compartment where I would like to mount a 2nd battery. The 1/4" black plastic hydraulic hoses come off the pump, make a large loop in the compartment, pass under the board the pump is secured to and go down into the bilge. These hoses are probably twice as long as they need to be. With a few brass fittings the pump output could be routed around the corner of the housing and make a straight shot to the rams eliminating the large loops (and as a plus providing 2 spare hoses).
1. Are the loops or length of line required for anything? I know the loops prevent kinking.
2. How does the TAPS fluid flow work? It seems the pump must push fluid into the rams to get them to extend, then must suck the fluid back to reverse direction.
3. There is a glob of some sort of putty where the hoses go thru the transom to the rams. There is probably another compression fitting under the glob. Anybody taken one apart?

I have pretty much the same boat as you and did the second battery install myself. All I had to do was unscrew the mounting plate (it's a plastic covered board) and move the entire thing over towards the gunwhale (so, if you're looking at it from the opening, to the left). I then mounted the battery box to the same location that the TAPS mount plate was attached to. I didn't have to change anything about my TAPS system and 200 hrs later, it's still working like a champ.

I can take a picture this weekend if that will help.

[R&T Babich]

Hi, Moki & dogbert,
I've trial fitted the aux battery box in both compartments and it just fits better in the right rear. I have some other upgrades I want to make and having the aux battery in the right rear would be best. I have to repair one of the hydraulic hose ends on the TAPS pump because even though there is a large loop to help prevent kinking the hose comes out of the pump, forward into the access panel and is kinked at the fitting. The oil has been leaking and the plate is not moving. Easy fix - remove fitting, trim hose, replace fitting (might need new ferrule).
1. What kind of hose is the TAPS hydraulic hose? It looks like some sort of black nylon ice maker type hose.
2. Where can I get a small piece of the plastic coated wood used under the TAPS pump? Tige factory, maybe.
I think I'm going to leave the TAPS pump where it is and cleanup the hoses. The aux battery will drop right in once I fill in the floor. We've had our Tige a couple of weeks now and I'm still scoping out projects. I can't believe how many wires are hanging down low in the bilge - starter cables, bilge pump, main engine harnes, etc. This boat has had no mods done to it, but I can see it's going to take awhile to detail it out right.

[dogbert]

I would think you could get the hose at your local dealer or contact lee on this board. As for the mounting board, I'd just replace it with marine grade plywood of the same thickness.

[R&T Babich]

UPDATE: The TAPS actuator hoses are a high pressure (1,800 psi) 1/4" nylon tubing. Self aligning (1400 psi) 1/4" brass compression fittings should be used instead of the standard (300 psi) fittings used for "ice maker" lines. The lines can be of any length, just try to make them as close to equal length as possible. I'm eliminating the large loops of hose in the compartment by using 2 18" PTFE braided SS covered hoses (3000 psi, McMaster) that can make tight bends. The pump is used to create pressure to extend the actuators 1 1/8". The actuators in other applications can extend more than 3", but were limited per Tige specs. To retract the actuator the pump relieves the fluid pressure and a spring in the actuator retracts it. The spring was compressed when the actuator was extended. The working fluid can be any auto trans fluid. The green wire coming from one of the actuators is the position sensor line. The TAPS gauge (Faria shell, Bennett insides) is measuring the inductance of a coil/wiper assembly. Varying inductance causes deflection of the gauge needle. One of my actuators is leaking and Bennett sent me an O-ring set and plastic retainer clip for free, which was really nice of them.