Set the lift limits

Disconnect power at the panel and verify with a meter before wiring.

Upper & lower travel limits

Limits tell the lift where to stop going up and where to stop going down. On a Deco lift the limit is a mechanical-electric combo switch mounted out on the waterside main beam — not inside the TEC box. A physical actuator on the beam trips the switch as the cradle reaches the top or bottom, and its own pair of wires runs back along the beam to the TEC box to tell it "stop." Most Deco builds also use a mechanical backstop:

  • • Electric limit (combo switch on the waterside beam) — the normal stop in everyday use.
  • • Mechanical backstop (cable stop / cam on the drum) — the seatbelt if the electric switch ever fails.

The order matters

1
Lift dry-fits the boat (or use a tape)

Mark the spot where the bunks need to be at full UP and at full DOWN. Full UP is usually cradle just above water with the boat sitting level on the bunks. Full DOWN is bunks deep enough to float the boat off easily — typically 4–6 inches under the keel.

2
Set the MECHANICAL stops first

Cable-style stops or cam-style stops, depending on the lift model. These are the hard backstop — they physically prevent the lift from going past the point you set.

3
Set the ELECTRIC stops just before the mechanical ones

Inside the TEC II receiver, set the UP and DOWN limit positions so the motors stop a hair BEFORE the mechanical stop is hit. In normal use the boat never touches the mechanical stop — it only catches if a limit switch ever fails.

4
Cycle and verify

Run UP, OFF, DOWN through a full cycle. Watch the cables, listen for the motor unloading at the top, and confirm both motors stop together.

Always set the mechanical stops first, then the electric ones a hair before them. The mechanical stop is your seatbelt — never rely on the electric limit alone.