Safety first
- • Disconnect power at the panel before wiring.
- • Verify de-energized with a meter.
- • Follow local code — licensed electrician where required.
- • Always check the manufacturer's manual for your exact model.
Boat lift remote — what it is, how it's wired, and how to pair it
A boat lift remote is two pieces: a receiver box mounted on the lift and a handheld transmitter in your pocket. The receiver sits between the breaker and the motor — every UP/DOWN signal from the handheld is just the receiver closing a contactor inside the box. This page covers the two brands you'll actually see on a Deco lift, how the receiver is wired, and how to pair (or re-pair) a handheld.
The two brands you'll see
- TEC II (tecremotes.com) — the factory remote on a new Deco build. Plug-and-play on the motor side: mount the receiver, plug in the motor leads, power up, then pair the handheld. Up to 20 handhelds can be paired to one receiver.
- GEM Remote (GR1 / GR2) — common aftermarket / retrofit receiver. Same idea as TEC: incoming power on L1/L2/GND, motor leads on U/D/C, limit switches on the auxiliary terminals.
What's actually wired inside the receiver
A receiver has four wiring zones:
- Incoming power (L1, L2, GND): from the breaker panel — 220V on a new Deco build.
- Motor leads: the six motor wires landed per the diagram printed inside the lid.
- Limit switch terminals: two wires from each limit switch — UP-limit pair and DOWN-limit pair.
- Antenna: a black coil pigtail. Do not uncoil it — uncoiling actually shortens range.
A TEC A/C (auto-stop) receiver will not move the lift at all until a limit switch is installed and wired in. That's a feature, not a fault.
Pairing the handheld
The receiver is plug-and-play; the handheld is what gets paired. TEC has three different procedures depending on which generation you have:
- 2015+ Water-Resistant: press the LEARN button on the receiver, then press UP on the handheld.
- New 5-button handheld: set Mode Switches #1–#4 to match. Never press #5.
- Old 2-button handheld: match the CH1 / CH2 channel jumpers on both pieces.
Quick tip: a flickering blue light on the handheld means a weak battery. Replace the battery and re-pair — some models drop the pairing on power loss.
Step-by-step pairing instructions →Two safety rules built into every TEC
- 3-to-5 second direction-change delay. If you stop and immediately hit the opposite direction, the receiver waits a few seconds before responding. That's by design — it protects the motor and contactor.
- Key OFF and breaker OFF when the lift isn't in use. TEC's warranty is voided if a receiver stays powered with the key on.
Remote not working? Start here.
- Nothing happens at all: check the breaker and the key on the receiver, then re-pair the handheld.
- One direction works, the other doesn't: usually a stuck contactor or a tripped limit switch on that side.
- Works up close but not from the house: the antenna got uncoiled or rerouted next to a metal beam.
- A/C unit won't move at all: limit switches aren't installed or wired in.