BOW THRUSTER

[DAVEWAXX]

Does any one have a problem with intermitient boaw thruster and what is solutiion??

My is cutting out and clicks then after I drive a little it works agian.

Any help will work.

JP

[Maye Marie]

This weekend mine went down backing into my slip. I could hear the relay clicking with no response from the motor.

I took a mask under the boat to make sure the propeller was free and nothing jammed. I could spin the propeller freely. Next I took an electrical tester and tested electrical supply to the feed side of the relay and got the twelve volts needed. I checked the other side of the relay when activated and found the rely working OK. I then suspected wire connections on the motor.

Found the ground lug on motor lose. Removed and could see evidence of some arcing and corrosion. Removed all connections too the motor, cleaned, lubed and put them back together. The bow thruster seems to be working fine.

Lots of electric current needed to run the thruster motor. Any type of resistance due to some corrosion or loose connection would create an arc and you then would lose all continuity. This could also account for yours to be operational intermittently. I would take a look and clean your connectors.

I was not happy with the order the wires were put together on the lugs for connection to the motor on mine. They had the power lead for the motor on top of the power lead for the relay and the same order for the ground. When I put back together I made sure the power and ground for the motor were put on their perspective lugs first and tightened down with the large nut. I then installed the power leads for the relays and tightened them down with the smaller locking nut. I wanted to make sure I had the best connection I could get for the large power needed for the motor. The relay does not draw as much so it is not as much of a concern.

Hope this helps

[SkipperB]

I have had the same problem for the past couple of weeks also the power of the thruster seemed to progressively drop off after several uses.I have checked the brushes and connections etc..This morning it just quit after 1 use ,the power leads were loose and also found one of the power leads from the relay to the motor/brush area was run on the wrong side of the housing in the internal brush area.Rerouted the wire,cleaned and tightened all terminals etc...
WOW the thruster has never performed this good.

[chiefrcd]

Yep, had the same issue a while back. Corroded connections and a weak battery will both cause the same symptoms. I'd check out the electrical side before I did anything to the thruster itself...it's the cheapest way to go.