Birchwood33
New member
Hi Talulah, do you know the colour of the three wires? Be very grateful.
Michael
Bow Thruster Control Circuitry
- Thread starter sailoncj
- Start date
Michael
MarkP1
New member
Hi,
I wired out my control box a while ago and it works fine. I just have to remember not to switch directions instantly. It was a VP QL although I think a little larger.
My QL bowthruster ceased working about 2 years ago and I had been putting off playing with it as access is a bit of a nightmare. It involves squirming in as far as possible through the hole left in the front cabin bed when the drawer is removed. My ribs are still sore two days later.
On the web I found this excellent troubleshooting guide
https://www.great-water.com/PDF/files/service_notes/QL-Thruster-troubleshooting.pdf
This guide also gives all the wiring details.
After following this with the help of a friend who is very electrically knowledgable we determined that the control box was knackered. Getting to the connections with the control box in-situ was impossible but it could be removed by bending back the locator tabs either end and snipping the cable tie. Once removed access was possible.
To wire it out I used a chocolate box connector to connect:-
wire 1 pink, (the supply) to 5 brown (switch common feed)
wire 2 green (contactor) to 7 white (switch direction)
wire 3 blue (contactor) to 6 green (switch direction)
If you get 6 and 7 reversed the bow thruster will work in the opposite directions (as I found out so I then had to get in the hole again).
There are then 2 unused wires - a ground and the temp sensor which I taped over.
The bow thruster which had been out of action now works.
The control panel introduces a delay so it is now necessary to be aware to pause for 2 seconds when moving from one direction to the other. There is also now no temperature sensor but since I never use it for longer than a few seconds I don't think this is a problem.
I think it is possible that it could be the temp sensor which has failed.
The original control box is no longer available but I did come across some possible replacements but I wasn't sure they would work and they all shipped from abroad and were about £600 which I didn't think was worth spending on a 25 year old bow thruster.
I don't know if this will be exactly the same as yours.
I wired out my control box a while ago and it works fine. I just have to remember not to switch directions instantly. It was a VP QL although I think a little larger.
My QL bowthruster ceased working about 2 years ago and I had been putting off playing with it as access is a bit of a nightmare. It involves squirming in as far as possible through the hole left in the front cabin bed when the drawer is removed. My ribs are still sore two days later.
On the web I found this excellent troubleshooting guide
https://www.great-water.com/PDF/files/service_notes/QL-Thruster-troubleshooting.pdf
This guide also gives all the wiring details.
After following this with the help of a friend who is very electrically knowledgable we determined that the control box was knackered. Getting to the connections with the control box in-situ was impossible but it could be removed by bending back the locator tabs either end and snipping the cable tie. Once removed access was possible.
To wire it out I used a chocolate box connector to connect:-
wire 1 pink, (the supply) to 5 brown (switch common feed)
wire 2 green (contactor) to 7 white (switch direction)
wire 3 blue (contactor) to 6 green (switch direction)
If you get 6 and 7 reversed the bow thruster will work in the opposite directions (as I found out so I then had to get in the hole again).
There are then 2 unused wires - a ground and the temp sensor which I taped over.
The bow thruster which had been out of action now works.
The control panel introduces a delay so it is now necessary to be aware to pause for 2 seconds when moving from one direction to the other. There is also now no temperature sensor but since I never use it for longer than a few seconds I don't think this is a problem.
I think it is possible that it could be the temp sensor which has failed.
The original control box is no longer available but I did come across some possible replacements but I wasn't sure they would work and they all shipped from abroad and were about £600 which I didn't think was worth spending on a 25 year old bow thruster.
I don't know if this will be exactly the same as yours.
Birchwood33
New member
Wow thanks, I understand it better now. So I have a working touch control and module, but I want to connect a thruster control on the flydeck. I bought a Vetus BpSE2 control unit with only 4 wires as in pic. Im guessing that red and black are power and gnd inputs, but there are only2 other wires, not enough for common, left and right direction.
Attachments
Plum
Well-known member
Thanks but that link to a PDF file does not work for me......... ?
MarkP1
New member
Hi Plum,
The link does seem to have vanished as does the whole of Great Water. I have them printed out somewhere. I'll try to scan them in and upload the file.
The link does seem to have vanished as does the whole of Great Water. I have them printed out somewhere. I'll try to scan them in and upload the file.
st599
Well-known member
Presumably it may have an RC circuit to slow the initial spin up to reduce the inrush current.
MarkP1
New member
Troubleshooting guide attached with thanks to Great Water Marine Systems who don't appear to be around any more.
PaulRainbow
Well-known member
This will not work with your bow thruster. These controls use CAN bus
You can use some of the Side Power/Sleipner controls, this type should work:
Touch Panel Single - Kuranda UK Ltd
Plum
Well-known member
Really appreciate your help. Thanks.