Bowthruster problems - works one way, just a click the other

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Cymraeg

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Evening all,

Got a significant problem with my bow thruster on a Sealine T46 of 1999 vintage. As per the title, when I move the joystick to port it whirrs away like a good 'un as expected: push the joystick the other way and there's just a click from the relay pack, or contactor as it's also known. I've had everything apart and cleaned all the contacts and re-assembled ...... I must have put it back as it was before because the result is exactly the same!

From this link http://www.pentamarine.co.th/pdf/Quality line.pdf I think I have a BP800V, although this is by visual comparison only as there doesn't seem to be any identifying marks on the unit.

I have been following this troubleshooting guide http://www.great-water.com/PDF/files/service_notes/QL-Thruster-troubleshooting.pdf which does say that if the motor spins one way but not the other then it may be the contactor ...... if it spins one way then the motor and gearbox must be OK (?) but what's confusing me is the audible 'click' when the contacts are energised, suggesting the mechanics of the relay is working.

Finally I have also short circuited the positive feed to the contacts shown on the PDF as brush terminals in an attempt to prove the motor did indeed function in both directions, but that may have been just silly 'cos nothing seemed to happen.

Hope that's not too much info - any help gratefully appreciated.
 
Unbolt the motor from the gearbox and see if it spins in both Dir .
If it does your gearbox is knackered , if it still the same ( spins one way only ) refer to post #2 above
 
Put power directly to the motor and see if it turns, then switch the wires around and see if it turns in reverse, if it does both then you know it is a wiring or control circuit fault and your thruster is fine and you don't have to strip the motor off, just a quick flick is fine.

Cleaned contacts are fine but are they adjusted correctly, if it is a double pole relay it only takes one contact not to be contacting and giving no power or earth to the motor.
 
I must have the same unit,

easy test to check that propelers are spinning properly is to loosen something I cannot remember under the blueish thin plastic cover, remove the belt (it's a belt driven system!) and see if gbox works by turning both ways.
I bet it does.

I'm therefore in the contactors buggered camp.
attack them with a multimeter and see if signals go through and hi current relays do work both ways.
Problem could be getting spares though you could scap the electronics that do the 2sec delay (which could well be the culprit) from one side to the other and get it manually sorted with two relays.

cheers

V.
 
A friend had issues with his bow thruster on his F36 , but not quite the same as you.
The thruster was weak.
He changed to a new solenoid and everything has been fine.
Bear in mind a weak battery or using the thruster when the battery is not well charged had caused the contacts on the solenoid to be burned in my friends case . He bought the solenoid direct from the makers ''Albright''
 
Cymraeg said:
Evening all,

Got a significant problem with my bow thruster on a Sealine T46 of 1999 vintage. As per the title, when I move the joystick to port it whirrs away like a good 'un as expected: push the joystick the other way and there's just a click from the relay pack, or contactor as it's also known. I've had everything apart and cleaned all the contacts and re-assembled ...... I must have put it back as it was before because the result is exactly the same!

From this link http://www.pentamarine.co.th/pdf/Quality line.pdf I think I have a BP800V, although this is by visual comparison only as there doesn't seem to be any identifying marks on the unit.

I have been following this troubleshooting guide http://www.great-water.com/PDF/files/service_notes/QL-Thruster-troubleshooting.pdf which does say that if the motor spins one way but not the other then it may be the contactor ...... if it spins one way then the motor and gearbox must be OK (?) but what's confusing me is the audible 'click' when the contacts are energised, suggesting the mechanics of the relay is working.

Finally I have also short circuited the positive feed to the contacts shown on the PDF as brush terminals in an attempt to prove the motor did indeed function in both directions, but that may have been just silly 'cos nothing seemed to happen.

Hope that's not too much info - any help gratefully appreciated.
Click to expand...

If you only connected the +ve to each brush contact in turn, nothing is what should happen. what you need to do for this test is also connect the -ve to the other brush contact at the same time.
 
If you only connected the +ve to each brush contact in turn, nothing is what should happen. what you need to do for this test is also connect the -ve to the other brush contact at the same time.

I *thought* there should be more to it than what I did, hence my 'silly' comment. I'd really like to prove the motor is fine before replacing the contactor assembly. Thanks for the info.

Thanks for all the other replies as well, really appreciated. The T46 is a flybridge and I tried both stations with the same result so had ruled out the joystick itself - the relay clicks but nowt happens.

Cheers.
 
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