Lewmar 185 TT bow thruster

[Ian_Edwards]

Hi,
I have a Lewmar 185 TT bow thruster whish only works in one direction.
The thruster is IP66 rated.
I've been through the Lewmar fault finding guide, and it looks like it's the "motor", ie the combination of the electric motor and the contactor.
Since the motor spins in one direction, it seems likely that it's a fault in the contactor.
I've had this happen before, with a previous bow thruster motor. I took it to a local (Aberdeen) company about 10 years ago, who service offshore electrical equipment and they got one of their retired ex employ to look at it. Unfortunately he's no longer available. they don't have anyone who can work on these low voltage high current electric 12v, 500amp) motors, they are all higher voltage and inverter driven now.

The contactor is an Albright DC182-682L.
I can see them for sale online for £500+, which is about a third of the price of a complete new MK2 thruster.




I think it's a rusted contact not moving, and from memory, that was the problem with the previous one.
I believe it is possible to disassemble these units, but it doesn't look to be that obvious how you do that.
I emailed Albright UK's technical help line two weeks ago, but haven't had a reply.
Any ideas on how to disassemble the contactor?
Or other wise free the rusted component?
I had through of soaking it in diesel and the tapping it with a hammer?

 

[Stemar]

I don't know anything about bowthrusters, but my windlass has a motor that turns both ways and uses a relatively reasonable solenoid to control it

https://www.nootica.com/chandlery/m...eferer=gshopping&utm_term=275657&currency=EUR

Could you get creative with something like that?

 

[Plum]

Hi,
I have a Lewmar 185 TT bow thruster whish only works in one direction.
The thruster is IP66 rated.
I've been through the Lewmar fault finding guide, and it looks like it's the "motor", ie the combination of the electric motor and the contactor.
Since the motor spins in one direction, it seems likely that it's a fault in the contactor.
I've had this happen before, with a previous bow thruster motor. I took it to a local (Aberdeen) company about 10 years ago, who service offshore electrical equipment and they got one of their retired ex employ to look at it. Unfortunately he's no longer available. they don't have anyone who can work on these low voltage high current electric 12v, 500amp) motors, they are all higher voltage and inverter driven now.

The contactor is an Albright DC182-682L.
I can see them for sale online for £500+, which is about a third of the price of a complete new MK2 thruster.

View attachment 173438
View attachment 173439

I think it's a rusted contact not moving, and from memory, that was the problem with the previous one.
I believe it is possible to disassemble these units, but it doesn't look to be that obvious how you do that.
I emailed Albright UK's technical help line two weeks ago, but haven't had a reply.
Any ideas on how to disassemble the contactor?
Or other wise free the rusted component?
I had through of soaking it in diesel and the tapping it with a hammer?

I am sure you will find one much cheaper that will do the job. Albright Reversing Contactor/Solenoid DC182B-530T 828/36436 24V SWITCH NEW | eBay ok this is 24v one but there are lots out there

 

[Alex_Blackwood]

Have a look here.
ttps://www.directpartssupply.co.uk/category_s/147.htm

 

[Ian_Edwards]

Within minutes of posting on with forum, I got a response from Albright ..... coincident?
Thanks Alex, Direct Parts Supply, is the retail arm of Albright uk.
They can't supply the exact model it is exclusive to Lewmar. But I can't buy from Lewmar, I have to buy through a retailer, so you can add at least 2 mark-up to the price, probably 3, because the retailer has to buy through a wholesaler.
But they can supply an equivalent, both mechanically and electrically, DC182-776L contactor.
Waiting for a quotation.
Meanwhile I'll have look around on eBay.
The basic DC182 block is common to a whole family of 182's, all the numbers after 182 define the exact configuration, however the basic data sheet doesn't have a key, so there is know way of knowing what the option are.
The more you dig into something like this the more you learn!