Sternthruster problems - advice?

[Elessar]

Ventilation is an issue with electric thrusters. I have some overheating problem with my bow thruster, I am planning to add a fan that will work in parallel with the thruster. If you will think about boxing solution, I believe that such a side-solution will be needed.

But I would be more concerned with a level of water ingress that a bilge pump cannot keep up with.

This thread is like banging a head against a wall.

If the bilge pump can’t keep up, Mike doesn’t have to worry about his thruster. Just his insurance policy.

Yes it would be nice to fix the leak. But that isn’t the point.

Even if he does fix it, it is a foreseeable event that he will have water in his bilge for some other reason at some time in the future.

For that reason you build a dam around the thruster. I did this to every one I fitted even though there was nothing but dust in the bilge.

Simple.

 

[BartW]

Ventilation is an issue with electric thrusters. I have some overheating problem with my bow thruster, I am planning to add a fan that will work in parallel with the thruster. If you will think about boxing solution, I believe that such a side-solution will be needed.

But I would be more concerned with a level of water ingress that a bilge pump cannot keep up with.

Eren, a ventilation problem on a thruster sounds strange,
in normal circ, you will be giving bursts of thrust, I can't imagine, that bursts of ventilation will cool down the heating of the motor, not even when using the thruster for longer bursts.. (imho)

for the moisture problem of OP, another vote for boxing with a plexi cover

 

[Eren]

Eren, a ventilation problem on a thruster sounds strange,
in normal circ, you will be giving bursts of thrust, I can't imagine, that bursts of ventilation will cool down the heating of the motor, not even when using the thruster for longer bursts.. (imho)

for the moisture problem of OP, another vote for boxing with a plexi cover

It happens may be once in a year but in some situations where I really need the thruster, it turns off itself during the manuever, due to high temps. This is my third boat with thrusters and it is checked and confirmed that it goes off earlier then normal. All possible causes are checked (possibly stuck shaft, faulty battery, faulty temp sensor). It seems that the bow thruster is not adequate for the size of the boat. Fan is an easy try and I will be glad even if it gets me an additional 20 seconds.

 

[Elessar]

Eren, a ventilation problem on a thruster sounds strange,
in normal circ, you will be giving bursts of thrust, I can't imagine, that bursts of ventilation will cool down the heating of the motor, not even when using the thruster for longer bursts.. (imho)

for the moisture problem of OP, another vote for boxing with a plexi cover

No! For the reasons I stated earlier.