What are these Electrical Things ??

[Jon magowan]

Hello All

Can somebody please tell me what these things are ?
I’m guessing they are some sort of fuse, since they are easily exchanged but they look incredibly beefy for my 10m Bavaria Cruiser.
Any information, as alway, very gratefully received.

Many thanks.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Industrial style fuses.

Try finding one when it blows on a weekend. I would replace them with circuit breakers.

 

[rogerthebodger]

R201863 - NH00GG50V125 | Mersen Electrical Power: Fuses, Surge Protective Devices, Cooling & Bus Bars

 

[CJ13]

They are fuses pre-wired by Bavaria for installation of an Anchor Windlass & Bow Thruster.
If you don’t have either of these the fuses are redundant.

 

[noelex]

I would also try to protect those exposed positive terminals with a cover of some sort.

 

[Baggywrinkle]

Interestingly, the visible labels on the wires going to the top of the left fuse and the bottom of the right fuse both say "option BY (Bavaria Yachtbau) 33 C Ankerspill" - "Ankerspill" is windlass in German

Seems a bit odd that both fuses have a wire labelled windlass - may warrant further investigation?

 

[Jon magowan]

Thanks guys.
I have a windlass, but no bow thruster. So presumably only one of these fuses is doing anything.
More investigation required me thinks.
Would others recommend an ‘upgrade’ to a circuit breaker ?

 

[nigel1]

I'd go with a circuit breaker. Quicker to reset a circuit breaker than look for and replace a fuse.

 

[Jon magowan]

Thanks Nigel.
Do I need to get marine specific CBs or can I just source suitably rated devices via Google do you think ?

 

[Tranona]

I had those on my Bavaria 33 2015 with both windlass and bow thruster. The windlass one blew when the motor seized. replaced with the breaker recommended by Lewmar. According to the guy who fixed it the fuses were difficult to source and came in packs of 5. As I was selling the boat I had both replaced. Not a lot of money in the scheme of things and re-assuring for the buyer as he knew there was a problem with the windlass when he agreed to buy the boat.

 

[PaulRainbow]

A windlass (or bow thruster) should be fitted with a thermal circuit breaker, not a fuse. The purpose of the device is twofold, to protect the wiring and to protect the motor from overloading. With a fuse, if you overload the motor the fuse should blow, then you're out there halfway through hauling the anchor, trying to wedge something in the fuse holder. If you rate the fuse high enough not to blow when the windlass is overloaded you can damage the windlass motor. Very poor choice of equipment on the part of Bavaria.

Ref the choice of circuit breaker, i would not use a cheap Ebay one, get something with a brand name on it, Busman would be a good start.

 

[Jon magowan]

Thanks guys. I’m very grateful. I reckon I can sort this out myself fairly easily, following your advice.

 

[QBhoy]

Surprised to see a fuse like that in there. Especially if it’s actually an original fit. They are used in high demand LV (less than 1000v ac or less than 1500vdc) systems. Not generally on a 12v system, all be it for a high load windlass.
The coloured circle is a indicator of continuity, should it help any.
I think someone suggested a circuit breaker instead of a fuse earlier. Just be mindful that fuses and circuit breakers have a different purpose to one another. Circuit breakers are to trip or break a fault condition like a short circuit. Fuses are for otherwise, like an overload perhaps. Quite important to have a fuse protection on this, I’d think. That said…should there be a fault condition like a short circuit…a fuse can take hours or days or more to even try and give any protection..if at all. There may exist an argument, for both !

 

[ylop]

Industrial style fuses.

Try finding one when it blows on a weekend. I would replace them with circuit breakers.

Unless you do something weird they don’t blow often so having a spare may prove cheaper than replacing? (My boat came with a spare)

Surprised to see a fuse like that in there. Especially if it’s actually an original fit. They are used in high demand LV (less than 1000v ac or less than 1500vdc) systems. Not generally on a 12v system, all be it for a high load windlass.

Standard issue Bavaria big fuse.

 

[KompetentKrew]

Surprised to see a fuse like that in there. Especially if it’s actually an original fit. They are used in high demand LV (less than 1000v ac or less than 1500vdc) systems. Not generally on a 12v system, all be it for a high load windlass.

My boat's 12v master fuse is one of these.

 

[Arcady]

We have several of these on our new build. It seemed standard procedure at the Dutch yard. Spares are easily sourced on eBay/Amazon and are reasonably cheap (circa £5.00 ea).

 

[Jon magowan]

Thank you !

 

[PaulRainbow]

Circuit breakers are to trip or break a fault condition like a short circuit. Fuses are for otherwise, like an overload perhaps.

Fuses will blow if there is a short and eventually if there is an overload. A thermal circuit breaker will trip if there is a short, but it will also trip if the circuit is overloaded, even slightly overloaded for an extended period. Prolonged use of a windlass (snagged anchor etc) can overheat the motor, causing damage, a thermal circuit breaker, correctly rated, will prevent this and can be reset in a second if it does happen.

Quite important to have a fuse protection on this, I’d think. That said…should there be a fault condition like a short circuit…a fuse can take hours or days or more to even try and give any protection..if at all. There may exist an argument, for both !

No need for both, a thermal circuit breaker is the correct solution.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Thank you !

What windlass do you have Jon ?

 

[vas]

actually unless I'm horribly wrong they are class T fuses (good for lifepo4 battery banks as well!) cheap as chips (compared to other class T fuses and their housings

edit: when I got them I asked for suitable secure housings and there are only available in triple ones (obvs for 3phase power on factories and big machinery) thinking about it, maybe difficult to find such small 63A spares, plenty of 250 ones though