Vetus Bow Thruster - Dead (?)

[rondds]

I have a Vetus BOW-9524 7" Bow Thruster which has functioned flawlessly since I purchased this boat in April of 2013. I don't use it all that often so periodically I'll give a couple of quick bursts at the dock. Today I tried this and nothing happened. The joystick LED illuminates and beeps, but nothing happens when the joystick is moved. There is 25volts at the batteries and at the terminals on the motor (see the heavy cable marked B-1 below). Read the manual - there are two fuses - one in line with the red battery cable which leads to the motor. That is not blown. Another 5amp one (similar to the ones in a car) in the side of the motor, which is also intact. There is no clicking, no relays, no sound what-so-ever from the motor. I spun the shaft from inside the boat and it is freely movable.

It worked 2 weeks ago.


The round light to right corner comes on, blinks and beeps when the button to the left is pressed...

25v at the heavy beige cables...

Something is wired into the harness (see black electrical tape) that plugs in to the left below. Not sure what that is...

 

[moparlvr4406]

did you try tapping on the motor to see if it might be on a dead bar ??
I would guess the black inline thing is a diode to prevent feedback

 

[rondds]

Didn't tap but spun it. Wouldn't that accomplish the same thing?
Is 25.xx volts enough? These two batteries have their own dedicated charger. (the 10 amp Charles to the left)

 

[CRUZ'N]

Have you tried reconnecting the plug to the back side of the joy stick ? Tim

 

[rondds]

I have not. I did unplug and replug in the cable at the motor end.

Read this in another thread

Once the rocker switch is engaged, You can try pushing the button twice in succession at the base of the joystick. I believe an amber light will come on indicating joystick is now active. That is how it works on my boat.

I don't have a rocker switch. Just the joystick.

 

[moparlvr4406]

Didn't tap but spun it. Wouldn't that accomplish the same thing?
Is 25.xx volts enough? These two batteries have their own dedicated charger. (the 10 amp Charles to the left)

not if a brush were stuck in the holder off the armature.

 

[rondds]

Is there a way to bypass the joystick and engage the solenoid - ie: jump it at the motor to see if the motor is operational?

 

[IanBat]

I would be looking at the solenoid, that's the black box on the side of the motor.

It should be clicking when you operate left to right.

I can't see how many heavy battery cables are connected to it or the hook up to describe how to bypass it. But with a heavy screwdriver you can short across the terminals if the motor is ok it will spin. Need to know where the cables are coming and going though, as I would hate to get you to short straight from power to negative!

The solenoid is different to a starter solenoid as it is a reversing solenoid, depending which way the solenoid moves, depends which way the motor spins.

The two smaller wires with spade connectors are the trigger wires they should engage port or starboard thrust dependant which one is powered, again you can test those with a test light or multimeter. When you move the joystick one of the should have power, move the joystick the other way the other should have power.



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[CRUZ'N]

Is there a way to bypass the joystick and engage the solenoid - ie: jump it at the motor to see if the motor is operational?

You can bypass the joy stick and/or the solenoid. Mine are Imtra/Sidepower, different set up with remote solenoids, but similar wiring schematic. Since you had PWR to the motor terminal, I would think your on the right track. Solenoid and/or joystick/connections. Good luck, Tim

 

[rondds]

Would be great to have a wiring schematic for this thing. Nothing in the manual.
I guess next step is to have someone man the joystick while I check voltage on those push-on terminals.
I doubt BOTH solenoids would die at the same time.
Not sure what terminals to touch to bypass the solenoids - that is the problem!

 

[IanBat]

Would be great to have a wiring schematic for this thing. Nothing in the manual.
I guess next step is to have someone man the joystick while I check voltage on those push-on terminals.
I doubt BOTH solenoids would die at the same time.
Not sure what terminals to touch to bypass the solenoids - that is the problem!

Haven't worked on the Vetus, my brother in laws has the Sidewinder, and yes when the solenoid went it wasn't very old. His was a PIA, the solenoid was in the engine room, well away from the motor, mounted under the steps. The replacement solenoid was a changed design. I had to pull the new one and the old one apart and make one out of two as we couldn't relocate it............and I was supposedly on holidays!

You can make a short jump lead to test the solenoids, only needs to be 12" long, if you can put a spade terminal on one end great. Otherwise just bared at both ends will do it.

Remove those 2 small wires. You tested the battery leads and said you have 24v there. So using the terminal that is showing you voltage. Use the jump lead from that terminal to one of the spade terminals those small wires are on.

You only need to touch it, the solenoid should engage. Then try the other terminal.




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[rondds]

So basically touch a lead from the positive of the battery to one of those spade (blue or black wire) terminals and see if it engages. Sounds simple enough. Thanks Ian.

 

[testlab]

So basically touch a lead from the positive of the battery to one of those spade (blue or black wire) terminals and see if it engages. Sounds simple enough. Thanks Ian.

Just before you do that I would check with a multimeter or a test light to make sure you aren't going to short out the control. I see you're online so I will explain more in a few minutes.

 

[testlab]

Just before you do that I would check with a multimeter or a test light to make sure you aren't going to short out the control. I see you're online so I will explain more in a few minutes.

What Ian said is quite valid and I missed him saying disconnect the wires from the control. Some of the reversing solenoids are not centre tapped or independent coils, instead they work by polarity being reversed to the coil by the control. So connecting + to just one terminal with a jumper may not test it.

Do this first... Make up a test light with a bulb or buy one of those test probes that look like a screw driver. disconnect the two thin wires coming from the control harness that go to the solenoid (blue and black).

1. Put the test light across these two wires and operate the control at the helm in each direction and make a note if the test light comes on or not.

2. Next connect the light between each wire to ground (-) and make a note of which direction cause the light to come on for each wire if it doesn't illuminate at all.

If the test light never illuminates in any of these test you have a problem further back toward the helm station.

If it illuminates for both directions during test 1 then the solenoid is reversed by the control reversing the polarity. There is nothing wrong with the helm control and it is likely a dead solenoid or motor. See test 3 below.

If it illuminates for each wire in one direction only during test 2 then the control station is OK and putting + on one terminal or the other makes the solenoid pull one direction or the other. If the solenoid was faulty then it should work in only one direction. It would be unlikely both coils have gone open circuit.

Test 3 involves putting the light across the heavy cables going to the motor itself (you could do this test first if you wish) and seeing the light comes on in either direction. If it glows at full brightness, you may have a dead motor (open circuit) or a stuck brush. If it glows dimmer than full brightness and doesn't turn then the motor may have an open circuit winding. If it doesn't glow at all then you have a dud solenoid (verify with tests 1 and 2 to rule out a control station problem).

Hope this helps.

 

[alnav]

Just making sure but are you pushing the button twice to enable the joystick? I have the same control and it sometimes is tricky to get started. I have to push the button once, then make sure the light blinks, then push it again and makes sure the light goes steady. Then my thruster is ready to use.

 

[rondds]

Testlab
Helps greatly. Thanks. Now, to find a 24 volt DC Bulb! Instead of a light can I use the multimeter and see if there's voltage when the joystick is pushed?

Al
Yes. I hit the button once and it beeps and flashes. Hit it again and the beeps stop, the light steadies up and then the thruster is ready to use. Has been working all summer just fine. Weird.

 

[testlab]

Testlab
Helps greatly. Thanks. Now, to find a 24 volt DC Bulb! Instead of a light can I use the multimeter and see if there's voltage when the joystick is pushed?

Al
Yes. I hit the button once and it beeps and flashes. Hit it again and the beeps stop, the light steadies up and then the thruster is ready to use. Has been working all summer just fine. Weird.

Just put two 12V light globes in series. Or get a couple of cheap 5mm LEDs (just the common panel indicator type) and wire them in parallel but with them facing opposite (anode to cathode) and with a 1200 ohm half watt resistor in series. If you make the LEDs different colours then it indicates polarity too. A simple diagram may show what I mean. Best I can do from an ipad for now.

----------->----------------1200---------
| |
------<-------

 

[rondds]

Got it. Thanks again.
Prob not going to get to it this weekend. Coming out today. Will follow up on this later on.

 

[carterchapman]

Coming out today.

Sorry for the sad news, Ron.

 

[rondds]

It's OK Carter...thanks.

To every thing, turn turn turn, there is a season...

My friend thinks my problem is voltage - specifically, not enough. He says his reads 27 volts. Possibility???