Bow thruster not as powerful

[Just Limin']

Bow thruster on my Ranger 25 is not as powerful as it used to be. A diver made sure there was no visible problem. Strange thing is that when I test it in the slip, the second I take my hand off the joy stick, I hear an electronic sound like a ping. Sounds like it come from behind me, but I can't place it's source. Like a computer or phone sound. Am I just loosing my mind or is my boat haunted.
Where did my power go? Thruster works, just not as good as before.
Thanks

 

[South lake]

OK, this probably isn't it but I had a similar issue. Thrusters just didn't have the power I was used to. Then, I replaced my batteries. It was time. And all of a sudden the thrusters were back to normal.

 

[Hydraulicjump]

Bet it is a battery problem. My experiment with putting in a switch to parallel my thruster and house batteries showed this. When they are not parallel, if I a leaning on the thrusters hard, the ACR detects a load and disconnects the thruster and house batteries. You can tell when this happens as the thruster gets weak (audibly), as it is cut off from the alternator. But when they are paralleled with the house batteries the ACR's don't impact the connection (in essence, I have three batteries powering the thruster). This leads to a stronger thruster that can hang in there while I am trying to put the boat into its slip with a 2 kt cross current.

I'd test your thruster battery first.

 

[Just Limin']

Thanks gentlemen. Now I know nothing of batteries. The four closed cell batteries were installed by the factory when the boat was delivered cross country to Annapolis, MD. I wouldn't even know how to test them.... If I could identify the battery that runs the thrusters, could that be replaced alone? If so, or when I need to replace them all, do places like West Marine sell comparable batteries?

 

[HRowland]

This does sound like low voltage to the thruster. Check the battery as others have already stated. Also make sure all connections are free of corrosion and properly tightened. This includes the thruster fuses, mine became corroded and I had to clean the terminals and connections. Use a good anti-corrosion electrical grease on all connections/terminals, I use "NO-OX-ID A Special" with very good results. Each thruster draws about 170A so clean connections are vital.

Is your CO alarm powered by the thruster battery? The voltage changes due to the thruster use may be causing it to reset and beep. It is likely in the cave and would explain a sound behind you.

I have also paralleled the house and thruster banks on my R27 and found improved thruster performance, particularly if both thrusters are used together.

Howard

 

[Irish Mist]

There are a few threads on batteries in the Form, it seems many having good success with batteries from Walmart. Before you start changing them take some pictures of the connections, so they get reconnected properly. Do this even if others are doing the work... actually especially then .
Good luck.

 

[trailertrawlerkismet]

In addition to all this good advice I'd add that if you currently have AGM batteries and you switch to wet cell deep cycle batteries, like those at Walmart (we did this in March 2014) make sure to change the settings on your battery charge to correspond. Lastly, if it is the batteries and until you get them changed out and if you have a generator.....run your generator to keep the batteries charged up when you plan on using them to dock etc....this will keep the volts up and therefore they will perform better. Let us know what the final outcome is.

Jim F

 

[knotflying]

Thanks gentlemen. Now I know nothing of batteries. The four closed cell batteries were installed by the factory when the boat was delivered cross country to Annapolis, MD. I wouldn't even know how to test them.... If I could identify the battery that runs the thrusters, could that be replaced alone? If so, or when I need to replace them all, do places like West Marine sell comparable batteries?

As a simple test. Turn your parallel switch to on. That will give you all 4 batteries together. If your thruster works fine after that, one can assume it is the thruster battery. However, I wouldn't just change it. I would bring it up to full charge and let it rest. Then do a load test on it. Usually the thruster battery is the port, stern battery. The cable should be marked.

 

[Rockyman]

Thanks gentlemen. Now I know nothing of batteries. The four closed cell batteries were installed by the factory when the boat was delivered cross country to Annapolis, MD. I wouldn't even know how to test them.... If I could identify the battery that runs the thrusters, could that be replaced alone? If so, or when I need to replace them all, do places like West Marine sell comparable batteries?

As a simple test. Turn your parallel switch to on. That will give you all 4 batteries together. If your thruster works fine after that, one can assume it is the thruster battery. However, I wouldn't just change it. I would bring it up to full charge and let it rest. Then do a load test on it. Usually the thruster battery is the port, stern battery. The cable should be marked.

I do not believe this is correct, unless they have changed the wiring in models later than mine. In my R27 the parallel switch connects the house and engine batteries together but does not connect them to the thruster battery. The wiring diagram in the manual shows it this way too.

 

[Just Limin']

I thought the parallel switch should always be on?

 

[tugnnaweigh]

On my R25 there's a gauge that monitors batteries voltage by your right knee when you're behind the wheel. I use it to keep an eye on my "available" voltage, and monitor voltage drops during draws. For example, when I'm starting, especially after not having run in a while, I set this gauge on the engine battery to see how low voltage goes during cranking. Also, keep in mind the self protecting design of many electronics that causes them to shut down below a certain voltage, I've often heard it's 10.5 or so but that seems low to me. Hope this helps, rich

 

[HRowland]

I thought the parallel switch should always be on?

The factory installed parallel switch is normally left off. It connects the house bank and engine bbattery together. It is meant to be used for starting the engine if your engine battery is dead, much like a jumper cable to help start a car with a dead battery.
The engine battery is not designed for deep cycle use and will be quickly damaged if discharged too many times. You also risk being unable to start your engine if the parallel switch is On while anchored (or otherwise off of shore power) and you run the house bank down, also discharging the engine battery.

Howard

 

[Irish Mist]

On my boat all the batteries are the same from the factory .. The starting and house all the same batteries .

 

[knotflying]

I stand corrected, the parallel switch on joins the house and engine batteries. Therefore switching to parallel won't be a good test for the thruster. I would go with a load test before I went and changed the battery.

 

[harry ames]

If any of our batteries are older than 4 years, consider replacing no matter how good they test. At five years, you are rolling the dice every time you hit the starter. Batteries are often the most ignored Preventative maintenance item in a boat because when they work, they work--until they don't work. Boat use seems to be particularly hard on batteries. In a car, they enjoy frequent charge and discharge cycles at the top of their charge range. Not so in boats.

 

[knotflying]

I replace mine every 3 years regardless of condition.