Help Rear Thruster INOP

T

Tug@myHeart

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 6, 2013
Messages
67
Fluid Motion Model
C-248 C
Hull Identification Number
1216676
Non-Fluid Motion Model
20' Design Concepts Welded Alum 135hp Fishing Boat
Vessel Name
Tug At My Heart
Launched into Lake Tahoe for the season, Tug at my heart 2009 R25. Our Rear Thruster is non Op, Not a shear pin problem....i mean the motor is not even trying. Front thruster works fine. Now I looked for all the obvious. Breakers. Switches. Called Andrew (thank God there is an Andrew) Tried jumping the 150amp fuse. No good. Still nothing . Like the aft thruster switch at the helm is dead.

Ideas?? :idea:
 
The stern thruster gets its control signal voltage to run from the bow thruster. On Willies Tug we had a loose connection at the cable from the joy sticks to the bow thruster at the bow thruster.
 
While searching for the loose connection Herb mentioned also check for an independent breaker control dedicated for the thruster. When these trip the little button just needs pushed in or turned, depending what you have. On the R27 the breaker control is in the cockpit locker on the port side (genset locker) up by the battery terminal controls. Let us know what you find.
 
Thruster power at the disconnect switch....got it.
Power at the breaker in the forward port locker.....got it....not tripped. Reset anyway.
Jumped the slow blow fuss.....That did not do it either.

Loose connection is what I am looking for I guess. I will look this weekend when we are back at the boat.
 
If you feel it may be the thruster control panel you can always unscrew it and switch the cables i.e. make the bow control the stern and test the actual switch/joystick.
 
There's a four-pin connector in the control cable under the access panel in the cockpit locker along the transom. Check to ensure that has not gotten wet and is corroded. Next, check the connections on the thruster motor itself. Depending upon your physical stature, you may have to enlist the aid of a small friend. There are a couple of forum threads that will be of great value if the worst-case scenario is realized and you find you need to replace the thruster motor. I hope that is not the case. Been there, done that within the past few months. Feel free to PM me if you need more guidance.
 
On a separate note, we have purchased a new Ranger 29 and live in Carson City and were considering launching at Tahoe, but don't know exactly where to launch or where to keep it for continued summer use. Can you fill me in on the possibilities?
 
We had the same problem with our 2008 R-25. I found a loose connection when I removed the wooden shelf that the throttle and joysticks are mounted in. It worked immediately after adjusting the connections. A simple fix that I hope works for you.
Rodney
 
Armed with this Info you all have been so kind to provide. I will be heading there on Friday with testers and jumpers in hand. I have the feeling it is a loose connection. So starting with the last obvious one would be the harness in the locker. Then on to the switches in the console.

If someone has anything else that might help please post away.

On a side note, Anyone interested in Tahoe just send me a PM with Email and phone contact info

Thanks for the HELP. Reno
 
ok, yes the connection under the transom step was disconnected. That was the 1st problem....then the 150amp fuse was cooked for the rear thruster. .... Jumped that. The joy sticks are not swap-able, you can not just take the wire off and redo them.

SO, bottom line was the connection under the floor was loose since the boat had never been trailer'd we have accounted for that. But the blown 150amp fuse has us still looking for a problem.

They do work now when needed.

Thanks for your help Reno
 
I do not know the boat but is it possible when the connector came apart it somehow shorted out... Should be some sign of arcing if that's it as I would think would be some serious arcing to blow 150 amp fuse
Good luck
 
High current fuses do not last forever. They have a maximum number of current surges that they will last.
The metal in the fuse link goes from cold to hot and back to cold under normal operation with starting surges.
Enough heat cycles and oxidation begins surface cracks in the narrowest part of the fuse link.
The cracks tend to propagate with time.
Sooner or later it simply cracks through enough of the cross section of metal and the resistance of the remaining fingers of metal goes up, then the cracks start to arc each time under the starting rush of current leaving a lacework, finally the narrow fingers of metal melts, and it is finished.
 
@ Denny-o Thanks....it looks like that is what happened. Since it was working and the fuse looked pretty bad. Then it stopped working and the fuse was still carrying voltage just not amps. The little wires inside the fuse were still touching just not carrying anything of volume thru it. I have a new one and will be installing it this weekend with a couple spares on the way. Not having a thruster is like trying to swim with 1 arm.....its a lot more work and not that easy. When you were used to the out-drives doing the moving, and the Ranger only has steerage while in forward. The thrusters are mandatory and must work at all times. Inop is not a choice.

Thanks for the input. reno
 
Aug9%2520057.JPG


We do not need no stinking stern thruster.....Nanaimo August 2011.

By way of explanation, just before Desolation Sound Cruise in 2011, our stern thruster died....after eating a loose line. I whined to Andrew when he said there was no time to fix it before the trip, how on earth will I go all that way without a stern thruster? He said just do it, you do not have to have a stern thruster. He was right, so on our return I sent him this picture of Willie's Tug docked in a tight spot with its caption.
 
Levitation":141ud76j said:
High current fuses do not last forever. They have a maximum number of current surges that they will last.
The metal in the fuse link goes from cold to hot and back to cold under normal operation with starting surges.
Enough heat cycles and oxidation begins surface cracks in the narrowest part of the fuse link.
The cracks tend to propagate with time.
Sooner or later it simply cracks through enough of the cross section of metal and the resistance of the remaining fingers of metal goes up, then the cracks start to arc each time under the starting rush of current leaving a lacework, finally the narrow fingers of metal melts, and it is finished.
Click to expand...

This is a good explanation and a good piece of advice for periodic maintenance. This will be added to my maintenance list... (sigh). I will now be checking my thruster fuses for this situation/condition... kind of like needing to check the raw water impeller for splits/crack now and then. Thanks. 🙂
 
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