2006 MS 34T compartment under berth

[sseltzer]

I would like to know what the compartment under the berth in the stateroom is supposed to look like. Ours has the A/C and thruster in a carpeted area with covers that are not attached and do not fit. You can see in the photo there is a significant amount of dust being generated from the bow thruster. What should it look like?

Thanks,
Steve

 

[Bacchus]

That looks somewhat similar to what my '08 MS 34HT under bed looks like except mine is rather clean.
If I recall correctly my thruster access cover (the raised carpeted cover) is screwed in place but I'm not positive and away from the boat now.
The black plastic cover looks like some that MS used for electrical enclosures.
Would it be a cover for the thruster electrical connections below the compartment shown. It looks like you have 2 hatch openings and mine has only one if I recall correctly?

Just a guess but wondering if the dust is from the brushes on the thruster motor?
The other possibility might be degradation of the rubber that is part of the flex connector
If so Sidepower has a spare parts listing for discontinued products available on their website.
https://side-power.com/sider/153/utgatte-produkter-og-reservedeler/

 

[danderer]

Unfortunately I don't have any good pictures of this area but my recollections are:

• Area was always clean on my boat. No dust.
• The carpeted hatch didn't sit flush - that can kind-of be seen in this photo.
• The black plastic *may* have covered the thruster where it extended above the carpeted platform (but I am not sure of this).

 

[sseltzer]

Thanks for the replies. Finally made it back to the boat. The black dust is from the thruster motor. I remember the surveyor making a comment about the heavy hand the PO used when operating the bow thruster. I will try to clean the area and see if the problem still exists.

Steve

 

[Shrew]

Brushes wear. That is normal. That is why they eventually need to be replaced. They make physical contact with the commutator which is copper with slots of mica recessed down slightly. as the commutator spins, the brushes wear slightly and dust is the result. The amount of dust has more to do with over time than whether anyone was 'heavy handed. The electric bow thruster has a shut-off that prevents anyone from being 'heavy-handed' with the thruster.

My 390 is not carpeted, but I'm not surprised if they carpeted the entire sole prior to installing bulkheads. It would have been significantly easier that way.

 

[sseltzer]

Thanks for the quick reply Shrew. I will look into replacing the brushes as the Admiral is not happy with the amount of black dust especially since we are having a new mattress made.

 

[Shrew]

Thanks for the quick reply Shrew. I will look into replacing the brushes as the Admiral is not happy with the amount of black dust especially since we are having a new mattress made.

I think you are missing my point. Replace brushes when they are worn down too far. New brushes will generate just as much dust as old brushes. The amount of dust is simply an accumulation over time, not a result of the age of the brushes.

Think of them more like brake pads or a pencil eraser.

 

[sseltzer]

Got it thanks. I'm guessing it may have been a long time (if ever) since the area was cleaned.

I might also look into installing a better cover over the motor to help contain the dust. Should I be concerned about airflow over the motor?

 

[Bacchus]

Got it thanks. I'm guessing it may have been a long time (if ever) since the area was cleaned.

I might also look into installing a better cover over the motor to help contain the dust. Should I be concerned about airflow over the motor?

I would absolutely cover with secure covers screwed down. W/o tight covers the A/C return will pull bilge air and the brush dust created into that area under the bed and eventually out into the fwd cabin.

 

[Shrew]

Mine is contained within a compartment with a removable hatch. The space is filthy, but it can't get picked up by the A/C. The 34T is the same class of boat, just a progression of essentially the same model over time [350 -> 390 -> 34T/34HT].

Why would Mainship remove a design feature??