Replacement Vetus Bow and Stern Thruster Motors

[sndog]

I was wondering if anyone knew of any sources for replacement Vetus thruster motors. I currently have the 11kw (24v@450A), and would like to upgrade to new, brushless motors, preferably 48V, but the price from Vetus is a bit too difficult to swallow.

Thank you in advance

 

[Irish Rambler]

I have Vetus bow thruster fitted and I wouldn't fit another one. Its under the bed in the forecabin and when we removed the cover to replace the brushes in the motor the whole place was covered in carbon dust, it took a whole afternoon to clean the mess and our clothes had to be dumped.
After all the cleaning, replacing brushes we used an old bedsheet clipped like a tent over the motor which allows it to breath but still catch the carbon dust.
Read the small print on the brushless motors thrusters, you'd assume they'd run much much longer being brushless, in fact where the old motors had a thermal cutout and shutdown, instead of a thermal cutout shutting down the motor the brushless close down to half power.
The other problem I have with them is the fact they use a plastic propeller which goes brittle over time and the blades break off.
When this ones expires I'm going to fit a p.t.o. on the gearbox and fit a hydraulic one.
Thats just my experience with them.

 

[sndog]

I have Vetus bow thruster fitted and I wouldn't fit another one. Its under the bed in the forecabin and when we removed the cover to replace the brushes in the motor the whole place was covered in carbon dust, it took a whole afternoon to clean the mess and our clothes had to be dumped.
After all the cleaning, replacing brushes we used an old bedsheet clipped like a tent over the motor which allows it to breath but still catch the carbon dust.
Read the small print on the brushless motors thrusters, you'd assume they'd run much much longer being brushless, in fact where the old motors had a thermal cutout and shutdown, instead of a thermal cutout shutting down the motor the brushless close down to half power.
The other problem I have with them is the fact they use a plastic propeller which goes brittle over time and the blades break off.
When this ones expires I'm going to fit a p.t.o. on the gearbox and fit a hydraulic one.
Thats just my experience with them.

Thank you for the information. As much as I would like hydraulic, the cost to convert is substantial

 

[Irish Rambler]

Just a suggestion check out Wesmar for recon units who probably have a dealer near you.
Here in Europe we tend to use a Dutch company Drinkward marine who are very efficient their recon units work out much cheaper.
email is www.info@drinkward.com
I hope this is helpful.

 

[Pascall]

I have Vetus bow thruster fitted and I wouldn't fit another one. Its under the bed in the forecabin and when we removed the cover to replace the brushes in the motor the whole place was covered in carbon dust, it took a whole afternoon to clean the mess and our clothes had to be dumped.
After all the cleaning, replacing brushes we used an old bedsheet clipped like a tent over the motor which allows it to breath but still catch the carbon dust.
Read the small print on the brushless motors thrusters, you'd assume they'd run much much longer being brushless, in fact where the old motors had a thermal cutout and shutdown, instead of a thermal cutout shutting down the motor the brushless close down to half power.
The other problem I have with them is the fact they use a plastic propeller which goes brittle over time and the blades break off.
When this ones expires I'm going to fit a p.t.o. on the gearbox and fit a hydraulic one.
Thats just my experience with them.

I'm surprised, our boat is 27 years old with 13,000 hours on the hour meter.
It is equipped with a 110KW bow thruster on 24 volts.
I have never detected any kind of carbon and have never had a ship's propeller that has broken off because it is porous.

 

[Irish Rambler]

I'm surprised, our boat is 27 years old with 13,000 hours on the hour meter.
It is equipped with a 110KW bow thruster on 24 volts.
I have never detected any kind of carbon and have never had a ship's propeller that has broken off because it is porous.

I guess the luck of the Irish has deserted me when it comes to bow thrusters !

 

[luna]

I'm surprised, our boat is 27 years old with 13,000 hours on the hour meter.
It is equipped with a 110KW bow thruster on 24 volts.
I have never detected any kind of carbon and have never had a ship's propeller that has broken off because it is porous.

Perhaps it's a typo unless it's somehow directional (and it may well be, as the Dutch are an ingenious lot) and therefore useful as get home propulsion.
But once you consider the storage and duty cycle issues, I somehow doubt it.
110kW = 147 hp! Maybe 11.0 kW is what was meant?

 

[Pascall]

Misschien is het een typefout, tenzij het op de een of andere manier richtinggevend is (en dat zou het best kunnen zijn, want Nederlanders zijn een ingenieus stel) en daarom nuttig als voortstuwing om thuis te komen.
Maar als je eenmaal rekening houdt met de problemen met opslag en inschakelduur, betwijfel ik het op de een of andere manier.
110kW = 147 pk! Misschien is 11,0 kW wat er bedoeld werd?

Oeps 110 KGF.

 

[Irish Rambler]

Ours is a 95Kg so I guess we're just unlucky. To be fair we've travelled around the Irish inland waters, the Southern part of Great Britain and Europe where It certainly had a lot of use so I'm not disappointed in having to replace bushes, the carbon dust was a nuisance it cutout twice from overheating and the propeller blade breaking off. Murphy's law says that things always break at an opportune moment !
It'll be hydraulic on the next boat with bronze propellers and a grill over each tube exit.

 

[sndog]

Oeps 110 KGF.

That is the same size as mine

 

[Pascall]

That is the same size as mine

May I ask what is the reason for replacing the bow thruster?