Hi all, just received my B40 2008 today and I was unable to get the bow thruster to work... Everything else worked out just fine. Am I missing something?
How to start bow thruster
- Thread starter Donizetti
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Make sure both battery switches in the cabinet under the forward berth are turned on. If the switches are on then it's a matter of turning it on at the control by the helm. There are a couple of different styles and your dealer should have shown you how to do it. We have the two button type on our 43 and you have to press and hold both buttons until it beeps.
Thanks for your reply Mike. Switches are both turned on, the engine is running...
I have the two buttons (red and green) panel and it seems that there's a little light indicator in the middle of the red button to indicate that power is on. "Push both buttons for 1 second to On/Off" or something like this... Of course, I tried... but nothing happens.
I did not see any switch in the panel to turn this on.
Desperate me!
Donizetti, hold both buttons until it beeps. sometimes it takes more than 1 sec. If it still will not work then check to make sure any circuit breakers are turned on and double check the switchs, they should both be vertical. If all else fails contact the dealer for help. Good luck.
Mike
Mike
Was on the boat today with a boat mechanic and we were not able to start it with the switch located at helm. He started the thruster both port and std manually (from the thruster itself) without a problem... so there's electricity over there and it works!
The switch at helm is probably the problem. More to come this week, I will probably try to get under the control to verify for corrosion.
Donizetti, BTW there's a Beneteau 40/43 owners page on www.seaknots.com. Lot's of good information exchanged by 40/43 owners.
Mike
Mike
Resolved... Beleive it or not, it was a matter of rpm on the engine. A marina neighbor went on the boat and started the bow thruster in a minute while pushing the engine to at least 1100 rpm. He told me it was a matter of energy required by the thruster.
Quite happy now!!!
Thanks to all for your help, I tried different things that forced me to discover my new toy.
Quite happy now!!!
Thanks to all for your help, I tried different things that forced me to discover my new toy.
I will verify
Good idea Mike, I willl make some more tests to see what is the minimum RPM required to start it up.
This may be slightly off topic, but I'dlike to hear your initial impression of the B40, and any options you have
Unfortunatly, I was lucky the other day... It doesn't work anymore. I will try a new battery this week-end.
BTW the boat was bought from the first owner.
BTW the boat was bought from the first owner.
Resolved. I replaced the battery and it works well. It seems like the control is expecting for a minimum voltage or amperage to turn on. (MaxPower)
I hope this thread will help others also!
Thanks all!
I hope this thread will help others also!
Thanks all!
Limited Battery Capacity
On my B46 the bowthruster battery is fairly small (group 27 I think). I have found that unless I shut off the bowthruster battery switches while under sail this battery is drawn down in parallel with the house battery by the electronics (chartplotter, radar, autopilot, etc.). Over the course of a day's sailing the draw down could be sufficient to essentially drain the battery to the point that the BT would not operate.
The end result was that the BT would cut out while docking at the end of the day. I would then need to raise the engine RPMs to get the alternator output sufficiently high to energize the BT. Since I do not like to dock at high speed (for obvious reasons) I have become hyper-sensitive to the issue and always turn off the BT battery switches immediately after setting the sails.
On my B46 the bowthruster battery is fairly small (group 27 I think). I have found that unless I shut off the bowthruster battery switches while under sail this battery is drawn down in parallel with the house battery by the electronics (chartplotter, radar, autopilot, etc.). Over the course of a day's sailing the draw down could be sufficient to essentially drain the battery to the point that the BT would not operate.
The end result was that the BT would cut out while docking at the end of the day. I would then need to raise the engine RPMs to get the alternator output sufficiently high to energize the BT. Since I do not like to dock at high speed (for obvious reasons) I have become hyper-sensitive to the issue and always turn off the BT battery switches immediately after setting the sails.
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