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?

 

[sndog]

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

Because when I removed them during a refit, one of the workers dropped them in the water. I pulled them and rinsed them off. Water was brackish. The bearings need replacing for sure, and was going to look at having them rebuilt. But I figured if it costs me 1k or so to do each, perhaps use a brushless replacement close to the same cost.

 

[Comodave]

Or maybe find a local company that rebuilds motors. In Tucson there was an alternator rebuilding company that rebuilt motors for me. They did bilge blower motors, etc. maybe there is a company near you that does that type of work.

 

[Jeff F]

I had my 95kgf (5.9 kw) Vetus thruster motor rebuilt by a local alternator shop. With new bearings, brushes, relays and minor machining the total cost in Canada was about half of a replacement motor.

 

[BowtomyStern]

I suggest you call USA Yacht Stabilizers. Ask for John Wurst 321-633-0439.

 

[sndog]

I suggest you call USA Yacht Stabilizers. Ask for John Wurst 321-633-0439.

I will! Thank you

 

[more]

i also on ex-boat rebulid motor on local shop. only problem be commutator,side power don't use a normal market commutator. use properties commutator.but on late local shop destroy side power commutator and install normal DC commutator. now we use normal brushes,no problem. cost if remember be 200€.
question who destroy motor.
I and factory destroyed motor because batter ne 4 meter from motor and voltage drop when work under 10v. normally current go up in wire,and wire overheat and burn isolation. and bow thruster lose power if more loss possibly stop working.

 

[OldDan1943]

If possible and you have the batters to support it, get a larger bow thruster. My N46 had a 3hp bow thruster which was totally useless, had a company change to 12hp motor, pushed the bow lickity split.

 

[sndog]

If possible and you have the batters to support it, get a larger bow thruster. My N46 had a 3hp bow thruster which was totally useless, had a company change to 12hp motor, pushed the bow lickity split.

Wouldnt going up substantially cause fatigue in the rest of the system and break it?

 

[OldDan1943]

No. 3 to 12hp meant I didn’t need to run lots. The N46 had lots of 8D batteries. The 12hp was a truck 24vt starter. Add combiner and presto 24vts.

 

[sndog]

No. 3 to 12hp meant I didn’t need to run lots. The N46 had lots of 8D batteries. The 12hp was a truck 24vt starter. Add combiner and presto 24vts.

Do you happen to have part numbers and photos of the combiner?

 

[OldDan1943]

Sorry, that was my N46. I don’t own the boat anymore.

 

[whwmsj]

I just had my Vetus bow thrust motor rebuilt by:

Broward Armature (Vetus Dealer)
340 SW 21st Terrace
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33312
954.583.9888
dan@browardarmature.com

My model:
TSL 178A-676
24v / 480amp
7kw / 3250RPM / 4.5 minutes

It wasn't inexpensive having to pay to custom build a crate and ship via common carrier (too heavy for UPS/FedEx). It only took three days from drop off to receipt by Broward from NW Florida. Once received, it took Broward 3 or 4 days to rebuild and another 3 or 4 days to ship and receive back.

I was told by Dan at Broward said they do not inventory motors and have to order from the factory. My model is no longer available and there is not a replacement. So, I had the choice of rebuilding the motor or replacing the entire bow thruster assembly. Once they tore it down, Dan called me and let me know it was worth rebuilding.

I highly recommend this company.

Best,
Bill.

 

[mkel7]

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

Talk to the guys at imtra.com in New Bedford,Ma. Forget the guys name I dealt with last year but he was very helpful. I replaced my old touchpad controllers for my 20+ yr old side power bow thruster with the old style 3 wire joysticks..got both stations done for less than $300,Mike

 

[sndog]

Great info. Thank you to both of you