Vetus BOW Thruster 110 mm BOW2512E — Installation & User Manual

Technical Data

The length-of-usage footnote reads "4 min. continuously or max. 4 min. per hour at 220 A (12 Volt)" while the rated current is 200 A (as printed).

Battery Capacity, Cables and Fuse

• Voltage drop over the main cables must not exceed 10% of the supply voltage; the cross-section depends on the total length of plus and minus cable.
• Main switch in the positive cable (BATSW250, or the remote BPMAIN12 / BPMAIN24 main switch with emergency stop); main fuse in the positive cable as close to the battery as possible; fuse holder ZEHC100.
• Give the thruster its own battery bank close to it. Only sealed batteries (Vetus SMF or AGM) in the thruster compartment: sparks from the carbon brushes can ignite charging gas.
• A battery of five times or more the suggested capacity can permanently damage the shaft connections; much larger batteries with very short, heavy cables raise the thrust, so shorten the running time.
• Vetus maintenance-free batteries: 55 Ah, 70 Ah, 90 Ah, 108 Ah, 120 Ah, 143 Ah, 165 Ah, 200 Ah and 225 Ah.

Tunnel Position and Hull Connection

• Place the tunnel as far forward as possible; the propeller preferably on the centreline but always reachable from outside. Never let the tailpiece protrude from the tunnel end.
• Motor in various positions: support it if horizontal or angled, and keep it well clear of the maximum bilge water level.
• Do not fit 2 bow thrusters in one tunnel: it does not double the thrust. Tandem thrusters suit larger boats; on a planing boat keep the tunnel above the waterline when planing if possible.
• Grid bars only when strictly necessary: rectangular section, never round, perpendicular to the expected waveform, overlapping, no more than shown.
• No copper-based antifouling; the zinc anode is a must. On steel or aluminium tunnels insulate the bolts and shaft (e.g. nylon bushes); the gaskets are already insulating.
• GRP tunnel: roughen down to the glass fibre, laminate with isophtalic polyester resin (Norpol Pl 2857), seal sawn ends with resin; wet side in epoxy or 2-component polyurethane paint, then antifouling.

The drill pattern for the intermediate flange is printed at scale 1:1 in the PDF: print at 100%, check the dimensions and centre it exactly on the tunnel centreline.

Use and Troubleshooting

• Watch for swimmers and small boats near the tunnel openings. Never run the thruster without load; stop it at once if it gives no thrust.
• Never switch from starboard to port (or back) in one movement: wait until the propeller stops. With 2 panels, never operate from both at once.
• Running time is limited by motor heating: 4 min. continuously or max. 4 min. per hour (12 Volt). Let the motor cool after use.
• Switch off the main switch when leaving the ship. The carbon brushes release fine black dust: keep fragile equipment away.

[1] The control current fuse is in the motor; a spare 5 A fuse is in the relay cap.

Service Parts

Carbon brush wear limit: replace when shorter than L min. 14 mm (new brush 26 × 15 × 9 mm).