Bow Thruster Started up on its own!

[Cricket]

Hi Folks,

I have a 2003 530 Voyager. I live on the boat on and off. A couple weeks ago I was awoken in the middle of the night to the bow thruster running. It is a Volvo Penta BP1200 (24v). I rushed to the helm and tried reversing direction and deactivating the station. I also went to the upper helm and repeated this. No effect! I continued to fiddle and it would stop for a second when I reversed direction, then start up on its own again. After a couple minutes it stopped on its own and did not repeat this through the rest of the night. Later, I flipped the master switch in the engine room to be sure there was no repeat performance. This could have been a disaster if I hadn't been on the boat.

Question: what might have caused this malfunction? This could have been really serious if it had happened while docking. The relay? The joystick (rocker)? A loose wire? LoL. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks
Tim

[Midnightsun]

Thruster starting up on its own at dock in total calm while you were sleeping is really going to be a mystery. Do you have a remote control for the thrusters?

[Cricket]

Interference with a remote also occurred to me. A pule from someone's radar perhaps? But as best I can tell the bow thruster is hard wired. But I will check further. I am back on the boat for a few days and will leave them on to see if there is a repeat performance.

Apparently, a neighbors Hatteras 74 did the same thing a few weeks earlier.

[Icango560]

I replaced the switch at the thruster after a friends boat burned when the contacts melted. The master cut off in the bilge welded itself shut and there was nothing left do do, It might be a good idea to look at the contacts on the switch. Somewhat hard to get to but worth the effort.

[Royb]

Remove and inspect the contractor at the motor, most of the time one of the contacts weld together and can be pried apart with a screwdriver. This only a temporary fix as once it happens, after separating will happen again. Interference from a remote which is rare could also be a cause.

[Tbw5959]

Cricket,

Did you ever get this sorted out? We just had the exact same thing happen ~during sea trial~ of a prospective 466.... any ideas/insights would be appreciated, Thanks

[ems05#05]

I have a 2004 466,my thruster started on its own. It was the contacts on the dash switch. I pulled the switch and cleaned then sprayed with contact cleaner, been working fine since then.

[Njlarry]

Hal? Hal? Open pod bay doors please Hal!