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10. ELECTRONIC CONTROL BOX
Install a fused circuit breaker / switch in the boat's main DC distribution panel marked
BOW THRUSTER.
This circuit breaker / switch should ideally be supplied from a different battery bank to the
one used for powering the thruster.
The installer must protect the positive supply cable of the thruster’s control box by means
of a 8A fuse. The size of the power cables (red & black) depends on the length of the
cable run, the voltage drop in these cables should not exceed 5% of the nominal battery
voltage.
For safety reasons, and in order to obtain all the functions provided by the thruster
controller, an electric battery isolator needs to be installed in the thruster motor positive
supply cable.
Max Power advises the use of an electric battery isolator ref. OPTI3160/3.
If an electric battery isolator is not used then simply seal-off the two grey wires coming
out of the control box. It is important to isolate the thruster motor power circuit by means
of a manual battery isolator after having used the thruster.
Please refer to the drawing “ Relay and control box connections” p. 12 for more
detail on the wiring of the control box to the thruster.
11. CONTROL PANEL AND THRUSTER CONTROL BOX FUNCTIONS
To switch the thruster ON or OFF follow the instructions given in the diagrams on the
following page.
When switched ON the control panel will beep once and the green LED in the red push-
button will light up.
When switched OFF the control panel will beep twice and the green LED in the red push-
button will go out.
The thruster controller provides a time delay between left and right thrust in order to avoid
rapid direction changes. There is no delay when thrusting to same side.
If the thruster motor overheats the control panel will start beeping and the green LED will
flash until the thruster motor has cooled down.
As soon as the overheating alarm sounds, there are 10 seconds of actual thruster use
before the unit automatically shuts down. It will then not be possible to switch the thruster
on until the motor has cooled down.
If the thruster has not been used for a period of thirty minutes it will automatically
switch itself off.
Before switching off automatically the control panel will beep once followed by a second
beep a few seconds later, after which the thruster switches itself off.
In order to isolate the thruster motor power circuit, as described in the previous two
paragraphs, it is necessary to install an electric battery isolator, as advised by Max
Power.
Please consult the "Electrical installation" diagram p. 11 for more information
