The Power Supply; Choice Of Battery; Main Power Cables (Battery Cables) - Vetus BOW5512A Manuel D'utilisation Et Instructions D'installation

The power supply

Choice of battery

The total battery capacity must be sufficient for the size of the
bow thruster; see the table. We recommend Vetus maintenance
free marine batteries; these can be supplied in the following
sizes: 55 Ah, 70 Ah, 108 Ah, 120 Ah, 143 Ah, 165 Ah, 200 Ah
and 225 Ah.
We also recommend that each bow thruster is powered by its
own separate battery or batteries. This allows the battery bank
to be placed as close as possible to the bow thruster; the main
power cables can then be short thus preventing voltage losses
caused by long cables.
Always use batteries whose type and capacity are compatible
for their use.

Main power cables (battery cables)

The minimum diameter must be sufficient for the bow thruster
in use and the voltage drop must not be more than 10% of the
voltage supplied; see the table.
A main switch and fuse must be fitted in the 'plus' cable. A
Vetus battery switch is suitable here. The fuse protects the bow
thruster against overvoltage and at the same time protects the
vessel's wiring against short-circuits.
Fuse
A suitable fuse is available for the bow thruster, see table. We
can also supply suitable fuse holders for all fuses, Vetus art.
code: ZEHC100.
Bow
thruster
Minimum
55 kgf, 12 V
108 Ah - 12 V
55 kgf, 24 V
55 Ah-12 V
55 Ah - 24 V
Series/Parallel switch
Where a 12 Volt circuit is fitted the installation of a series- paral-
lel switch can be used to:
• connect 2 (12 Volt) batteries in series during use in order to
provide the necessary 24 Volts to operate the 24 Volt bow
thruster.
• connect the 2 (12 Volt) batteries in parallel to the 12 Volt
charging system during charging.
Vetus can supply a series/parallel switch that is already fitted
with the necessary help relay to allow a simple connection to
the Vetus bow thruster, Vetus art. code: BPSP .
16
020522.08
Battery capacity required
Maximum
165 Ah - 12 V
55 Ah-12 V 70 Ah-12 V
70 Ah - 24 V
The maximum operating time and the thrust as speci-
fied in the technical details are based on the recom-
mended battery capacity and the battery connection
cables, see the 'Installation instructions'. If apprecia-
bly larger batteries in combination with very short con-
nection cables with appreciably larger diameter than
recommended are used then the thrust will increase.
In such cases the maximum operating time must be
reduced in order to prevent damage to the motor.
In extreme cases, for example when a battery with a
capacity of five times or more than suggested is used,
there is the danger of causing permanent damage to
one or more of the following shaft connections:
- The connection between motor shaft and the tail
piece input shaft.
- The connection between the tail piece output shaft
and the propeller.
Total length
of plus- and
minus cable
0 - 12 m
0 - 51 ft
0 - 23 m
70 Ah-12 V
0 - 73 ft
If the batteries installed for the bow thruster are also to be used
for other (12 Volt) equipment then the following must be taken
into consideration:
- Both batteries will supply 12 Volt current via the charging
cables and the charging contacts of the series/parallel switch
to the other 12 volt users.
- The maximum continuous current that may flow through the
charging contacts of the series/parallel switch is 60 A.
Never use these batteries as starter batteries and never con-
nect an anchor winch to them.
The way in which the bow thruster is controlled remains
unchanged after installation of the series/parallel switch!
Operation manual and installation instructions Bow thruster 55 kgf, ø 150 mm
IMPORTANT!
Cable
Fuse
cross-
'slow blow' Vetus art. code
section
70 mm 2
250 A
AWG 000
35 mm 2
125 A
AWG 2
ZE250
ZE125