Post by Ella28 on Aug 13, 2019 19:29:32 GMT -5
Well, I am writing this pretty well into the season but I still wanted to post my findings on when my thruster stopped working on our 28 Express late last season.
At the end of last season on our last outing before pulling her out for the winter I went to use the thruster and it was not working. No light on the joystick, no response. At that point I said I will deal with it in the spring. Well spring came and I started trying to figure out the problem. First I went to the web and on many sites people said the Lewmar joystick goes bad so I ordered a new joystick thinking that has to be it! Well, it wasnt and I was able to return it thankfully. More testing with my multimeter and then I finally called Lewmar USA who I discovered is right here in CT and they had great tech support. They had me test a few things and we determined I needed a new "black box" which is mounted on the unit itself. So I ordered a black box. Please note at this point, I had not really torn the thruster apart or removed it. Just shot a few pics, etc. So now the black box comes and I now realize that I do not have anything similar at all like the black box! Yes, I was able to return that too! Now, this is where I have to tell you that the first thing I should have done after figuring it out it was not the joystick was to REMOVE THE THRUSTER! At this point she is in the water and I am told you can remove the thruster motor while in the water as the shaft and prop are sealed. So I was nervous but 4 easy bolts later, and no water rushing in, the thruster was out and some more simple troubleshooting with Lewmar and we determined it was a tiny (pinky fingernail sized) thermal switch! A $57 tiny thermal switch! So if your thruster stops working check the thermal switch! Pics attached...
At the end of last season on our last outing before pulling her out for the winter I went to use the thruster and it was not working. No light on the joystick, no response. At that point I said I will deal with it in the spring. Well spring came and I started trying to figure out the problem. First I went to the web and on many sites people said the Lewmar joystick goes bad so I ordered a new joystick thinking that has to be it! Well, it wasnt and I was able to return it thankfully. More testing with my multimeter and then I finally called Lewmar USA who I discovered is right here in CT and they had great tech support. They had me test a few things and we determined I needed a new "black box" which is mounted on the unit itself. So I ordered a black box. Please note at this point, I had not really torn the thruster apart or removed it. Just shot a few pics, etc. So now the black box comes and I now realize that I do not have anything similar at all like the black box! Yes, I was able to return that too! Now, this is where I have to tell you that the first thing I should have done after figuring it out it was not the joystick was to REMOVE THE THRUSTER! At this point she is in the water and I am told you can remove the thruster motor while in the water as the shaft and prop are sealed. So I was nervous but 4 easy bolts later, and no water rushing in, the thruster was out and some more simple troubleshooting with Lewmar and we determined it was a tiny (pinky fingernail sized) thermal switch! A $57 tiny thermal switch! So if your thruster stops working check the thermal switch! Pics attached...
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