Isolator for Bow Thruster Battery

[pearley]

2 hours ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

The lever on these switches can be removed when in the OFF position, but not the ON. A safety thing. When working on the electrics it can be turned off and the key taken away with the person working on the system to prevent it being accidentally turned on. When ON you want to be able to turn it off in an emergency and having to hunt round for the key is not what you need! Since a bow thruster is only used when cruising then the key could be out and the cap to keep the internals a little drier.

 

On @cuthound's boat it might be possible to use longer bolts and washers under the mounting plate to space the lever down enough to remove the key while still having enough room to get it to engage and turn. Alternatively, fitting a new mounting plate in a better spot. Need to be a bit careful, as the gas locker may be behind the bulkhead, so making holes for bolts leads in to "does it pass BSS or not" territory. A welded plate would be better from that point of view.

 

Jen

I assumed that as OP was going to put a heater in the compartment during winter months he wouldn't be using BT do could turn it off.

[Alan de Enfield]

The OP's original question (identify and source equivalent switch) has been answered.

 

He has now slipped in a subsidiary question about reducing condensation.

[cuthound]

Right, removed isolator and cleaned it up, put back, no change. Bypassed it with a jump lead and BT motor ran OK (for the first time in 3 years - the motor had siezed and Cox Auto Electrics of Atherstone rebuilt it for considerably less than half the price of a new one, highly recommended).

 

Will get a replacement Durite isolator as the original lasted 12 years and will drop straight in without the need to modify tne holding bracket or cabling.

 

Tubular greenhouse heater on order. If that can raise the compartment temperature above the dew point, I will wire it in permanently,  so it can be plugged in when needed. That way, like the rest of my winterisation measures, the boat can be ready for cruising in a few minutes for those winter cruises whwn it is bright and cold weather. ?

 

If not I'll have to think again, maybe forced ventilation of the BT compartment when the boat is on its mooring during the winter months.

 

Thanks all for your valued help.

Edited January 12, 2020 by cuthound
Spillung

[Flyboy]

44 minutes ago, blackrose said:

 

But that doesn't solve the problem of the motor getting wet, it only solves corrosion of the switch and a switch is cheap compared to a BT motor.

If the BT motor doesn't like being damp it's not fit for purpose for a boat environment.

[David Mack]

43 minutes ago, cuthound said:

 

Tubular greenhouse heater on order. If that can raise the compartment temperature above the dew point

 

A heater will raise the temperature of the air in the compartment, but will make virtually no difference to the steelwork which will remain at more or less canal water temperature. And condensation will still occur. Probably better to put a reasonably airtught seal around the hatch cover and just leave a dessicant dehumidifier in the compartment during winter.

[Alan de Enfield]

3 minutes ago, David Mack said:

 

A heater will raise the temperature of the air in the compartment, but will make virtually no difference to the steelwork which will remain at more or less canal water temperature. And condensation will still occur. Probably better to put a reasonably airtught seal around the hatch cover and just leave a dessicant dehumidifier in the compartment during winter.

 

Or, drill a hole n the bottom of the compartments and allow the collecting condensate to drain out.