Bow thruster randomly kicks on

[Cwalther1]

My neighbor reported that he saw thrust coming from my bow thruster when we weren't around. This morning at 3:00am, it randomly turns on, will run for a while and then cutoff. I cannot find a shutoff switch, circuit breaker or fuse to kill it.

Riviera 2001 43' flybridge.

Can anyone tell me where to look for a cutoff ?
Also, joystick controller does not work.

Where do you access the actual thruster motor and interior workings ?

[Tellie]

The thruster motor will be right above the thruster prop. Look for a very black dusty electric motor right above the props inside the hull. There should absolutely be a breaker for this somewhere. Probably a good time to call in a marine electrician that knows bow thrusters, the turning on by itself is something I'd want to know why sooner than later.

[GreenWave]

If the joystick doesn’t work I’d start there. Could have corrosion or short happening which has rendered it unusable and perhaps creating intermittent connection. But definitely find the breaker.

[Orin]

If the place we are starting at is - where’s the motor? The space between that and fixing the problem is probably not less than a book.

Bowthrusters as well as anchor windlasses are usually on their own breakers off the battery - not incorporated at the breaker panel because they are some of the largest loads.

The bowthruster motor itself will be inside near the bowthruster tunnel. It will be connected mechanically to the bowthruster propeller in case you’re confused. It will have some big wires coming off of it. Follow those. They’re likely stop at some sort of box. Then some other big wires will be going to that box. There might be a breaker inside the box... but likely you’ll have to follow those big wires back to near your battery bank. You’ll probably find the breaker there.

Have you never had to play the game of what’s on the other end of this wire/pipe/tube/rope/hose?