T&T: Windlass problems

[David Hart]

I have the same windlass on my boat. I noticed 2 summers ago that it was
losing power and drawing more current. I took the little fiberglass cover off
and discovered the motor was corroding badly. It was to the point that pieces
of the motor casing and permanent magnet were falling off, pieces the size of
a quarter. Without the magnet in place the motor does not generate the proper
counter EMF and current draw goes way up. Also in this condition output torque
was way down. Normally  a series motor produces lots of torque at low RPM but
not when the magnet is missing. This was on the bottom of the motor so it was
difficult to see but easy to find with your hand. I replaced the motor which
was easy and all is fine again. I was impressed with the internal
construction. They are a well made unit.

Dave Hart
Lake Ontario

--- On Sat, 1/3/09, Jim Boyd <jboydjr at comcast.net> wrote:
From: Jim Boyd <jboydjr at comcast.net>
Subject: T&T: Windlass problems
To: trawlers-and-trawlering at lists.samurai.com
Date: Saturday, January 3, 2009, 1:53 PM

Problem:  When retrieving my anchor the breaker frequently trips.  I am
careful to not use the windlass to pull the boat to the anchor and try to
have the chain/rode slack when operating the windlass but it still trips.

My 42 ft Californian is equipped with an Ideal horizontal windlass, model
CWM with 40 ft of 5/16 BBB chain and 150 ft of rode attached to a 33 lb#
Danforth anchor.  The windlass is operated by a single (up only) foot switch
near the windlass and is powered by one of the starting batteries and is
controlled by a double throw breaker in the panel on the saloon.  It's like
the Keystone Kops running from the bow of the boat down to the saloon, back
to the bow of the boat and repeat the process.

I have cleaned the terminals on the windlass and made sure it was lubricated
as per Ideal instructions but it still trips the breakers.

The wire run from the batteries to the windlass is about 25 ft (if run in a
straight line- which it is not)

I have considered that the existing wire was perhaps, too small for the
amount of current needed to run this 20 year old windlass.

One thought I had was to install another battery closer to the windlass
(about 5 ft) and use the existing wire from the battery to the windlass and
use it as the wire to charge the new battery.

Any other options to consider?

Jim Boyd
Lark
42 ft Californian
_______________________________________________
http://lists.samurai.com/mailman/listinfo/trawlers-and-trawlering

To unsubscribe or modify your subscription options (get password, change
email
address, etc) go to:
http://lists.samurai.com/mailman/options/trawlers-and-trawlering

Trawlers & Trawlering and T&T are trademarks of Water World
Productions. Unauthorized use is prohibited.