Broken Windlass? Here's how to fix it.
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ก.พ. 2025
- This week I go through my windless to get it working again. Along the way I tell you how to wire up or repair your own windless along with what parts you are likely to need and should carry as spares.
Your windless is critical equiptment on any boat with more anchor/chain than you can lift by hand. You cant sail out of that bay if you can't lift your anchor.
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Your DIYs are great. Another DIY upgrade is to use a wireless remote winch control module for ATV Trucks and Jeeps. They cost under $20 on Amazon. I installed one back in 2016 which still works great. No foot switches needed or installed, but I do have a wired switch if needed.
Great idea
Windlassbattery is a good idea , on a 45ft boat the cable needed is more expensive than the battery. OR you could have a 24v windlass in a 12v boat, Victrons step up charger !
Most common problem is the electric dc motor, pls make a video about how to check / measure a dc motor rotor 😊
This is a really good explanation and smart design. Thanks!
Excellent, as usual. Thanks.
Nice work Clark! I also like your haircut!
The last one I repaired used a single relay that was reversible however to save money the previous owner purchased an unequal one rated for around 100 amps up and only about 30 amps down. It was constantly tripping the breaker pulling up but would take a heavy load in reverse which turned out to be due to it being wired backwards. Only one pedal with a separate reversing switch to prevent accidentally stepping on two pedals at the same time so at least that was good.
When we double checked with the winch manufacturer we found out that the previous owner was even cheaper than we feared since his Non-OEM reversing relay was only half the rated capacity of the OEM. Of course it was all inside the chain locker with no access from above and a very small wooden cabinet door in the V-Berth that you could barely get your head through so all the work was one handed with mirrors to see the hidden from view electrical gear. We replaced it with a new reversing relay that matched OEM load specs. Of course the old one crumbled to dust when we removed it. All connections were crimped, soldered and marine shrink wrapped once we were done.
Glad we found this out testing the windlass at the dock and not out on a cruise in critical conditions.
Bottom line is never assume that what is already there is correct as way too many (including "Professionals") take too much license with specs to either save money or increase their profits. It's sad to see the Evils one finds in "Professionally" surveyed yachts from major brokers.
Best!
One comment about circuit protection, the windlass control wiring should have its own circuit breaker. This is typically much smaller wire than for the windlass motor and should be appropriately protected. My boat has a Lofrans Tigres windlass with a 1200W motor. There is a 150A breaker for the windlass near the bow battery (group 4D Lifeline AGM which also powers the bow thruster via 400A fuse). The windlass control wiring is protected by a 10A breaker in my DC panel. I have a momentary rocker switch at the helm and foot control buttons at the helm.
Yes you are very right
Excellent explanation! ⚡️
stuff i understand! love it! thank you. I'm looking forward to the next anchor video. I have to find out why my switch or something is tripping a circuit breaker sometimes on an otherwise working anchor circuit. Cheers, Phil / SV Cambio
You're welcome Phil,
Consider sharing the video with friends please.
Hello Clark,
I recently redesigned my windlass electrics. I mounted the solenoids and the remote radio receiver to a piece of starboard, and enclosed all of that circuitry in a pelican style case (Apache case from Harbor Freight), and relocated them to the storage space under the v-berth. In my case it meant about a 2' longer cable run to the windlass, but it got the electrics out of the chain locker, to a dry location. Used 00 cable to minimize voltage drop. This made future replacement of the solenoids easier as I no longer had to stuff myself into the sometimes smelly, damp chain locker.
In your depiction of Temptress' circuit, wouldn't you want the Circuit breaker ahead of the windlass master switch rather than after?
I quite like the idea of a self re-setting breaker, as it is a pain to have to go down below to reset.
Regards,
Mike.
After watching the videos million times during editing I've decided I'll spray everything with boeshild. Easy and that wax is really good at keeping things protected.
I'm too lazy for your approach but seems a good idea if you add some desiccant in the box. Otherwise those boxes trap moisture inside and you get condensation at night. Can be worse than being exposed.
Good job
Looking forward to the next one on anchoring. I'm upgrading my system at the moment. I will never have a problem with my windlass, I don't have one, so unless I lose my gloves or put my back out ........
I'm going to do one more on windless wiring (my switches died after installing the solenoids)
The one I was referring to here was the Mantus toys video. Where I go into spring lines and swivels.
@@Clarks-Adventure Sounds good.
1. IIWMI'D put a 40A? self-reset brkr on the ~8ga charge wire to the windlass batt.
2. In general I find Cole-Hersee an excellent go to brand for quality controlled solenoids & switches of the type for these applications that should last quite a while
3. Dielectric grease on all wet location contacts?
4. Do you keep a P.M. log on parts to change out at intervals?
5. Nice shirt & suave looking haircut
Since the solenoids have a full time connection to positive, it seems like there should only be one small terminal for the low current up/down momentary switch path to ground. Must be better to have isolated circuits for some reason. : )
This way you can switch with 12v but actually control 200v
I have a 1984 scia 50 and the windless corded remote is not work !
Do you think I can find a new remote?
Oh yeah!
Love your channel!
Cheers
Yukon John
If not you can make your own from the info on this video
Great Vid! Thanks
Ship-Fecesious - Lovely :)
Ideal was acquired by Schaefer Marine in 2016. They support them but it doesn’t sound like they have continued to manufacture.
Yes, Sad. I just looked that up after editing this video and the next video where I replace the switches that turned out to be bad (I should have never said out loud that the foot switches were fine!)
Can’t wait for the mentioned videos! Thank you for your efforts.
Great video, thank for sharing. Do you still sell the A/Cs?
Yes they just became available again at MarineDCAC.com
How do you charge the windlass battery from the house battery? DC-DC charger?
NO, it is in parallel with the engine starting battery. So it charges up with the test of the batteries
@@Clarks-Adventure What's the thinking behind charging from starting battery instead of house battery?
Back before I had a hybrid system...
The windlass and starter batteries are both thin plate. They need the same charge profile.
@@Clarks-Adventure yes I forgot that. Your house bank is lithium. Going for the start battery you get the same profile. Smart. Thank you for your videos.
Always appreciate ya'll thoroughly explaining the what and how of the information.
Clark, what's your opinion on mounting an fisherman's drum anchor on deck, one that spools up all the rode and chain.
I've seen it done. I think it would work best with galvanized cable. I've seen that on fishing boats but never a yacht.
Most of the circuits on my boat are switched on and off by throwing the breaker at the panel.
Do the larger currents of the windlass motor require that switch and circuit breaker be separate?
No. It just always was and now I really like the resetting breaker
Couldn't be clearer. Thanks.
Our windlass is 20 years old, but has had very little use; the breaker trips almost every time I use it. Usually if I am pulling in a lot of chain. I try not to load the windlass but if I do, it trips. We have upgraded to all chain and a 65# mantus, but we don't usually pull the boat with the windlass, so there is minimal pull on the windlass, but it will still trip.....any recommendations on where to start the diagnosis?
It could be one of several things
Maybe a bad breaker that is breaking early. Test the actual current draw.
Could be a bad bearing. Does it sound tight when unloaded!
The comutator pettels might need cleaning. I talk about this in some video but I really can't remember. Could take the motor to a motor shop
@@Clarks-Adventurethank you
Instead of using a constant duty solenoid, does anyone make just a DPDT with centre off default, solenoid activated heavy current switch. or is that a bad idea
Seems like a bistable is liable to get stuck.
And I really don't see the advantage
👍!!!
To stop your deck switches from both being activated at the same time... use spdt switches. Join the commons (centre) together run battery to both N.C. and the N.O. to the relays. I try ascii art :)
Up Dn
| |
_________
/ \
+ +
Don't know if that makes sense
Yep. Interesting idea. I just have never seen spdt switches that fit in these stomp switch mounts (video coming that shows this better).
If you found one, please share it here because this is a good idea
@@Clarks-Adventure I was, of course, thinking of guitar stomp box switches (momentary) but they are probably not water proof :) The labeled winch switches assume a reversible relay which can only go one way anyway. The relays that say Lewmar are $300, the rest seem to be < $50. The only switches I could find were $50+ each at McMaster-Carr. There seem to be a lot that are dpst with one NO and one NC in that selection and the price seems similar for both that and spdt. Guitar stompbox switches are $5 or so ;) No luck at mouser or digikey. So yeah, switches would be a problem. A lot of the up/down winch switches on Amazon look like cheap switches in a plastic case with a rubber cover.... one might put just about any switch in that case. I expect they would last about as long as this year's cell phone so maybe the stomp box switch would last longer :)
Dude, you need to tuck your chest hair into your shirt. LOL. I know it is a windscreen of some sort.