Load test??

[salty_dog_68]

Does anyone have a suggestion for something i can splice in to my windlass circuit to simulate the load of a windlass motor (60-80amps)?

I would like to put a new electric windlass on my old sailboat. I have done my research and picked my potential new windlass. When I purchased my boat there was a manual windlass attached but I noticed the boat is wired for an electric windlass. I tested the wires for voltage and they do read system voltage (12.5) at the foredeck. So, I am wondering why the electric windlass was replaced with a manual windlass and if, possibly, the wiring is bad(voltage drop). So, what I would like to do is put a load on the circuit similar to a windlass motor (60-80amps) to test for voltage drop. Does anyone have a suggestion for what I can attach to the windlass wires to simulate the load of a windlass motor? Thanks in advance.

[Cheechako]

Just get your windlass and try it. Maybe the PO's electric went bad and he bought the manual cheap. At any rate, you are going for the electric anyway right? So get 'er done, If the wiring isn't up to snuff, you will just have to redo that too.
You could get a starter from the auto parts store hook it up and then return it. "uninstalled" I suppose. But without a load probably wont tell you too much.
Can you estimate the size of the cable that you have?
I doubt the wiring goes "bad", but the ends can get bad, but be replaced.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Just get your windlass and try it. Maybe the PO's electric went bad and he bought the manual cheap. At any rate, you are going for the electric anyway right? So get 'er done, If the wiring isn't up to snuff, you will just have to redo that too.
You could get a starter from the auto parts store hook it up and then return it. "uninstalled" I suppose. But without a load probably wont tell you too much.
Can you estimate the size of the cable that you have?
I doubt the wiring goes "bad", but the ends can get bad, but be replaced.

^^ What he said.

Also, look at the wiring practices in general. If the crimps look well made, and the wires are routed sensibly, if there is a problem it will be something simple.

[OldGreyB]

Originally Posted by thinwater

^^ What he said.

Also, look at the wiring practices in general. If the crimps look well made, and the wires are routed sensibly, if there is a problem it will be something simple.

^^ Agree. Measure the diameter of the copper and Google to find a volt drop / current calculator or use the wirewizard APP to find the current capacity of the cable.

[Viking Sailor]

Direct answer -- Connect three 25 watt 12volt lights in parallel (available at RV stores).

[Bigggwilly]

That would only give 6.25 amps.

[Viking Sailor]

Originally Posted by Bigggwilly

That would only give 6.25 amps.

Oops!! You are right! I screwed up! Thinking watts.

However, he could use a 600 watt 12 volt water heater element costing $28.00 to provide a 50 amp load. (It needs to be in water.)

https://www.amazon.com/Dernord-600wa...AEC2CBKH0W857Z

[VBsail]

100A Battery Load Tester, $20 at HF



100 Amp 6/12V Battery Load Tester

[hobopacket]

I used to use that same tester for a boat rental service that we rented out trolling motors and batteries. Good tool to see the health of aging batteries

[svHyLyte]

For what its worth, 60-80 amps doesn't seem right given the size of your yacht (Parson 442 22,000 lb displacement) but maybe (although I would think you'd want something in the 1200 watt range--i.e. 100 amps).

Regardless of the foregoing, if the cable size isn't printed on the outside of the insulation jacket of the wire, you might want to measure the diameter of the conductor bundle (i.e. copper sans insulation) to get a measurement of the conductor cross sectional area (= 3.14 x 1/2 the diameter squared) and compare that with the cross sectional area of various cable sizes to figure out what you've got installed. We had a similar situation on a similar sized yacht and using the existing cable would have been very convenient except, it proved to be quite a bit too small to handle the amperage needed with only a 3%, or less, voltage drop on a 1200 watt windlass motor. I ended up having to install about 90 feet of 2/0 cable, obtained from Pacer Marine in Sarasota Florida, when I installed our Maxwell vertical windlass in '06.

FWIW...

[salty_dog_68]

Thanks. I took Cheechacos advice and just bought the windlass and installed it. The original wiring was good. Installation went well. I have a functional electric windlass...best investment...ever!