One less problem right now

[lsearite]

The electric windlass up switch is not working, the down switch works and lower the anchor anybody know what my problem could be?

Sent from my SM-N900V using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Paul L]

Usually it is corrosion on the contacts. Open up a d clean.

[lsearite]

We're having a very hard time setting. This is our 4th try so it worked up until now. ?.?.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[lsearite]

We can hear the relay clicking.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Steadman Uhlich]

You mentioned you are having difficulty setting your anchor. And you have tried four times already.

Windless failing to raise the actor after requiring the windlass to work hard several times in a short period?

Possible overheating the motor.
Possible lack of juice in the windlass battery.
Possible electrical connection problem.
Possible "dirty brushes" or stuck brushes on the electric windlass motor.

Here is a thread that discusses troubleshooting a very similar problem that happened after a sailor raised anchor three times in short period. Lots of good advice on what you can check as troubleshooting. http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/.../t-110688.html

[lsearite]

Thank you.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[FSMike]

Being an electronic ignoramus, if cleaning it up didn't fix it I would switch the wires around so the lowering switch didn't work and the raising switch did.
Hopefully anyway lol.

[Cruisingscotts]

Assuming you have access to the windlass motor connections, dissengage the wildcat, if you are at anchor use a snubber on the chain. Measure the voltage to the windlass motor if the posts are not labled try them both switching from hoist to lower. If you have voltage on the positive posts in resective hoist and lower your relay is fine. If so with the power off measure the resistance from the neg terminal to the positive posts, it should be about the same, if one is reading significantly higher than the other or open than you have a winding or brush issue. I just went through the sticky brush issue as posted earlier. If you have access to the brushes try a little WD40 on them for a quick test to free them up. If you remove the gaurd over the brushes you should be able to lightly pull on them and have them come up and drop back to the rotor freely. be careful pulling on the braided copper lead as not to damage insulation or break the wire.

[uncle stinkybob]

You say you hear the relay clicking when operating the switch? if so the problem is not the switch. It will be the relay or possibly wiring from relay to windlass motor. Switch the hot wires (not ground) running from relay to windlass so that up is down / down is up. got me? use the clutch to drop the hook and use what used to be down to raise your hook. that will at least let you anchor until you get parts needed.

[Moontide]

Clicking solenoid sounds like it could be a voltage issue, caused by low battery or dirty connections. With a low battery there could still be enough juice to run the motor to lower the hook, but not enough to raise it under load.

[bruce v]

It is not a good idea to try and haul your anchor with your windless. It is designed to help with the retrieval of rode and chain. If you try hauling the anchor while it is still set, you are actually hauling your boat (way too heavy a load for any windless). Hopefully you drive your boat up on the anchor set using the windless to gather rode and chain. It is okay to use the windless to raise the anchor once it is freed. If you tried 4 times to pull in even a partially set anchor, I suspect your windless overheated (thus, the down still functional-no load- while up won't work-excessive load. Try letting it cool for an hour or so before working it and do not continue to overload it as it will eventually fry the motor.

[donradcliffe]

Most windlass motors are 3 wire, with a separate hot for up and for down. Given that you hear the solenoid pulling in, and its after 3-4 lifts of the anchor, the problem could well be in the motor.

[Manos1955]

If it is not the battery drained then the motor said bye bye
Never work the windlass under any load but the chain itself and always on a running engine.
And it is very important to make short brakes while bringing the anchor up every ten meters wait for 30seconds