Could use some help diagnosing broken windlass

[tml]

Had the same symptoms. on my Simpson Lawrence Horizon 1500. Over several months changed out the motor, solenoid, and switch while cleaning all the connections several times.It would be fixed for a while and then fail again.

The voltage always read good at the windless so couldn't be a power problem right!!!!!!!!?
Well eventually I did as suggested when I bought the new motor. Take the motor that is not working directly to the battery by passing all wiring between battery and the windless.
The "dead" motor ran just fine.I felt very stupid.
The problem was a bad ground wire { welding cable ) ruining from the breaker to the solenoid. Enough connectivity to always show voltage but only intermittently would carry enough current to do more than click the solenoid.
Anyway 30 feet of OO Anchor cable and no problem for 5 years. Bright side is once I got passed the frustration my new spare parts should keep the winch running for a very long time.
Tom

[SwellGuy]

Originally Posted by tml

Had the same symptoms. on my Simpson Lawrence Horizon 1500. Over several months changed out the motor, solenoid, and switch while cleaning all the connections several times.It would be fixed for a while and then fail again.

The voltage always read good at the windless so couldn't be a power problem right!!!!!!!!?
Well eventually I did as suggested when I bought the new motor. Take the motor that is not working directly to the battery by passing all wiring between battery and the windless.
The "dead" motor ran just fine.I felt very stupid.
The problem was a bad ground wire { welding cable ) ruining from the breaker to the solenoid. Enough connectivity to always show voltage but only intermittently would carry enough current to do more than click the solenoid.
Anyway 30 feet of OO Anchor cable and no problem for 5 years. Bright side is once I got passed the frustration my new spare parts should keep the winch running for a very long time.
Tom

FYI - Measuring "at the windless" is an ambiguous description. Had you been measuring at the motor terminals, and not the solenoid terminals, you would have seen the voltage drop indicative of poor connectivity every time the connection to the motor went live with a solenoid click.

If the motor has proper voltage measured at it's terminals and it's not doing anything, the problem is in the motor itself.

[Jhardgrave]

thanks for all of the great input guys. To answer some people's common question: double checked that when button is pressed, 12.6 volts is stable at the windlass motor end of the wires.

I tried the tapping last night to no avail.

Like captmikem said, I'm a little worried about the terminals, I don't fully understand what they look like behind the motor case, but I like the idea of checking for resistance across the motor terminals. This will no doubt hone us in to either internal motor problems or a bad ground or solenoid as others have stated. I will also be taking a wire brush to the motor terminals and ring terminals on the wires to ensure good connectivity.

Will report back after work today when I get a chance to try this. Im also trying to put together a contingency plan for manual operation. The information I could find on this states I need to lift off the drum and attach a little emergency adapter to the gypsy. I will be digging around the boat tonight to see if I have that.

On another note, I downloaded the service manual for the SL Sprint 1500, and my question about brush access is answered. Only late model 1500's had brush access doors, earlier model electric motors are considered sealed, and are to be replaced as a unit. Looks like SL spares in UK is the only place for that, and around 300 bucks. Hrm.

[Simi 60]

Sounds like sheared studs to me.
Had it happen on one of the terminals on our Maxwell 3500 caused by over zealous tightening during install.
The stud could actually be pulled out

Took motor out and off to auto electrician and soldered back in.
Spanner top and bottom when tightening.

[Mike Banks]

It sounds to me that you need to open the electric drive motor and give it a good clean and check and maybe replace the brushes. It is not a HUGE job--but if you are flush with cash--maybe replace the existing drive motor with a brushless version--or better still--make the motor hydraulic--and run it from the engine using an electric clutch hydraulic pump. One starts the engine to augment the battery while using an electric windlass anyway..

But before stripping and cleaning the motor, (which should be done every year at least if you anchor frequently) you need to make sure the relay contacts are clean. I used my deck switches only to activate below deck heavy duty relays. The click just means the relay armature works. It does not mean a good electrical contact has been made.

[Cliffhanger]

I don't know if you have done this but you should check the resistance of the coils. They should be less than 1 Ohm. If there is a problem with brushes or terminal or even a broken winding the resistance will be much higher, probably open circuit.

[Jhardgrave]

Originally Posted by Cliffhanger

I don't know if you have done this but you should check the resistance of the coils. They should be less than 1 Ohm. If there is a problem with brushes or terminal or even a broken winding the resistance will be much higher, probably open circuit.

This is checked across the two input terminals on the motor right?

[Brewgyver]

Originally Posted by Mike Banks

... if you are flush with cash--maybe replace the existing drive motor with a brushless version

Do you know of a source for a brushless windlass motor?

[Jhardgrave]

Update on the saga: with the motor isolated, resistance across the studs was consistantly 250,000 ohms across several tests. Safe to say that's a bit high. So I pulled the entire windlass off the boat (rather easy job btw) and will begin tearing it down on the workbench with service manual in hand to get to the motor.

[BrianGJS]

Isn't is great to have such a wonderful resource to call on? My problem was brushes and a thermal protect. I am familiar with the Maxwell I had and not the Simpson but likely the designs are similar. It was and easy job to remove the motor while in the water as the thru hull gland prevented water from flooding in. Once removed, the stuck brush (not making contact) was easy to diagnose. A clean up, new brushes if available or file the existing ones to fit and away you go. The thermal protect was solved in the short term by a small jumper cable to the battery. I once knew a marine owner who solved a starter problem for a transient boater. After looking at the not functioning starter the operator left and came back with a hammer. He hit the starter and said, "Try it now". It worked! The boat owner asking how much he owed him, the marina operator said, "Eighty dollars." The boat owner said,"All you did was hit it with a hammer." Marine owner, " But I knew where to hit it."

[Group9]

We've had three windlasses go out. Every time, it was the motor and taking it to an auto electric rebuild shop fixed it.

[Jhardgrave]

Well folks, I think the verdict is in. Opened up the gear case to get to the motor mount bolts, and behold: The entire cavity was filled with water and massive amounts of mud from the anchor chain. I haven't gotten the motor off yet, but I suspect this condition persists there too.

Oddly, the gear train was running smoothly when it worked, and as I began to clean it up, everything in there looks fine... I will tear it down and inspect all of it, and replace all seals and gaskets.

I won't do it until I get the motor off the case, but I think buying a new motor from SL spares is in my future.

See images below:

https://imgur.com/a/SQE5s4U

[Brewgyver]

Thanks for sharing the pics. Good luck with the rest of the repair!

[rhodyboater]

I know your problem is now most likely solved but I can’t resist throwing this bit of experience out there:
My windlass suddenly quit and after checking the fuses first, I went through some of the steps suggested in this thread only to find there was a SECOND breaker installed just for the windlass in a very inaccessible space. Found it only by accident with a flashlight!
I assume it came with the windlass as no other circuitry on board was wired like that.

[Jhardgrave]

I have since torn everything down. Two of the leads from the motor terminals to the brushes severed, otherwise the motor looks good. The gearcase is a hot mess as you can see in the pics. working on cleaning that out now.