Windlass trips Breaker

[Charlie]

Hi All,
I have a Nilsson windlass about 7 years old. I have always used it as a free fall drop. This year I decided to install it so that it is up/down and I can operate it from the helm.

My first attempt at wiring was incorrect. I wired the series wound motor to the reversing solenoid so that the positive was on one stud and the negative on the other. It would rise when I pressed either the up or the down switch.

I looked it up and found that I was supposed to wire the negatives together on the solenoid and the positives to the outside posts.

On the motor it was supposed to have the negative on the center post and a cable from the other two studs to each side of the solenoid.

When doing this the windlass will run in the down mode for a little while then blow the circuit breaker.

If I disconnect the down cable it works fine to recover the chain.

The voltage on the down dropped from 14.4 vdc to 8.7 vdc.

The voltage on recover 14.4 vdc to 12.9.

Any ideas on how to troubleshoot?

[Emmalina]

Are you sure its reversible ?

[Charlie]

Not 100% sure but the installation instructions and the parts list show it as a reversing motor. I don't that there is a separate motor for reversing and free fall on the parts list.

Interesting thought. I wonder if having the drag was on too tight might have been the reason for increased draw.

[Cheechako]

Hmmm, it sounds like it's got some thing wrong for sure. Any DC motor should be reversible, right? But gearing is another thing... Do you have a wiring diagram?

If the clutch was too tight it would break the breaker on up even more readily right?

I would be tempted to attach the "up" wiring to the motor "down" circuit. Leave the other un attached or you could reverse it I suppose.

If that works fine going down wired like that, you have a wiring/electrical issue on the down circuit.
If it doesn't work , something internal is causing too much resistance.

[Charlie]

At Cheechako,

Great minds think a like. Am just in the process of trying that.

So it seems like it is the cable. Fairly new. But when I hook up the old cable to the down terminal it runs strong. Put the new cable on and it blows a fuse. I put an ohm meter on it and there is continuity but who knows how much ampacity it can carry.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Charlie

At Cheechako,

Great minds think a like. Am just in the process of trying that.

So it seems like it is the cable. Fairly new. But when I hook up the old cable to the down terminal it runs strong. Put the new cable on and it blows a fuse. I put an ohm meter on it and there is continuity but who knows how much ampacity it can carry.

Maybe it's the cable end , or possibly cleanliness at the connection? I used to not only crimp but solder those large ends. It does seem weird though, you'd think in the "down" mode it would draw less amps.