Windlass problem

T

tparrent

New member
Went out for a day cruise last week and my Lewmar windlass refused to work. Never had a problem before. I hit the switch and nothing happens, not even any sound.

I checked the two inline fuses and they looked good.

The thermal circuit breaker back by the battery, however, appeared to have popped it's red button. Try as I might, I have been unable to reset it. I push and push the red button but it refuses to stay in.

A boat guy told me I probably just had to wait for it to cool down but it had been sitting unused for a week and it had been several hours since I hit the windlass button (although I really think it must have tripped before then)

Any thoughts? If I have to replace it, is that difficult? (Screwing a light bulb in can be difficult for me so scale your answer appropriately :D )

Of course, the windlass failed when I really needed it but isn't that always the case?

Thanks for your help!

Tom
 
If it is like mine, there is a little arm that will have swung up from the top of the breaker when it tripped.
Just push it back down into the top of the breaker.

Pushing the button will trip the breaker.

Bill Kelleher
 
Agree with Bill. This is the way these breakers work. Also double check to be sure that there are not two breakers on the circuit.

The next question is why the breaker tripped. Was there a momentary short? I have my breaker near the helm seat (as well as one aft). The one near the helm, is on the front face of the bulkhead which is the forward part of the galley cabinet, outboard, above the board that the outboard controls are mounted on. This way, I turn the breaker off unless we are using the windlass. No chance of an accidental turn on of the windlass.
 
Haven't been to the boat yet but looked up the Lewmar circuit breaker and I see what you guys are talking about. Mine apparently did not trip as the yellow lever did not appear.

Pressing the red button also did not trip it.

Any other thoughts of things I can check when I get out there today?

The windlass worked just fine the last time I had been out. Then suddenly nothing. No intervening funny noises or stresses.

I have a multimeter and I'm not afraid to use it. Thoughts on where I should test?

Thanks
 
First I would start at the breaker and work your way to the windless.

Try pushing the button a little harder as it should trip and make the arm rise.

Bill Kelleher
 
I'm curious. Have you checked with a voltmeter to see if you're getting 12 VDC past the breaker? That would be a quick check on how far the electricity is going. You could check all the way to the winch. If you don't have one, Harbour Freight sells cheap voltmeters.

Also, what Lewmar winch model do you have? I had the V600 and it took a dump after a few years because it got filled inside with sand. I could press the button all day, but it wouldn't/couldn't move. Replaced it with a V700, before I took the V600 apart. Eventually C-Dories came with horizontal winches; not as pretty but they work longer.
 
I would start at the switch and it is easier if you have clips for the probe, long probe wire set or better a helper!

My windlass works without the OB running and I don't know how yours is wired.

Turn on DVM and set to DC volts

I would place one probe on one side of the switch and the other probe on the other side of the switch.

There should NOT be any voltage reading
Next, turn switch on and might need to hold it at the On position and take the reading. It is should have a strong DV volt reading and the switch is good.

If switch is removed from the power source, use continuity setting on the DVM is another way to check but need to be sure it is not hot.


A good DVM is less than $50
I have a vintage Fluke and a newer Sears, the latter also measures amperage which is useful
 
Everyone has the same idea. Follow the wires to each item (fuse, switch, battery, circuit breaker, windlass) and check for voltage and loose wires on items
 
So I took the multimeter, tool bag and kid out to the boat. Took a long hard look at the circuit breaker. Could not see the yellow arm that comes out when the breaker trips as shown in all the pictures I looked at on the web.

I then tried to get a closeup picture to post here (even though I don't know how to post pictures here). Poking around to get a good angle, I felt the bottom of the circuit breaker and there was this little arm sticking out. Little black arm. On a black background.

There was an impression in the arm that I could only see once I took the picture and blew it up. It read "RESET"

Flipped the arm up and the windlass worked like a charm.

I'm going to look at this in a glass half full kind of way. At least somebody at Lewmar figured out at some point that a contrasting color would be a good idea so they made the new ones yellow.

All's well that ends well - even if I almost put the boat on the rocks when the engine failed (operator error) after the windlass failed on a windy day.
 
Obviously you were mislead. I have seen these little levers as black, brown and even red. I should have mentioned that...

The important thing, its that you found it, and learned a bit more about your boat.
 
One thing I'm going to do as a result of this is get a multicompartment box to hold fuses and then label each compartment as to which instrument, etc. uses fuses of each type. Much easier to do that sitting on shore than to try and figure it all out on high seas at the wrong time.

I am also going to label all of my wiring. Trying to trace through that jungle in the v-berth under pressure is not fun.

Neither of these changes would have solved the windlass problem but I'm guessing a more thorough inspection of the electrical system would have eventually led me back to the breaker and a desire to understand it and label it.
 
Great idea. You may find some areas you want to improve. For example, I find that many of our boats have too small wires from the battery (should be switch or bus bar, rather than the terminal, and thru a breaker), than is proper to avoid drop of voltage. I usually double up: if there was a # 10 black and Red, I go to two #10 black and reds. (Remember when analyzing any DC circuit, that the "distance" is up and back--or twice the one way.)

I often put in another switch panel, and double the size of the fuse box under the console--they come with 6 fuses, and I put in a 12 fuse box (about the same size).

Also keep a number of spares of each type of fuse--it may not only help you out, but some other boater at a critical time. I keep mini spade, standard size spade and max size spade (up to 60 amps). Also tubular form 0.5 amps on up to 20 amps. Often you can get assortments at auto parts places or WalMart. Much less expensive than West Marine.

Occasionally our boats are outfitted with the wrong size fuse from the factory. It also is much more convent to have all fuses in one box, than half a dozen in the line to the various electronics.

I use a "Brother" P Touch Labeler, and put the label around the wire. I also use a Sharpe to label the fuse box on the outside.

Also for diagnostics, as well as the volt meter, I like several wires with alligator clips on both ends. I have these from 12" up to several feet. That way you can bypass a circuit if necessary, and fix the negative probe of the meter to a good solid ground--and only have to worry about the positive point in the circuit. (It is also nice to have alligator clips or a single wire clip, which fits over the probe on the volt meter).
 
On my brother's sailboat the Newmar motor shorted out due to corrosion while he was on a trip in the Gulf Islands. The housing design allowed water to enter along the joint and the motor corroded and died. Try as he might, he could not get it to work and ended up replacing it. The windlass was only 5 yrs old. Just another suggestion to look at. Removing the side cover, it was very evident.
 
localboy":x5770bqh said:
On my brother's sailboat the Newmar motor shorted out due to corrosion while he was on a trip in the Gulf Islands. The housing design allowed water to enter along the joint and the motor corroded and died. Try as he might, he could not get it to work and ended up replacing it. The windlass was only 5 yrs old. Just another suggestion to look at. Removing the side cover, it was very evident.
Click to expand...

We have advocated covering the windlass when underway in salt water, even on our big boat windlasses. This keeps the inevitable salt spray from getting on the clutches, as well as thru gaskets.
 
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