Brushless DC Motors for winches

[EllisElectric]

I was shopping for winches and windlass, only found Andersen winches with brushless DC motors. Does anyone have opinions about brushed or brushless DC motors?

[Wotname]

As a generalisation, brushless offers more power (torque) for less watts i.e. they are more efficient however I don't know how well they last in situations that have large power requirements. I guess it depends on how robust their electronics are!

[NPCampbell]

Brushless motors are better than brushed in almost every aspect. Complexity and cost being the only exceptions.

1) Brushless motors only have one mechanical component to wear out, the bearings. Brushed motors require maintenance on the bearings, brushes, commutator and graphite dust removal.

2) Brushed motors lose mechanical efficiency due to the friction of the brushes on the commutator.

3) The graphite dust from worn brushes is abrasive causing wear and extra arcing on the commutator.

4) Brushless motors dissipate heat better. Brushed motors have the coils on the rotor. The heat generated from energizing the coils is trapped within the confines of the rotor and insulated somewhat by the stator magnets. Brushless motors have permanent magnets on the rotor and the coils on the outside stator. Since the coils are on the outside, the heat can be dissipating by direct conduction vs convection.

5) Brushless motors generate less electrical noise. If you've ever used a brushed drill and seen the sparking or smelled ozone that is due to arcing between the brushes and the commutator. As the brushes hit gaps in the segments on the commutator or hit corrosion or graphite debris they will bounce drawing an arc between the brushes and the commutator. A single spark is basically an impulse function that generates noise across a huge range of the electromagnetic spectrum. Sparking multiple times per revolution is reaaaally noisy.

6) Brushless motors can optimally energize the coils as a function of the speed of the motor. Brushed motors can only mechanically deliver power to the coils when the brushes touch the appropriate segment on the commutator. You can't alter the timing of the power delivery. This is a huge efficiency win for brushless.

7) Brushless motors can be smaller than brushed for the same application. Since brushless motors have less friction, dissipate heat better and optimally energize the coils, they generate more torque per watt than brushed motors.

[a64pilot]

Here are my thoughts.
Brushless are far more electronically complex and their advantages only really kick in, in very high use motors, motors that run nearly continuously, but for motors like a windlass and engine starter, winch etc brushes are fine