Lewmar 2000 Vertical Windlass - Died yesterday

[FamilyCircus]

Hello all. Our windlass ceased functioning yesterday while bringing up the anchor. No sound, no smoke, no smell. Seems as if the clutch is fully engaged because I can barely spin the drum, even with the winch handle in place. It was a blast bringing up 125 feet of chain and a 65lb anchor, by hand. Real fun!

Does anyone have the manual for a Lewmar 2000 vertical windlass? I have no other documentation aboard and can't find any online, though I may not be searching for the right model #, just going by the engravings on the windlass. Any troubleshooting tips for windlass would be helpful as well. The boat is a 1990 Brewer 44 center cockpit.

Thanks, Matt


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[unclemack]

Hope this might help:

http://www.lewmar.com/sites/default/...4a-english.pdf

First check probably the fuse or breaker.

[a64pilot]

Yes, first fuse, breaker, then verify with a multimeter or any 12V powered thing like a light if you don't have a meter, that the motor is getting power to it when the switch or remote is pressed. If it's not getting power, then check the relay to see if it's functioning, if it's not jumper past it to check to make sure the motor runs, if it does, you have either a bad switch / remote or a relay, switch or remote is easy to fault isolate by bypassing it.
I'd loosen the clutch though before I started, and be ready to trip the breaker if needed.
Connections is another easy thing to check, you may get lucky and it not be more than a loose connection.

[unclemack]

I see you've previously posted about foot switches for your windlass...

Possible clue?

Whatever you do make sure that the windlass doesn't cause/sustain damage while you mess with it - so remove the chain pipe cover, lift the chain off the gipsy & secure it elsewhere.

Solenoid carries big amps and is often the cause of problems. Small wires and big, heavy wires are connected. Big ones carry motor current, small ones are from switches and their little bayonet connectors become loose with heat cycling.

Assuming you know how solenoids work here - some reversing (ie double) solenoids can be physically operated by firmly pushing in the exposed ends of the cores. Only press one core at a time! Sometimes there's a plastic cap over the end of each core, just pop them off.
Sometimes the heavy duty main contacts inside the solenoid can spark/arc so much that they no longer connect, in which case best to replace the unit. You can trim the contacts as a short term repair but they don't last long.

If the windlass spins normally when you push in the core the problem is likely elsewhere in the switching/control system. If not it could be no power, seized clutch, gearbox, worn motor brushes, bad wiring, armature, field coils ... etc.
Let us know how you get on.

[FamilyCircus]

Thanks to the tips received here on forum, I'm happy to say "Problem SOLVED!" 80 amp breaker was culprit. I had tried to reset when it initially happened (windlass was under heavy load - 28 knots of wind with choppy seas) but I obviously didn't press breaker hard enough to reset. Sincere thanks to everyone who replied and the link for the manual. One last question, the manual has no guidance for preventative maintenance. Does anyone here ever service their windlass? If so, what needs attention; lubing, etc?


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[unclemack]

Don't know the Lewmar particularly but vertical windlasses tend to be similar.

Manual may have an exploded drawing, that should help.

Motor rarely needs attention, maybe brushes once in a lifetime.
Gearboxes are oil filled but the oil doesn't need frequent changing like engine oil. Check security of mountings occasionally, use vaseline on electrical connections to help keep corrosion away.

Switches & solenoids need checking for good connections occasionally, batteries need looking after obviously.

Clutch is usually two metal cones, one above and one below the gipsy, clamping the gipsy between them.
Verticals generally use a winch handle to lock & release the clutch by means of a screw thread, horizontals usually use a big tri-lobe handle instead of a winch handle.

Easy to get to but strip, clean & lightly grease the clutch first in good weather so you can do it in bad. If it slips on reassembly just wipe off some of the grease.

Watch for signs of corrosion and strip it sooner rather than later to avoid parts seizing up immovably.

[Clivevon]

Glad you sorted problem with your windlass, I recently had to have my old SL Sea Tiger completely rebuilt.

If it wasn't the breaker, the solenoid would have been next to check. Apparently they fail regularly.

Sorry to state the obvious, but you mentioned the windlass was under heavy load - you know to use the boat engine to gradually motor up to the anchor, not to use the windlass itself to pull the boat up to it, right? Your windlass should just be pulling up slack chain ...

[Clivevon]

Sorry,that should have been Sea Wolf windlass. It's late here...

[RaymondR]

The biggest problem I had with my vertical shaft windlass was that water leaked down the shaft into the gearbox and would then leak oil into the motor through the motor shaft seal requiring frequent draining of the oil and water and replacement with fresh oil.

[markcollum]

Good morning

I am having issues with my windlass. We have power to the motor and when I active the deck switch one can hear the motor running but not turning the gypsy. I originally thought it would be the windlass itself but I can drop and lift the anchor with the winch handle.

Could there be a problem where the windlass meets the motor.
And does anyone have a exploded diagram of the lewmar 2000 with a parts list.

[Fuss]

Originally Posted by markcollum

Good morning

I am having issues with my windlass. We have power to the motor and when I active the deck switch one can hear the motor running but not turning the gypsy. I originally thought it would be the windlass itself but I can drop and lift the anchor with the winch handle.

Could there be a problem where the windlass meets the motor.
And does anyone have a exploded diagram of the lewmar 2000 with a parts list.

If its a model 2000 from around 1995, then these gearboxes were sealed with no easy way to check and fill with oil. As they have a ratio of 70:1, the gearbox pinion has very small teeth and so it cannot handle much stress. What can happen is that the pinion gets hot if the oil level is low and then the teeth are damaged and the winch then stops turning. The solution is to replace the gearbox which I think is made by Bonfiglioli in Italy.