URGENT help with electric windlass.

[Simi 60]

Thanks for the help all, just the 3 wires as shown so I suspect no tricky extra grounding and will just give it a blip first to see what happens.

Martini o'clock now, safely anchored, things don't seem so pressing as they did before and tomorrow is another day.

I'll report back in the AM with the results of the test.

[Blue Stocking]

3 lugs is a split-field reversing motor. a + lug is broken. swap that lead for the other + , and do the swap at the contactor as well. Switches may give up for down, and reversed as well.

[briblack]

same thing happened to mine, I ended up replacing the motor. couldn't get the local (Rodney Bay, St. Lucia) elec motor guys to work on it. it was pretty corroded, ugly. new motor did solve the problem.

[akprb]

As to retrieving without motor do you have the backup manual handle? I've had to do this with our Simpson Lawrence at one point in time. Slow but works.

Maxwell Replacement Emergency Windlass Crank Handle / Crank Lever

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by Blue Stocking

3 lugs is a split-field reversing motor. a + lug is broken. swap that lead for the other + , and do the swap at the contactor as well. Switches may give up for down, and reversed as well.

Swap at the contactor?
Can you explain that a bit more for me please?

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by akprb

As to retrieving without motor do you have the backup manual handle?

Yep, have it, trying to avoid it if we can.

150lb of anchor and 500lb of chain down with a 65 tonne of boat pulling back on it.

[Blue Stocking]

Originally Posted by Simi 60

Swap at the contactor?
Can you explain that a bit more for me please?

Trace the 2 red wires from the lugs back to the directional power supply box, that is the contactor, which receives it instruction as to which set of motor coils, from your up/down switches.

[emmo]

Hope there is no Northerly coming, have you had a chat with Carl Svendson, he is a very clever chap

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Blue Stocking

Trace the 2 red wires from the lugs back to the directional power supply box, that is the contactor, which receives it instruction as to which set of motor coils, from your up/down switches.

Swappingthe red + at the solenoid is not going to change the direction of the motor. It will change the direction of the up/down switch. You have to swap the black minus and the red plus at the motor (at this point you only have one red)

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by emmo

Hope there is no Northerly coming, have you had a chat with Carl Svendson, he is a very clever chap

Strong wind warning from the s/e for the next couple of days.
Haven't seen Carl around since we've been here. House quiet and his boats haven't moved.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by Paul L

Swappingthe red + at the solenoid is not going to change the direction of the motor. It will change the direction of the up/down switch. You have to swap the black minus and the red plus at the motor (at this point you only have one red)

Yeah, thought as much.
Maxwell said leave earth on and swap the f1 and f2 wires would get a result but no, spins same direction.

I just put the earth to f2 term. and f1 to earth term. to them and they are getting more advise before I do it.

Auto electrician on the mainland reckons he can do a new lug for around $150 if I can get it there but would prefer to get what we have working if possible, just in case we have to move.

[Simi 60]

Unfortunately, all suggestions failed.

Swapped cables, + to - as suggested and spun the same way
Tried every other combo and it spun the same way.

The only way we get a reverse in direction is to put the post back in and hold it in, then the motor reverses.

Unfortunately, there is no way of accessing the motor when its all assembled, a clear advantage of a vertical windlass with under deck motor vs a horizontal where the motor is enclosed in a big cast alloy housing.

So on this afternoons ferry it goes and hopefully the auto lecy will perform his magic and we get it back in a couple of days.

Thanks all. :-)

[Jannie Radiance]

I have never had any back problems from bringing the anchor up. My wife , however...............

[JOHNMARDALL]

I'm sorry you're having problems with your Maxwell windlass. The terminal post has been twisted out at some point in the past, by the technician tightening the front nut without first putting a spanner wrench on the back nut to stop the post moving. The internal connection has now broken, and simply screwing the terminal post back in is not going to make a satisfactory new connection. You can take the motor to a shop that specializes in rebuilding starters, which use the same type of DC motor as an electric windlass or buy a new motor. In the meantime, your windlass has a manual retrieval capability which will get the chain and anchor up, admittedly with the expenditure of a great deal of effort on the part of the handle turner/grinder. If you're not sure how to do it and don't have the windlass manual on board. let me know and I'll email a copy to you. If you decide to buy a new motor, please give me your location and we'll figure out how to get one to you.

All the best, hang in there.
John Mardall
Vetus Maxwell Group

[Havsund]

Originally Posted by JOHNMARDALL

I'm sorry you're having problems with your Maxwell windlass. The terminal post has been twisted out at some point in the past, by the technician tightening the front nut without first putting a spanner wrench on the back nut to stop the post moving. The internal connection has now broken, and simply screwing the terminal post back in is not going to make a satisfactory new connection. You can take the motor to a shop that specializes in rebuilding starters, which use the same type of DC motor as an electric windlass or buy a new motor. In the meantime, your windlass has a manual retrieval capability which will get the chain and anchor up, admittedly with the expenditure of a great deal of effort on the part of the handle turner/grinder. If you're not sure how to do it and don't have the windlass manual on board. let me know and I'll email a copy to you. If you decide to buy a new motor, please give me your location and we'll figure out how to get one to you.

All the best, hang in there.
John Mardall
Vetus Maxwell Group

......and that comment saved me from having to think too much about what windlass to buy when my old one goes south. Maxwell it is!