Windlass Malfunction

[Ipapadi]

Lofrans Windlass on deck of a Trader 41 trawler.
I'm a new owner and presently berthed for the winter. Some days after tying up my wife and I simultaneously herd a low whine, looking fwd I could see the line pully on the windlass slowly turning to a stop. So now the foot switches have no effect while operation of the toggles at both wheel positions just a 'click'.
I'm assuming that the 'self' operation we observed must be due to a 'short' somewhere, maybe due to water ingress at one or both of the foot switches.
Can anyone suggest what the 'click' means, or what to investigate?
Thanks.

[Bellinghamster]

There will be a contactor (relay) that controls power to the windlass. Foot and toggle switches control power to the coil of the contactor. Could be a wet foot switch or corroded/wet contactor. (I suspect the latter since the toggle switches don't work and the windlass was turning slowly).
Follow the power leads from the windlass to the battery and you'll find the contactor(s) somewhere along the way. There will be two or a dual/reversing one in yiu have switches to power up and down. I b

[Ipapadi]

Thanks for your quick response.
Would you also know anything about oil leak at flybridge steering position? I just posted this thread:
"There is a slight ingress of oil on the teak deck just below the Flybridge wheel position. Has anyone any experience of such? This is on a newly acquired 1990 Trader 41".

[Ipapadi]

I've found the Lofrans Control Box (in the anchor chain locker just below the Windlass. It is Type MZ 12V COD 610012 CB, Prod No: B No 5616. Do I need to test it? If so - how?
I appreciate your help - thanks.

[SV Confianza]

The "click" is a contactor as mentioned. It effectively "plugs in" the motor. So you hit the switch, the switch activates the contactor, and then current is flowing to the motor, so the motor turns.

So for the motor to turn itself, it sounds like a problem with the contactor.

What you're describing is strange, though. The contactor is magnetic, activated by the switch, and I'm not sure that it can be partially on.

One way to check is to bypass the contactor and just see if the breaker will turn the motor on and off. I wouldn't suggest playing with this yourself if you're not familiar with working on the high current systems on your boat.

The windlass contactors are bloody expensive. I replaced mine with a 500a relay from Albright on amazon (meant for jeep winches). It's the same thing but 1/4 of the price. Have to pay attention if your contactor is the 3 post type or 4 post type.