Help with windless

J

jkswor

New member
Dropped my anchor today. Tried to retrieve it but after it pulls for a few seconds with weight applied the voltage drops below 11 volts and windless stops. So I helped it by pulling by hand while wife hits up switch. But it stops and low voltage alarm goes off
What do I do to fix this. I have new batteries bought 2 days ago. With anchor stowed I hit up switch and voltage drops 5 or more volts looking at my fish finder. Advice please
Thanks
Jim swor
 
Jim, There are potentially several issues that could have caused the problem you are experiencing with the windless. Assuming the two day old batteries are not defective, check to make certain they were charged to full capacity. Use a volt meter and look for a reading of at least 13 volts, but 14 volts is what you should expect. Check ALL cables and connections to be sure they are tight and clean. If the cable ends were newly installed with the new batteries, check the resistance with the ohmmeter. Cable end crimping can be a hidden problem if not done properly! Check the windless for jamming, especially if using all chain.
Depending on manufacturer, there should be a release for the gypsy that will allow further inspection. Use an anchor line snubber attached to the bow eye to take the strain off the rode before working around the windless. Once you have accomplished the foregoing and still have not resolved the problem, check back here for further information.
 
jkswor":2hoikhdl said:
Dropped my anchor today. Tried to retrieve it but after it pulls for a few seconds with weight applied the voltage drops below 11 volts and windless stops. So I helped it by pulling by hand while wife hits up switch. But it stops and low voltage alarm goes off
What do I do to fix this. I have new batteries bought 2 days ago. With anchor stowed I hit up switch and voltage drops 5 or more volts looking at my fish finder. Advice please
Thanks
Jim swor
Click to expand...

Did it work before new batts.?
Water /rust in the motor/gear box?
Too small wire to the windlass?
 
So the difference between last year when it worked and this year is that I replaced the old 3 ply rope with 8 plait rope. I think it might be jamming as it goes round and down into storage. It is not stiff so it does not push well
Dang that has to be it.
 
I have used the 8 plait rope with 3o different windlasses and not jamming. That doesn't mean that there may not be some issues with your windlass

Do you power the boat until over the anchor, taking up the slack with the windlass? Then use the boat to break the anchor out of the sea bed?

Have you checked all of the connections for corrosion? Be sure that both positive and negative have bright clean connections. If you have a relay then check it also for carbon deposits and arcing.

What battery is the windlass hooked up to? It should be the engine start battery with the engine running to keep voltage up. The voltage without the engine running should be 12.7 volts no load. (Read the voltage at the battery, not the depth sounder.). what wire size is the cable to the windlass?

The windlass does require period service. Your manual should show that, but info is still available on line.
 
thataway":9b9wzm52 said:
Have you checked all of the connections for corrosion? Be sure that both positive and negative have bright clean connections. If you have a relay then check it also for carbon deposits and arcing.
Click to expand...

Agree with Bob on this. Even if the wire connections look clean and are tight, remove, wire brush and clean them. After retightening, I have a feeling that your problem will be solved.
 
Guage 4 wire hooked to start batteries. Will check all connections from batteries to windless. Also do all that other stuff. Windless is made by good in New Jersey. They told me it may not work with 8 plait. Hope connections are the issue and not the rope
 
Is the motor running whilst you pull up the anchor? If so the alternator should support the load. If not try it.

Journey On had an original horizontal windlass, wheren the gearbox got jammed with sand. If the DC winch motor is stalled, it would draw a large current and blow the breaker.

Boris
 
Which model "Good" Windlass. If it is a vertical axis? Verticals can jam more easily, and that could be a definite issue with the 8 plait. Is the Gypsy exposed if it is a horizontal axis? The Good windless has a great reputation. However I have never owned one.
 
850 is a vertical axis windlass, and they need a substantial "drop" from the deck to the chain locker. The 850 is a combination rope/chain: 9/16" rope and 5/16" BBB chain. (Most of us have the Lewmar horizontal axis with the 1/2" rope and 1/4" High Test chain.)

So there are a number of factors agains the success with this windlass. (Even thought the model is an excellent windlass.)

The chain locker in the 25 should have enough "fall". But the grip of the vertical axis is not as good as the horizontal axis--then add in IF the rope and chain are not proper. (There is a remote possibility that either the proper rope and chain are used, or that there is a different rope/chain gypsy.)


The Good web site calls for the specific rope/chain. You can start out to see what rope and chain were on there before, and how well the links match up. Also measure the PO links.
 
Mine is an R/CF850A. 1/2 in rope/chain I thought it was horizontal as it spins horizontally and drops vertical. Information on site does not say either way
The 8 plait may not work. I’m not finished cleaning contacts yet to test it
 
jkswor":2ah8m1hw said:
. . . I thought it was horizontal as it spins horizontally and drops vertical. Information . . .
Click to expand...

I believe the designation "vertical" or "horizontal" refers to the orientation of the motor shaft rather than the gypsy. Vertical windlasses are often preferred by those who want to save deck space, since the motor is mounted below the deck. A vertical windlass motor, therefore, or is also likely to be less exposed to the elements. On the other hand, mounting the windlass vertically shortens the "fall" available for the rode, which can impair how the rode drops into the locker and will effectively reduce the length of the rode that can be carried.
 
The reason that the vertical windlass has more issues with gripping the line and being able to keep it from feeding/slipping, is that there is more friction at the end of the chain gypsy, as the line has to made a 90* turn to go into the anchor locker. The horizontal windlass, has the rope coming directly off the gypsy into the locker (no 90* turn).

Although one would think the the motor below deck would be more protected, it is not encased and is subject from water off the rope/chain, and any water coming in thru the deck pipe. The above the deck, has the motor sealed inside a case, thus no spray, or water off the rode gets to it.

I did find several instances which documented that 8 plait does not grip well in this windlass. However, unless it is bunching up, thus stalling the motor, it should not blow the breaker if it is just not gripping the line.

Probably the safest thing to do if you want to keep the windlass, get the new line from Good (if the old anchor rode is suspect.). Or go to a windlass such as Lewmar 700. There are some who have had issues with the 8 plait braid with this windlass also. I have not had any problems personally.
 
One small contribution to this thread......

I used to have endless troubles with my vertical windlass when toward the end of bringing up the rode, the rode would slip in the gypsy. I chalked this up to a worn rope near the anchor. Eventually I reversed the rode to bring fresh rope to the anchor end.....same problem.

The issue turned out to be simple. Since the vertical motor lessens the distance from the bottom of the chain locker to the spot where the rope is free to coil up, the rode made a pile inside the chain locker right up to, and touching, the windlass motor. This eliminated all the tension on the rope pulling the rest of the rode into the chain locker. These days if I have deployed a lot of rode (say over 100'), as I pull up the rode, I periodically reach inside the chain locker and push down the pile of rode under the motor distributing it more evenly throughout the locker.

Voila....no more problem.
 
smckean (Tosca)":3jm01u0w said:
. . .I periodically reach inside the chain locker and push down the pile of rode under the motor distributing it more evenly throughout the locker. . . .
Click to expand...

I had a vertical windlass, and that was my solution as well. Unless I had a lot or rode out, one trip to the locker through the v-berth before retrieval did the trick. It was a little more of a hassle it I was soloing and anchored in very deep water. Then I would have to stop retrieving a couple of times to smoosh out the pile - always trying to be careful not to induce snarls and knots.
 
Update. I think I fixed it. Discovered positive wire connected to a buss bar where other accessories are I took the red positive wire and hooked direct to charging battery. It works fine now.
 
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