windlass light stuck on

sbmcwilliam

sbmcwilliam

Member
Jan 29, 2017
48
Fort Lauderdale
Boat Info
2006 Sundancer 340
Engines
MerCruiser 8.1
My windlass power light on dash will not turn off. The up/down buttons do not operate any more including the 2 on deck by the windleas/anchor. Breaker is not tripped. Any ideas why this light would be on constant and not have the windlass operational; nothing at all - like no power to the motor/switch.
 
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Not sure about your year, but on mine, that is effectively a safety switch. It goes to a relay/solenoid that sends "big power" to your bow. On my 310, the relay is located in the port gunnel where the Battery switches are located. When toggling the anchor switch you should hear a distinctive click indicating that the relay has energized the thick wires going to your anchor locker. If you don't hear a click, the wire from your helm switch may not be making it to the relay, or the relay could be bad. Look for a large solenoid or relay mounted close to your battery switch(s).
 
sbmcwilliam said:
My windless power light on dash will not turn off. The up/down buttons do not operate any more including the 2 on deck by the windless/anchor. Breaker is not tripped. Any ideas why this light would be on constant and not have the windless operational; nothing at all - like no power to the motor/switch.
Click to expand...
I believe you have the pads... not discrete switches. I'm afraid either your EIM or your switch pad has failed.
 
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Have to agree with JimG, try turning on and off the battery switch a few times. Sometimes I just apply pressure to the whole pad around the buttons with my fingers, you’ll see the whole pad light up and reset itself,sometimes it works and sometimes It doesn’t good luck
 
On our boat, I popped the fuse on the relay/solenoid mounted on the bulkhead wall in the E.R. that controls the windless and had a similar experience.
 
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Thanks for the suggestions. Here's where I am currently: light stays on and only goes out when battery turned off. The breaker was tripped in the bilge. Hit the up/down buttons and you hear the clicking noise but windlass doesn't come alive and the breaker pops again. My mechanic attempted to send current directly to the windlass motor; it sparked and would not come alive. What appears to have happened someone (I think it was my detailers but they deny it) brought the entire line up....and I mean every last inch of it. I don't know if the up button remained pushed even though the line was totally raised possibly causing the windlass to jam/lock/burn out. Can these motors be repaired as it appears a new windlass is stupid expensive? What's the next step because we're currently stumped for answers/ideas/suggestions.
 
Actually, I went back and reviewed the video of the boat detailer and he never removed the cover. I don't have cameras on the bow so I don't know how that line was raised. This is strange but it appears the switch came on by itself (yes I said it was strange, considering it will not go off it's not that hard to believe it came on by itself) and the line was raised without a human's involvement. Reviewing the video no one was ever at the helm since I locked it down. I did leave the battery switches on which now appears to have been a major mistake.
 
Here in Virginia Beach we have a starter/alternator shop that rebuilds al of these small motors. Look around for one.
 
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