Anchor Windlass in op

N

Nginear

New Member
Sep 25, 2021
22
Pacific Northwest
Boat Info
1997 Sundancer 270
Engines
7.4 mercruiserw/ Bravo III
97 sundancer 270. So out on the boat right now. Before we left this morning I tested the windlass quickly down then up. We got to where we wanted to anchor and it wouldn't lower. My wife said she heard clicking then now we hear nothing. I checked the windlass circuit breaker and as far as i can tell its okay. Just wondering if anyone knows if there is a fuse maybe some where past the circuit breaker ? We are on a mooring buoy instead of anchoring at the moment just wondering where I should start looking whenever I get back to the dock.

It's a Lofrans Marlin , i believe original to the boat.
 
In the bow locker by the relay should be an inline fuse holder and about a 5-10 amp fuse that protects the buttons/switches

Get a voltmeter and check for 12v at the relay from the stern breaker
 
Check the voltage to the wires going to the motor on the windlass in the anchor locker while someone presses the switch. If there is voltage there then the motor gave up. I had a similar issue with my 1996 Sundancer 270. My motor gave up and I had it rebuilt by a local starter/alternator shop, way cheaper than buying a replacement motor. If there is no voltage to the motor when the switch is pressed check the big relays in the anchor locker next to see if they have voltage going in and out of them. If you have the same windlass as me the manual I attached to this post should help.
 

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Have you tried tapping the windlass motor with a hammer or something similar. It's not unusual for a motor to develop a dead spot.
 
Appreciate the info l. I'll be grabbing my meter and hopefully checking today or tomorrow.

I did have a hammer with me in my tool bag and tapped it but nothing happened.
 
Can someone give me some insight into switch functions. At my helm I have a double throw rocker labeled mains that returns to center, to the right of the rocker is a toggle switch used for raising and lowering with center position labeled "locked". The toggle is obvious and is what I used when I did my test before we left.

What is the purpose of the Rocker labeled mains? Is that just a battery selector?
 
Nginear said:
Can someone give me some insight into switch functions. At my helm I have a double throw rocker labeled mains that returns to center, to the right of the rocker is a toggle switch used for raising and lowering with center position labeled "locked". The toggle is obvious and is what I used when I did my test before we left.

What is the purpose of the Rocker labeled mains? Is that just a battery selector?
Click to expand...

I'm not sure about what "mains" means but I can tell you that one toggle opens the circuit for the windlass to even function. Once turned on then the other toggle deploys/retracts the anchor. Its a safety set up so you cant accidentally lean on the toggle and deploy anchor while underway.
 
@Nginear I have the same setup. The “mains” rocker on mine engages and disengages a heavy duty relay below deck that when you press up on it and hold for a second a light will turn on on the switch and you’ll hear the click of the relay turning the power feed on to the windlass. Then the other toggle switch operates the windlass up or down. When you are done with it you then press the rocker down for a second and the light turns off on it and power is cut off to the windlass. At least that’s how it seems to work based on my playing with it. For some reason the foot switches on my setup don’t want to work. I have yet to troubleshoot that.
 
Just following up on my post. Ended up being a fuse on that heavy duty relay in the engine bay that Hoplite mentioned. There are two 5 amp fuses mounted to it.

Thanks for the replies everyone.


Hoplite808 said:
@Nginear I have the same setup. The “mains” rocker on mine engages and disengages a heavy duty relay below deck that when you press up on it and hold for a second a light will turn on on the switch and you’ll hear the click of the relay turning the power feed on to the windlass. Then the other toggle switch operates the windlass up or down. When you are done with it you then press the rocker down for a second and the light turns off on it and power is cut off to the windlass. At least that’s how it seems to work based on my playing with it. For some reason the foot switches on my setup don’t want to work. I have yet to troubleshoot that.
Click to expand...
 

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