MLauman
Active Member
You seem to be assuming the windlass uses a chassis ground for power - it does not. Although your testing method would work (sort of), it would only test half of the circuit. The 2-terminal system works by reversing polarity at the solenoid and a proper test needs to check both positive and negative leads so that you are including both sides of the solenoid. Testing across M1 and M2 is the only way to do this at the solenoid.If you are checking voltage and have the two terminal motor, you will not test across M1 and M2. You should test from M1 to ground and M2 to ground. I believe (not sure) that M1 is the UP terminal so that is really the only one you have concern with. Make sure you find a good ground for the negative lead from your meter. Put your test leads M1 and ground and have someone activate the up operating switch. If there is no voltage then you definitely have a relay issue.
True, but if you're testing at the solenoid you don't necessarily have access to the 3rd terminal as the negative line runs straight to the motor.If you have the 3 terminal motor, the 3rd terminal is simply a ground terminal - so that is where you place the negative lead from your volt meter.