Anchor remote control

Might not be helpful nor what you want, and it was a while back so my memory might not be perfect:

FWIW: My windless had a deck foot switch (3 pole i think). A marine engineer suggested we could wire an extension cable on to that, and put another switch back in the cockpit. So we did it. It cost very little to do and gave me what I wanted in terms of anchor control from cockpit. The switch might have only been for bringing the chain up and not down - it's been a while.
 
Just out of interest I've just fitted a remote control to my Maxwell Anchor. The entire cost of the project is just under £11. Two remotes that can be switched on and off and the range of the remote is way further than I'd ever need. To me this is a no-brainer for a simple solution..
 

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Fire99 said:
Just out of interest I've just fitted a remote control to my Maxwell Anchor. The entire cost of the project is just under £11. Two remotes that can be switched on and off and the range of the remote is way further than I'd ever need. To me this is a no-brainer for a simple solution..
Click to expand...
Well done. Is there a delay when you press either direction button?
 
Fire99 said:
Just out of interest I've just fitted a remote control to my Maxwell Anchor. The entire cost of the project is just under £11. Two remotes that can be switched on and off and the range of the remote is way further than I'd ever need. To me this is a no-brainer for a simple solution..
Click to expand...
I like those remotes. Where did you get these from please?
 
I have built several systems to control engines etc.

Can I suggest some caution here

There are several key features that any system controlling any boat system ( anchor / throttles / thrusters ) simply must have.

1. The transmitter and receiver must be paired - ie any other remote will not be able to trigger the system as it is not paired. The also express ones listed are very unlikely to have this.

2 that on loss of signal it shuts off. Most do not do this instantly. Try it. Transmit and then remove the battery. Most will wait serval seconds before turning off. This is really major.

3. A watchdog function that the transmitter and receiver must be in contact with each other and if not this is flagged to the user and the system shuts off.

Without this the risks are real. One system I built ( was controlling engines ) I could not figure out the issue but it would not release the engines consistently.

By all means diy but use decent kit ( that is not cheap ) as the impact can be very real if the system does not do as you tell it or someone else's remote starts trying to play with your anchor
 
jrudge said:
I have built several systems to control engines etc.

Can I suggest some caution here

There are several key features that any system controlling any boat system ( anchor / throttles / thrusters ) simply must have.

1. The transmitter and receiver must be paired - ie any other remote will not be able to trigger the system as it is not paired. The also express ones listed are very unlikely to have this.

2 that on loss of signal it shuts off. Most do not do this instantly. Try it. Transmit and then remove the battery. Most will wait serval seconds before turning off. This is really major.

3. A watchdog function that the transmitter and receiver must be in contact with each other and if not this is flagged to the user and the system shuts off.

Without this the risks are real. One system I built ( was controlling engines ) I could not figure out the issue but it would not release the engines consistently.

By all means diy but use decent kit ( that is not cheap ) as the impact can be very real if the system does not do as you tell it or someone else's remote starts trying to play with your anchor
Click to expand...
 
jrudge said:
I have built several systems to control engines etc.

Can I suggest some caution here

There are several key features that any system controlling any boat system ( anchor / throttles / thrusters ) simply must have.

1. The transmitter and receiver must be paired - ie any other remote will not be able to trigger the system as it is not paired. The also express ones listed are very unlikely to have this.

2 that on loss of signal it shuts off. Most do not do this instantly. Try it. Transmit and then remove the battery. Most will wait serval seconds before turning off. This is really major.

3. A watchdog function that the transmitter and receiver must be in contact with each other and if not this is flagged to the user and the system shuts off.

Without this the risks are real. One system I built ( was controlling engines ) I could not figure out the issue but it would not release the engines consistently.

By all means diy but use decent kit ( that is not cheap ) as the impact can be very real if the system does not do as you tell it or someone else's remote starts trying to play with your anchor
Click to expand...
I'm just thinking about your points. In no particular order. You mention about engine controls, well for me that is a very different kettle of fish to say a bow thruster or an anchor. All remote systems are not equal you might say..

I've run a cheap bow thruster remote now for 3 years with zero issues. Interestingly I've had a good few issues with the factory fit expensive joysticks though. However, I always test both joysticks and remote before heading in or out of port.
If for some bizarre reason the bow thruster started responding oddly from the remote... A flick of the breaker and its off.

Same with the anchor. In fact even less concern with the anchor as in my mind I cannot think of a critical remote issue. My deck mounted foot switches seem to play up every few months due to the damp and that's never caused heartache. Once again, if the anchor had a crazy moment that concerned me enough to 'kill it,' either the main breaker of the fuse board breaker can be tripped in about 5 seconds from the bow. So that doesn't concern me either..

Something like engine controls are a very different situation. I have cable controls and I don't even want to go to fly by wire from the official manufacturer as I'm resistant to any breaks in direct connection to the engines / gearboxes. I've seen a flybridge FBW control go mad and it can be alarming. I may change my mind on those as time goes on and people convince me more about their reliability and redundancy..

So at the moment I fail to see an issue with cheap remotes for systems like bow thrusters or anchors, unless there are some practical concerns that so far have gone over my head. But I've not experienced any..
 
It is a free world so of course do as you wish.

If you find the risk of another remote control nearby triggering your thruster or anchor acceptable then that is of course your risk to decide upon.

Likewise if you are comfortable that turning either of those off may not lead to them immediately stopping then again that is your call. All I can do is tell you the very real issues of using cheap remote controls.

Bear in mind I have no skin in this game. I buy the stuff just like you do I don't sell it.
 
jrudge said:
It is a free world so of course do as you wish.

If you find the risk of another remote control nearby triggering your thruster or anchor acceptable then that is of course your risk to decide upon.

Likewise if you are comfortable that turning either of those off may not lead to them immediately stopping then again that is your call. All I can do is tell you the very real issues of using cheap remote controls.

Bear in mind I have no skin in this game. I buy the stuff just like you do I don't sell it.
Click to expand...
Yup fair enough. It's one of those I guess. If you go into these things with your eyes open then you way up the pros and cons and 'pays yer money, makes yer choice'. So far for bow and anchor, cheap is working ok.
 
and of course they may well work fine for many years to come.Or another forum member has the same kit and comes in late at night and you are woken by your bow thruster running as he uses it to come into his berth, or anchors nearby and you put out another 20 metres of chain
 
jrudge said:
and of course they may well work fine for many years to come.Or another forum member has the same kit and comes in late at night and you are woken by your bow thruster running as he uses it to come into his berth, or anchors nearby and you put out another 20 metres of chain
Click to expand...
My breakers are always switched off when the tool has done its job. Electrical faults can happen regardless of remote influence.
 
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