circuit breaker for anchor windlass

[bromleybysea]

I’m about to fit a new electric anchor windlass. I need a 100-amp circuit breaker which seem to be available from a few quid upwards. BEP and Blue Sea about £65. should I go for the more expensive ones or spend 315 on flea bay?
Also, what’s the best way of cutting the 35mm sq. cable? Will a hacksaw do the job? It’s an expensive project and I don’t particularly want to invest in a pair of expensive heavy-duty cable cutters that i’ll end up only using once.

 

[VicS]

Look at Furneaux Riddall for the circuit breakers , and all other electrical requirements

Circuit Breakers

 

[Daverw]

Cutting 35mm cable with hacksaw hard work, you can get wire cutters that will do it for not too much, I got some for £15 a few months ago, they have shaped cutting edge which stops the cable being pushed out when cutting, also keeps the cut end tidy to fit in crimp

 

[Boathook]

How are you going to crimp the fittings onto the cable ?

For cutters Heavy Duty Cable Cutters - Max. Cable 70mm² these aren't particularly expensive in the grand scheme of fitting a windlass.

 

[pandos]

Cut the cable with a small angle grinder if you have one...

 

[Baddox]

I've been making some 70mm battery cables and cut them with a hacksaw without much problem. Hydraulic crimpers are cheap from ebay and mine worked very well to fit the lugs. Over the lugs I added some adhesive lined heat-shrink tube.

 

[thinwater]

Wrap with tape, clamp in a vice, and cut with a hacksaw. If that is hard work ... oh dear. Yes, a vice is needed.

The crux, to me, is the crimps. Depending on your tools and skill set, it might be wiser to have them made up with ends on. Soldering into sockets is permitted for battery cables, but not windlass cables (IIRC).

 

[Neeves]

Take the new windlass apart and add duralac or similar to all the bolts and studs. Read back through windlass threads - and coat the mild steel casing with...?? or it will preferentially corrode. The coating might be defined on Vyv Cox's website - or send him a PM.

Cutting 35mm cable with hacksaw hard work, you can get wire cutters that will do it for not too much, I got some for £15 a few months ago, they have shaped cutting edge which stops the cable being pushed out when cutting, also keeps the cut end tidy to fit in crimp

I think they are called 'pelican' bolt croppers and are more than adequate to cut 'small' rigging wire. I used them to cut cable for my Lithium installation.

Temu sell crimpers - more than adequate for the few crimps you need for a windlass. Most crimpers now seem to come from China. Time will also sell the crimps - get tinned crimps. If you were setting up in business and were to crimp daily I'd buy better - but for the few crimps most of us complete - Chinese crimpers seem adequate.

I've been making some 70mm battery cables and cut them with a hacksaw without much problem. Hydraulic crimpers are cheap from ebay and mine worked very well to fit the lugs. Over the lugs I added some adhesive lined heat-shrink tube.

Good advice re heat shrink. Just remember to thread the cover before you crimp and heat shrink afterwards.

Jonathan

 

[noelex]

The cheap hydraulic crimpers are fine. The most important component that is not often given the consideration it deserves is the quality of the terminals. Heavy-duty, thick-walled, tinned, and long terminal connections are worth seeking out. The difference is obvious when you see the alternatives side by side but much harder to pick when ordering via a website.

 

[Daverw]

Wrap with tape, clamp in a vice, and cut with a hacksaw. If that is hard work ... oh dear. Yes, a vice is needed.

The crux, to me, is the crimps. Depending on your tools and skill set, it might be wiser to have them made up with ends on. Soldering into sockets is permitted for battery cables, but not windlass cables (IIRC).

Not that easy if your trying to mod cabling in situ, still only seconds with cutter

 

[Graham_Wright]

For mechanical convenience, I lead an anchor winch cable through a wooden bulkhead using a bolt and nut.
It ignited the bulkhead.
The cause I believe, was due to the wood compressing and easing the load on the screw head and the nut.
The bolt was stainless.
Two lessons;- use a brass or copper bolt and secure the cable tag under the bolt head with nut, and secure the tag the other side of the bulkhead also with a nut each side of the tag.
Scary experience.