Converting Anchor Windlass To Wireless Operation

[Deleted member 36384]

Hello,

I have just refurbished my boats anchor windlass: Simpson Lawrence SL 400. It is a 24V model with a push and hold (spring release) to raise anchor button on the windlass. The button is connected to the solenoid as expected, so very simple circuit. The windlass is a horizontal gypsy / cathead with the motor mounted fore and aft in the housing. This means that the motor drives a worm gear fore and aft which then drives the cone clutch and gypsy / cathead. The worm gear can only drive one way because of the shape of the death, hence adding in a lowering function is not possible.

On eBay and such like there are lots of wireless switches and wireless remote key fob devices. I reckon I can work out how to fit the wireless switch but I am looking for advise or experience, especially what wireless devices would be good to buy. All advice appreciated.

Thanks,

BlowingOldBoots

 

[PaulRainbow]

Hello,

I have just refurbished my boats anchor windlass: Simpson Lawrence SL 400. It is a 24V model with a push and hold (spring release) to raise anchor button on the windlass. The button is connected to the solenoid as expected, so very simple circuit. The windlass is a horizontal gypsy / cathead with the motor mounted fore and aft in the housing. This means that the motor drives a worm gear fore and aft which then drives the cone clutch and gypsy / cathead. The worm gear can only drive one way because of the shape of the death, hence adding in a lowering function is not possible.

On eBay and such like there are lots of wireless switches and wireless remote key fob devices. I reckon I can work out how to fit the wireless switch but I am looking for advise or experience, especially what wireless devices would be good to buy. All advice appreciated.

Thanks,

BlowingOldBoots

I have a 12v one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WIRELESS-...670369&hash=item20cb733133:g:FU0AAOSwc-tY3jRa

Plenty to choose from, pick the cheapest. Not waterproof, but my last one was 4 years old and still working well when i sold the boat. Simple to wire in, positive and negative connections plus the trigger wire from the button. Ignore (suitably insulated) the "down" wire for your windlass, or wire it up the the kettle

 

[Trop Cher]

Yes, I have bought similar off ebay, pound for pound the best thing I've ever bought for the boat!

 

[Plevier]

Yes I used something very similar too.
What I have noticed is that when you press the button there is a slight delay before the system responds, also when you release. Makes fine inching a bit tricky e.g. when parking the anchor on the bow roller.
I have been told that all these cheap ones do it because of handshaking time to establish connection.
I've also been told that if you have the much more expensive official Lewmar (in my case) wireless controller you don't get this delay because when the units are switched on they maintain continuous connection rather than handshaking each time. I don't know if that is at the expense of battery life.

The explanation may be total BS, it's hearsay, but the delay with the cheap ones is real. You can live with it however.

 

[pvb]

What I have noticed is that when you press the button there is a slight delay before the system responds, also when you release. Makes fine inching a bit tricky e.g. when parking the anchor on the bow roller.

Yes, I've noticed that with the wireless remote I added to my thruster. But, for a fiver, it's still worth having!

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Thanks for the link Paul, I'll order one of those.

I have just looked at the worm gear and the cone clutch gear, the teeth on both are symmetrical, so it could power down as well as up, as far as the teeth shape are concerned. I know, in general terms, that DC motors can run in either direction by reversing polarity but no doubt there is more to it than just swapping polarity. The red power cable comes out the side of the motor near the end cover that I assume covers the brushes, the black power cable attaches to a stud on the end cover. The manual states that the +ve supply from the battery should be taken to 'one lead from the windlass' and 'the return cable taken from the other lead cable back to the negative side of the battery' i.e. it appears it does not matter which battery wire goes to which lead on the windlass. Could there be a device that always makes the motor run in the same direction, irrespective of battery wire connection to the motor. I have the manual and the wiring diagram and it too shows no +/- on the battery or the motor. The manual does state that 'the windlass case is completed insulated from the electrical connections, therefore a two wire insulated return is necessary'. I have marked the cables when I removed them and the +ve from the battery goes onto the side of the motor via the breaker and relay.

I am assuming that the motor will only run one way, or am I missing something (likely I am).

 

[Heckler]

Thanks for the link Paul, I'll order one of those.

I have just looked at the worm gear and the cone clutch gear, the teeth on both are symmetrical, so it could power down as well as up, as far as the teeth shape are concerned. I know, in general terms, that DC motors can run in either direction by reversing polarity but no doubt there is more to it than just swapping polarity. The red power cable comes out the side of the motor near the end cover that I assume covers the brushes, the black power cable attaches to a stud on the end cover. The manual states that the +ve supply from the battery should be taken to 'one lead from the windlass' and 'the return cable taken from the other lead cable back to the negative side of the battery' i.e. it appears it does not matter which battery wire goes to which lead on the windlass. Could there be a device that always makes the motor run in the same direction, irrespective of battery wire connection to the motor. I have the manual and the wiring diagram and it too shows no +/- on the battery or the motor. The manual does state that 'the windlass case is completed insulated from the electrical connections, therefore a two wire insulated return is necessary'. I have marked the cables when I removed them and the +ve from the battery goes onto the side of the motor via the breaker and relay.

I am assuming that the motor will only run one way, or am I missing something (likely I am).

My Leroy Somer has one set of wires to the motor, the reversing is done by a box which has two relays in. They just reverse the voltage, so if your gears are symmetrical, two relays should do the trick.
Stu

 

[NormanS]

Gravity has never let me down (there's a pun there). I've never found the need to push my anchor down. OK, I accept that if you're doing it wirelessly from elsewhere, and you have the anchor prepared for dropping, a "down" control could be useful.