stebinnersley
New member
Can anybody supply a diagram of how I wire my anchor winch so that I can raise / lower the anchor from the helm position and also the fly bridge using a 2 way rocker switch??????
Electric Anchor Winch
- Thread starter stebinnersley
- Start date
david_bagshaw
Well-known member
It totally depends on what winch control relays you have now.
Suggest you use something other than a rocker, as you would not it knocked by accident, while underway.
David
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.euroboating.net>http://www.euroboating.net</A>
Suggest you use something other than a rocker, as you would not it knocked by accident, while underway.
David
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.euroboating.net>http://www.euroboating.net</A>
stebinnersley
New member
currently I have a winch can't remember the make at the moment!!! but it has the controls on the winch two foot switches - looks like i will have to shell out some more money....it never ends!!!!!11
stebinnersley
New member
currently I have a winch can't remember the make at the moment!!! but it has the controls on the winch two foot switches - looks like i will have to shell out some more money....it never ends!!!!!11
snowleopard
Active member
easy if not cheap...
if you have a lofrans windlass there is a simple solution, i.e. a radio remote control (ask your dealer for 'Mizar' control unit). it consists of a box which fits next to the existing relay box and a remote unit like a tv controller. i have found it to be totally reliable and easy to install. cost around £150. lets you operate the windlass from anywhere on the boat.
if you have a lofrans windlass there is a simple solution, i.e. a radio remote control (ask your dealer for 'Mizar' control unit). it consists of a box which fits next to the existing relay box and a remote unit like a tv controller. i have found it to be totally reliable and easy to install. cost around £150. lets you operate the windlass from anywhere on the boat.
duncan
Active member
the good news is that if have the relay mounted near the helm station its a doddle to wire in another switch across it - power (fused) to the centre/common of the switch and then top and bottom to up and down - two wires with spade females on one end and piggybacks on the other. If it's a Quick winch you can even get a waterproof matching Quick switch for about 10 quid including postage - TCS provided mine last month!
Agree the point about accidental knocking but you do of course have a safety line on the anchor whilst underway don't you .......
Agree the point about accidental knocking but you do of course have a safety line on the anchor whilst underway don't you .......
stebinnersley
New member
Yep sure have a safety line attached.
I have completley forgot the winch make, dont think it is a lofrans, only bought the boat last week, so not investigated everything fully, will check the make etc, when i go down.
I have completley forgot the winch make, dont think it is a lofrans, only bought the boat last week, so not investigated everything fully, will check the make etc, when i go down.
charles_reed
Active member
By far your best answer is to have the standard solenoid by the winch and a remote control - these are a standard item and can be fitted to any electric winch.
It will probably work out cheaper and be far more reliable.
Fitting one to an acquaintance's Bav 37 added 63€ to the winch price (instead of twin solenoids).
1000 watts @ 12v is one hell of a current and you'll find no direct acting switches in professional installations.
It will probably work out cheaper and be far more reliable.
Fitting one to an acquaintance's Bav 37 added 63€ to the winch price (instead of twin solenoids).
1000 watts @ 12v is one hell of a current and you'll find no direct acting switches in professional installations.
HaraldS
New member
Not knowing what your winch is like, here some general comments:
(1) Most winches (all that I know) control the motor via some sort of relays or solenoid, because the control switches are not made to cope with the high currents that such a windlass, even a smaller 800W draws.
(2) Those relays are either two single ones or a big one with two coils. Some motors have three connectors, one common (usually negative), and two that are alternatively connected to plus, to make it go either direction. Some motors just have two connectors and then the relays are two pole so that they can provide inverse polarity from one of the two.
(3) In all cases you only need a relatively thin wire to control these relays. One side of the relays coil is permanently connected together and to either minus (more common) or plus. The other side is run through the respective up or down switch and from there together to plus (or if the relays are fixed to plus, then to minus).
In practice this means you can line up as many up and/ or down switches on the same three wires as you like. A rocker switch that connects a middle contact to either left or right side contact, would work, so would two separate push buttons. In the rocker switch case the common middle would go to plus or minus, depending on where the relays are connected to, and then the 'outside contact' to each to a relays coil.
While it is theoretically possible to just run the two coil-coil wires to the fly bridge, and then use any convenient plus or minus found there to supply the power, I would recommend to really run the third wire right from the winch control box to the switches. The reason is that with such shortcuts to loose control over the 'return' wires and you may start creating electrolytically critical voltage drops over your ground system. (Given how short winches are operated this is probably not an issue, but I would be strict).
(4) Remote control: The Lofrans remote was mentioned here, and while not necessary, it is indeed recommendable. It is easy to install, you just place the remote receiver next to the winch control box, wire up four short wires, and you have control from all over your boat.
I had a cable connected hand held control before, which was stowed in the front locker and I had two of them die under warranty when they became wet. They are really not that watertight to withstand beating into a strong seaway.
One day, when we were beating into an F6, I was surprised by a laud, frightening, grinding sound. All kinds of thoughts form a sub surfacing beneath us, to something entirely out of control in our boat went through our mind. It was impossible to spot where exactly the noise was coming from, and I went knocking out one circuit breaker after the other. When I finally cut the bow anchor winch, the noise stopped. It turned out that water ingress in the handheld control started the winch trying to haul in the chain. With the anchor locked in the bow fitting, it was slowly slipping in it friction clutch, probably putting several hundred kilos of load on the chain and the vibrating noise going through the entire boat was impressive.
Since then I have fitted the remote and now everything works just fine.
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.taniwani.de>http://www.taniwani.de</A>
(1) Most winches (all that I know) control the motor via some sort of relays or solenoid, because the control switches are not made to cope with the high currents that such a windlass, even a smaller 800W draws.
(2) Those relays are either two single ones or a big one with two coils. Some motors have three connectors, one common (usually negative), and two that are alternatively connected to plus, to make it go either direction. Some motors just have two connectors and then the relays are two pole so that they can provide inverse polarity from one of the two.
(3) In all cases you only need a relatively thin wire to control these relays. One side of the relays coil is permanently connected together and to either minus (more common) or plus. The other side is run through the respective up or down switch and from there together to plus (or if the relays are fixed to plus, then to minus).
In practice this means you can line up as many up and/ or down switches on the same three wires as you like. A rocker switch that connects a middle contact to either left or right side contact, would work, so would two separate push buttons. In the rocker switch case the common middle would go to plus or minus, depending on where the relays are connected to, and then the 'outside contact' to each to a relays coil.
While it is theoretically possible to just run the two coil-coil wires to the fly bridge, and then use any convenient plus or minus found there to supply the power, I would recommend to really run the third wire right from the winch control box to the switches. The reason is that with such shortcuts to loose control over the 'return' wires and you may start creating electrolytically critical voltage drops over your ground system. (Given how short winches are operated this is probably not an issue, but I would be strict).
(4) Remote control: The Lofrans remote was mentioned here, and while not necessary, it is indeed recommendable. It is easy to install, you just place the remote receiver next to the winch control box, wire up four short wires, and you have control from all over your boat.
I had a cable connected hand held control before, which was stowed in the front locker and I had two of them die under warranty when they became wet. They are really not that watertight to withstand beating into a strong seaway.
One day, when we were beating into an F6, I was surprised by a laud, frightening, grinding sound. All kinds of thoughts form a sub surfacing beneath us, to something entirely out of control in our boat went through our mind. It was impossible to spot where exactly the noise was coming from, and I went knocking out one circuit breaker after the other. When I finally cut the bow anchor winch, the noise stopped. It turned out that water ingress in the handheld control started the winch trying to haul in the chain. With the anchor locked in the bow fitting, it was slowly slipping in it friction clutch, probably putting several hundred kilos of load on the chain and the vibrating noise going through the entire boat was impressive.
Since then I have fitted the remote and now everything works just fine.
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.taniwani.de>http://www.taniwani.de</A>
