How to fit a Lofrans windlass control?

[Rivers & creeks]

I bought a Lofrans Cayman and together with the yard I'm trying to connect it to the Lofrans control box. The yard are struggling because the control box has four connecting studs on the top, not the three they "usually" have. I've googled like mad but can't find a manual for the solenoid control box with four top studs - has anyone fitted one or can anyone point to an online manual? We obviously don't have the original manual

Thanks for any help you can give. Simon.

 

[pvb]

You have the wrong control box - your windlass has a 3-wire motor and you'd normally use a 3 terminal box. You might still be able to use the 4 terminal box, you'd need to wire the + and - feeds to the box, then also wire the negative of the windlass to the - feed, then the other 2 wires on the windlass to the 2 output terminals.

 

[Rivers & creeks]

Thanks, I passed your message onto the yard and that saved a lot of messing around. He's wired it to just power up and free fall down, after half term I'll change it for the right control box

Thanks for the help.

 

[Talulah]

You have the wrong control box - your windlass has a 3-wire motor and you'd normally use a 3 terminal box. You might still be able to use the 4 terminal box, you'd need to wire the + and - feeds to the box, then also wire the negative of the windlass to the - feed, then the other 2 wires on the windlass to the 2 output terminals.

You need to check how many wires your motor has. The same model of windlass can come with a 2 terminal or 3 terminal motor. The control box is then supplied with the windlass to match the motor supplied.
The 3 wire motor has a central negative connection. The outer two connections are the positives, one for up, one for down. A 3 way control box is supplied.
With a 2 wire motor set up the connections are powered one direction for up and the other way for down. This switching of current flow is why you have to have the 4 way control box.
For a 4 way control box and a two wire motor the terminal are +'ve, -'ve, M1, M3.
This time there is now no direct negative to the motor. The negative is supplied via the control box.

With a 3 wire motor the main connections on the terminal box are +'ve, M1, M2 where M1 and M2 go to the outer terminals on the motor. The central connection on the motor going directly to -'ve.

 

[Rivers & creeks]

Thank you for such detailed replies. I have a 3 wire windlass and a four stud control box. Any idea if the two can be compatible or is it best to replace the control box?

 

[pvb]

Thank you for such detailed replies. I have a 3 wire windlass and a four stud control box. Any idea if the two can be compatible or is it best to replace the control box?

I think I already suggested how you could wire the two together.

 

[Talulah]

You have the wrong control box - your windlass has a 3-wire motor and you'd normally use a 3 terminal box. You might still be able to use the 4 terminal box, you'd need to wire the + and - feeds to the box, then also wire the negative of the windlass to the - feed, then the other 2 wires on the windlass to the 2 output terminals.

I can't see how that would work.
The only way I can think of to wire a 4 way control box to a 3 terminal motor is to connect
+'ve and -'ve to the control box and then the centre terminal on the motor and one of the outer terminals on the motor back to the other 2 terminals on the control box.

The reason for this is that the 4 way terminal box is supplying the two outputs where one is positive the other negative and vice versa for the windlass in the opposite direction.
Hence on the motor end you only need one pair of terminals connected (middle plus one of the outer.) In effect the middle terminal of the motor is no longer constantly negative, it will be the positive when the current direction is switched.

 

[pvb]

I can't see how that would work.
The only way I can think of to wire a 4 way control box to a 3 terminal motor is to connect
+'ve and -'ve to the control box and then the centre terminal on the motor and one of the outer terminals on the motor back to the other 2 terminals on the control box.

The reason for this is that the 4 way terminal box is supplying the two outputs where one is positive the other negative and vice versa for the windlass in the opposite direction.
Hence on the motor end you only need one pair of terminals connected (middle plus one of the outer.) In effect the middle terminal of the motor is no longer constantly negative, it will be the positive when the current direction is switched.

If you draw a little diagram, I think you'll see that it should work. The control box will output positive on one terminal when one switch is pressed, and positive on the other terminal when the other switch is pressed. Connecting the centre pole of the 3-pole motor to negative permanently, and the other motor leads to the output terminals will mean that the motor will run in different directions when one or other switch is pressed.

 

[Talulah]

If you draw a little diagram, I think you'll see that it should work. The control box will output positive on one terminal when one switch is pressed, and positive on the other terminal when the other switch is pressed. Connecting the centre pole of the 3-pole motor to negative permanently, and the other motor leads to the output terminals will mean that the motor will run in different directions when one or other switch is pressed.

Understand what you are saying however the negative mustn't be connected to the control box.
If it is it would in effect connect the third terminal on the motor to negative. Without knowing the internals of the motor there could be a short somewhere.
i.e. the three terminals on the motor would now be powered as +,-,- or -,-,+.
if you don't connect the negative to the terminal box you'll be fine because as you say one or the other will positive with the other terminal not connected to anything.

 

[pvb]

Understand what you are saying however the negative mustn't be connected to the control box.
If it is it would in effect connect the third terminal on the motor to negative. Without knowing the internals of the motor there could be a short somewhere.
i.e. the three terminals on the motor would now be powered as +,-,- or -,-,+.
if you don't connect the negative to the terminal box you'll be fine because as you say one or the other will positive with the other terminal not connected to anything.

No, the negative feed has to be connected to the control box, otherwise the solenoids won't work! Having a negative feed on one motor winding as well as the normal negative motor connection won't have any effect.

 

[Talulah]

No, the negative feed has to be connected to the control box, otherwise the solenoids won't work! Having a negative feed on one motor winding as well as the normal negative motor connection won't have any effect.

Understood. I have slightly more than usual curiosity because when I replaced my Kobra Windlass recently it came with a 2 terminal motor and 4 terminal control because. The original about 7 years old was 3 and 3.
I thought the solenoids would still work with out the negative feed as the solenoid switch is powered by the 3 spade connectors. Hence no need for a major negative feed on the 3 way control box.

 

[maxmh27]

I don't know if you managed to sort your problem out, as it was so long ago. I have the same problem; although I haven't tested it, I think I've sorted it. I'll try to show the solution I have come up with.

 

[maxmh27]