Lewmar windlass - again!

[Ceejay]

A brief resume.
Lewmar V2 windlass has operated faultlessly, more or less, for 4 years.

This year problems, so now have:
new foot switches, contactor switch, windlass motor and have renewed the wiring from foot switches to contactor switch.

Whereas before there was no contact breaker fitted, I have now fitted a Lewmar 90 amp breaker as recommended. Previously the circuit was protected by an 80amp anl fuse and this never blew in 4 years despite being rated 10 amps less than recommended.

Since all of this work has been done, the 100 amp fuse that I now have in the circuit has repeatedly blown and the 90 amp circuit breaker has tripped a couple of times . I now intend removing the 100 amp fuse from the circuit altogether and leaving the circuit breaker to protect the circuit alone.

My question is, do others on here have repeated problems with windlasses blowing fuses or tripping breakers?

Thanks CJ

 

[pvb]

Previously the circuit was protected by an 80amp anl fuse and this never blew in 4 years despite being rated 10 amps less than recommended.

Since all of this work has been done, the 100 amp fuse that I now have in the circuit has repeatedly blown ....

Is the 100A fuse also an ANL type? ANL fuses have a pronounced slow-blow characteristic, which could explain why your old 80A ANL fuse never blew.

 

[Ceejay]

The 100 amp fuse is an anl type. I had thought that the 90 amp breaker would trip before the 100 amp fuse would blow, but that doesn't seem to necessarily be the case.
Incidentally, I do know of another Harmony yacht which has repeatedly blown fuses from new, so perhaps I was fortunate to be trouble free for 4 years CJ

 

[Jamesuk]

Our fuse blew 3 times while we troubleshot it, cause faulty remote. Lewmar v5

 

[GrahamM376]

Why do you need a fuse as well as a circuit breaker, a bit overkill? Lofrans and others I've installed only have a breaker.

 

[Ceejay]

I agree re the overkill, but initially only a fuse was installed by the builder. I've just fitted the breaker and I now plan to bypass the fuse.
CJ

 

[stuartwineberg]

Maintenance?

I agree re the overkill, but initially only a fuse was installed by the builder. I've just fitted the breaker and I now plan to bypass the fuse.
CJ

My Lofrans kept tripping out at the most inappropriate times - usually in shallow water just at the point of anchoring (of course). Turned out to need a strip down, clean and grease - there was just too much friction in the mechanicals for it to run and the increased loading was tripping the circuit

 

[cobolt]

Stuart's advice is sound.

Presuming no electrical faults causing the fuse/breaker to trip, the next step would be to check for mechanical causes.

These could be as simple as build up of salt/grime in the deck unit adding large amounts of friction. It could even be that the deck unit and motor gearbox are out of alignment (not shimmed correctly) and have been from initial installation, but the fact was "hidden" by the size/type of fuse fitted.

Ben (Lewmar employee)