Real world anchor winch cable size

[RupertW]

I don’t know, hence the question. I don’t think so, but i do wonder why, when according to the theory ( as I understand it) it should be a problem. It bothers me when trying to learn stuff that what I’m told doesn’t relate to whats on the ground.

According to what theory? A temporary voltage dip under load may not be ideal and might suggest the battery bank is undersized if it’s sustained but no reason why a winch won’t work perfectly at that voltage.

 

[Graham376]

80a for 24v,150a for 12v is what the specs say here , just going from this.

We have Lofrans Kobra 1000w windlass on (IIRC) 35mm cable run of about 11m one way. Breaker is 100 amp and doesn't trip.

Manual here, see section 4 - Lofrans windlasses and Installation manuals

 

[oldmanofthehills]

The only thing I have found affected by temp voltage dip on start is the ebispacher which supposedly takes 39A briefly on start. However if that drops voltage at the heater to 10.5v or below, refuses to try and turn on.

So what if your anchor winch is sluggish to start, so are many of us?

 

[PaulRainbow]

The only thing I have found affected by temp voltage dip on start is the ebispacher which supposedly takes 39A briefly on start. However if that drops voltage at the heater to 10.5v or below, refuses to try and turn on.

So what if your anchor winch is sluggish to start, so are many of us?

The Eber should be on the domestic batteries and the windlass on the engine battery, problem solved.

 

[oldmanofthehills]

The Eber should be on the domestic batteries and the windlass on the engine battery, problem solved.

If you have old 1 switch 2 like our old boat there is no engine battery. Current boat has engine bat (feeds winch) plus 2 aux but not all have same battery system

 

[PaulRainbow]

If you have old 1 switch 2 like our old boat there is no engine battery. Current boat has engine bat (feeds winch) plus 2 aux but not all have same battery system

You said "The only thing I have found affected by temp voltage dip on start is the ebispacher" so i was addressing you, not "everyone"

 

[vyv_cox]

Our windlass was connected to the domestic bank, 3 x 110 Ah batteries. This seemed a better bet than our Red Flash starter battery, about 30 Ah. Never had a problem with this setup in 20 plus years.

 

[14K478]

I want to write “fit a windlass battery near the windlass”, but I’m probably wrong.

 

[vyv_cox]

I want to write “fit a windlass battery near the windlass”, but I’m probably wrong.

It would have been highly inconvenient in our boat and we would still need to run cables for charging. I ran heavier cables to the domestic bank and had no problems at all for many years.

 

[Dockhead]

The Eber should be on the domestic batteries and the windlass on the engine battery, problem solved.

That would be either a very small windlass or a very large engine battery!

But I certainly agree that big loads like windlasses and thrusters should not be run from the house bank. You want a separate bank for those.

In my case, it was easy because the boat was built like that. I've converted the house bank to lithium but left lead in the service bank (4x Group 31 batteries) because the Sleipner thruster won't tolerate the voltage curve of lithium.

 

[PaulRainbow]

That would be either a very small windlass or a very large engine battery!

Not so, my previous boat had a 1000W windlass, powered from a single 12V battery, standard LA.

My current boat has a 1500W windlass, running from the engine batteries.

There are millions of production boats out there with the windlass running from the engine battery, bow thrusters too. My thruster also works from the engine battery, as go many other production boats.

But I certainly agree that big loads like windlasses and thrusters should not be run from the house bank. You want a separate bank for those.

In my case, it was easy because the boat was built like that. I've converted the house bank to lithium but left lead in the service bank (4x Group 31 batteries) because the Sleipner thruster won't tolerate the voltage curve of lithium.

Not sure what you mean here ?