Windlass solenoid location?

[biscuit]

Advice please: Lofrans instructions say "place it in a dry place near the capstan".

The chain locker is possible site, but not ideal; the fore cabin hasn't got a suitable site without a lot of hassle.
There is a very good accessible spot behind a panel in the heads, but this is 3-4 metres from the capstan motor.
I don't understand why the solenoid needs to be near the capstan at all: would siting it a few metres away do any harm, or affect the windlass adversely?

 

[Elemental]

Advice please: Lofrans instructions say "place it in a dry place near the capstan".

The chain locker is possible site, but not ideal; the fore cabin hasn't got a suitable site without a lot of hassle.
There is a very good accessible spot behind a panel in the heads, but this is 3-4 metres from the capstan motor.

Mine is in the forecabin, directly abutting the chain locker, with a battery under the forepeak berth. The charging wires run the full length of the boat.

I don't understand why the solenoid needs to be near the capstan at all: would siting it a few metres away do any harm, or affect the windlass adversely?

Because there are very high currents involved and therefore the effects of wiring resistance are greater. Short, fat wires are the order of the day.

 

[JonJon]

As long as your total power cable run lengths are within recommended for the size of wire you are using cant see a problem. Do check your run lengths and cable x sections. Doesnt take much at 90-100 amps to produce a sizeable volt drop.

 

[pappaecho]

The reason why solenoids are sited as close as possible to the power drawing device is to reduce the power drop caused by cable runs. That power drop is often expressed as heat.

If you want to site the solenoid behind the heads, you will have to use very thick copper cable to connect to the solenoid and thence on to the windlass. The cheapest cable which is commonly available is meter tails, which you can get cheaply from electrical wholesalers.

I would guess that 16 sq.mm cable would be suitable, and the advantage is that the cable is colour coded, and double insulated. It will be half the price of similar cable sold for connecting starter motors to batteries. You need to find the total current draw of the windless, and size your cable accordingly

 

[pvb]

I would guess that 16 sq.mm cable would be suitable....

I think not. Windlass manufacturers generally specify cable size, and it's usually much bigger than that. The OP should follow the guidelines in the Lofrans instructions.

Incidentally, meter tails are usually very stiff and difficult to feed through restricted spaces. Multi-strand flexible cable is much easier to install.

 

[properjob]

I think not. Windlass manufacturers generally specify cable size, and it's usually much bigger than that. The OP should follow the guidelines in the Lofrans instructions.

Incidentally, meter tails are usually very stiff and difficult to feed through restricted spaces. Multi-strand flexible cable is much easier to install.

I agree and the cheapest way of buying multi-strand cable is to buy welding cable.

 

[nimbusgb]

It makes no difference to the voltage drop how close the solenoid is to the winch IF the same sized wires are both upstream and downstream of the solenoid.

However, if you are using a 3 wire windlass you will have 3 pieces of wire from the solenoid to the winch unit. If it's a considerable distance from the winch then you are putting in wire which costs money!

If the winch is just a 2 wire unit then you could just as well mount the solenoid at the battery!

 

[Chris_Robb]

It makes no difference to the voltage drop how close the solenoid is to the winch IF the same sized wires are both upstream and downstream of the solenoid.

However, if you are using a 3 wire windlass you will have 3 pieces of wire from the solenoid to the winch unit. If it's a considerable distance from the winch then you are putting in wire which costs money!

If the winch is just a 2 wire unit then you could just as well mount the solenoid at the battery!

I would agree.
My last boat was 40ft and the Lofrans was run off the engine battery with long and very heavy cables (2 wires only).

If you want a reversing solanoid (ie 3 cables), then the solenoid needs in practical terms to be within a distance that you can afford to run the 3rd cable. As long as the cables are up to size (and DO NOT skimp) it really does not matter where it is mounted between the source of power and the winch.

 

[concentrik]

Biscuit tin

Advice please: Lofrans instructions say "place it in a dry place near the capstan".

My changeover solenoid (reversing) is mounted in the chain locker on the underside of the deck, in one of those watertight food containers. The lid is easily removed for access to the solenoid and remote radio controller. Welding cable to the windlass. Seems OK so far...

 

[Billjratt]

My pennyworth.
Solenoid can go anywhere comfy between the battery and the windlass.
There will be two fat wires needed for the whole run, so the battery should be as close to the windlass as possible.
The two fat cables are 1- Negative 2- positive to solenoid then to WIND (up) side of motor.
All other cables can be comparitively thin, they will be control wiring to pick the solenoid(s) and the feed from the solenoid to the LAY (down) side of the motor. (The actual cable cross-section depends on the size and configuration of your boat!)
This is because the weight of the chain and anchor is assisting the motor on the way down - in fact the motor is applying a drag to stop the whole lot whizzing down to Davie Jones.
Worthwhile thinking about if you're buying cable for a long run. (2/3 cost)
Our winding battery is in the forepeak just aft of the chain locker. The solenoid and heavy breaker are high on the bulkhead between the two.
The long wiring is all comparitively thin - control to wheelhouse and charge for battery. If you have deck switches all you need is the charging cable.

 

[rudolph_hart]

I don't understand why the solenoid needs to be near the capstan at all: would siting it a few metres away do any harm, or affect the windlass adversely?

Not if the factory-installed 1000W on mine is any indication. The batteries are just aft of the engine, the solenoid is mounted behind the chart table 'dashboard' about midships and the windlass is about 1m from the stem, so cable runs are perhaps 7 or 8 metres. Swopped the solenoid for a reversing one a couple of years ago, still no problems after 17 years.

 

[GrahamM376]

I think not. Windlass manufacturers generally specify cable size, and it's usually much bigger than that. The OP should follow the guidelines in the Lofrans instructions.

Incidentally, meter tails are usually very stiff and difficult to feed through restricted spaces. Multi-strand flexible cable is much easier to install.

+1

Also remember when you're measuring the cable run to determine cable size, it's the length from the battery to the windlass and back to the battery, not just one way.

 

[Boo2]

Windlass battery charging cable size

If I go for a dedicated windlass battery to keep high current cable runs short then I will need long charging cables (say 8m run). Can anyone say what the csa should be for the charging cables for a 1kW 12V windlass ?

Boo2

 

[biscuit]

Grateful thanks to all respondents.
What a brilliant resource this forum is!

 

[pvb]

If I go for a dedicated windlass battery to keep high current cable runs short then I will need long charging cables (say 8m run). Can anyone say what the csa should be for the charging cables for a 1kW 12V windlass ?

Many people use a dedicated battery, but to do it properly isn't necessarily any cheaper. Unless you use a special "echo charge" unit to charge the dedicated windlass battery, you still need fairly meaty cables, as considerable current will flow when operating the windlass with the engine running (as is often the case). And you need to fuse the cable at both ends, rather than just at one end. And, of course, the battery in the bows needs to be properly contained and, ideally, properly vented.

I reckon it's easier just to run big cables.