windless remote control

[emnick]

Hello, I was hoping to fit a new windless this season. Is there a wireless remote control on the market that anybody knows about? rather than fit switches. Also is there a DSC VHF with Navtex built in on the market that any one could recommend
Thanks in advance

 

[Channel Ribs]

Yes indeed:

Remote control Ignore the blurb about it being a counter.

Please do let me know if I can get some prices for you on the windlass etc?

 

[Searush]

Windless? Not much use to us raggies then is it?

 

[emnick]

sorry windlass! thank /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[emnick]

pm sent thanks

 

[TonyS]

Do you really want the VHF on 24/7? You probably want the Navtex on 24/7. Just a thought.

 

[rogerthebodger]

I use the same type of wireless remote control to operate my windlass as I use to open my driveway date. I just put it in a waterproof bag some as used for mobile phones.

If it stopes working I replace it they are very cheep in South Africa.

upto 6 way transmiter about 10 quid and receivers about the same for each channel. Can increase life by opening and spraying with WD40 or simular.

 

[toad]

http://www.vetus.nl/digcat/DIGCAT_2007_EN/pages/025.html Well built and waterproof.

 

[Channel Ribs]

And only a few quid more expensive than the Lofrans one, the four button version could be handy too.

 

[Gypsy]

Other posters have given you some good leads to products. I bought a Lofrans radio remote which hooked in with their control box very easily. It is not the same as the model shown in the link provided by Malthouse but I would expect it to be very similar. My unit uses the same technology as the garage door openers mentioned by RogerShaw but therein lies one of the problems of these type of controllers. The battery of the remote unit drains quite quickly, a matter of weeks if used when cruising. This is because it has to be held ON continuously to operate the windlass and this can be for periods of minutes whereas their original design use is for a momentary burst of the control data to start an open/close sequence. The manufacturers of my unit (badged Lofrans) obviously recognised this as a problem so they include a spare battery inside the waterproofed controller. The battery is 12v (from recollection) which is not too hard to find but not something available in supermarkets etc.

Whilst the portability and other benefits of these units are great, make sure you have an alternate control capability to operate the windlass if the controller battery fails at a most inappropriate time-which it surely will. I have a windlass control panel in the cockpit which is hard wired and used in such emergencies.
Ray

 

[emnick]

Thanks Gypsy, I had also looked into garage / intruder alarm reciver transmitter but due to the problem you mention I presumed that the transmitter caused a relay to 'latch' on then there would be a 'stop' channel and then another channel for opposite direction. It could be done with a 3 or 4 channel Tx & Rx but the latching part would end up a bit of a lash up which is why I wanted a proper unit, one single burst signal to latch the relay up one single burst to stop one single burst for down.

Thank you all.

 

[Gypsy]

Yes emnick, latching circuits would be the preferred way of saving battery power but it has its safety problems. You really need the windlass to stop when you release the button. I think you will find all the radio units work on the same principle as the one I described, but I wait to be corrected.
Ray