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Old 12-08-2016, 07:49 PM   #1
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Windlass Electrical issue

Hey All,

I'm having an issue with my Lewmar ocean windlass, as it is not responding to any of the switches.

Here is the set up:

Two foot switches on deck at the windlass.

A "Windlass Control On" rocker at the lower helm with a 3 way momentary up/down switch next to it.

A "Windlass Control On" rocker at the upper helm with a three way momentary up/down switch next to it.

A 90 amp circuit breaker in the engine room.

Solenoid under FWD bunk, with a buss bar next to it. Wires run from (presumably) each of the switches to this buss bar. Wires (orange, yellow, purple) then run from the buss bar to the three blade terminals on the front of the solenoid. A small fused wire runs from terminal 1 on the solenoid to the buss bar. I verified that the fuse is intact and that there is power to the buss bar.

I called Lewmar tech support and they walked me through some troubleshooting and concluded it was a bad contactor (solenoid). I ordered a replacement solenoid and swapped it out, labeling each cable and taking pics with my phone.

Nothing.

I used my multimeter to confirm that there is power coming to the solenoid (cable 1 in the pic below).

I took off cable 2 and carefully touched it to cable 1, which caused the windlass to turn.

Verified that all connections are good.

Both "windlass control" switches are on.

Pics are in this link Solenoid 2 - Album on Imgur.

Thanks in advance.
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Old 12-08-2016, 08:10 PM   #2
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Here are things that I have found that stopped my Lewmar,
Ground cable at motor -cleaned and tightened (grounds are always my first thing)
Mine has a yellow thermal cutoff wire (very thin wire). Found that it had corroded inside a butt connection. Looked good but came apart when I tugged on it.

No pics.

Good luck, it can be frustrating
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Old 12-08-2016, 08:23 PM   #3
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Thanks Arch. I added a link to the pics above, but here it is as well, for convenience.

Solenoid 2 - Album on Imgur

I'll check the ground at the motor. Good idea.
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Old 12-08-2016, 09:14 PM   #4
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Took the ground wire off of the motor, cleaned it up with a wire brush. No luck.

Also, replaced all of the small gauge wire to bigger gauge wire butt connections at the motor with ring terminals and a buss bar. No luck.

My guess, since the windlass works when I bypass the solenoid, and since the solenoid is new, is that there is a short in the yellow (ground), orange or purple wires that run from the buss bar to the tab terminals on the front of the solenoid. Problem is, I don't know how to test them. Should they have power running to them all the time or only when one of the momentary switches is depressed?
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Old 12-09-2016, 06:11 AM   #5
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Verified that both the windlass control switch and the up/down switch at lower helm are operational. Control switch has 12V coming into it and out of it.

Wires on switches are same color combo as the wires leading to and from bus bar next to solenoid.

Is it possible that the new solenoid I got in is also bad?
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Old 12-09-2016, 09:05 AM   #6
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I'm not seeing the bus bar that you refer to Is it in the pictures?

I think you need to test the solenoid controls. Those are the small wires on the side. Based on the colors and typical configurations, which might not be correct so proceed with cautions, the yellow wire in the middle will be a ground, and the two end wires with be 12V, one for each direction of operation. To test you need a volt meter, and a good ground connection.

First measure from ground to the three big terminals on the solenoid and figure out which is +12V. It should be the one in the middle that also has the small red wire connection, but verify.

Next, figure out which of the small wires is ground. It's probably the yellow one in the middle, so start there. Measure from the big +12 terminal to the yellow wire. Disconnect the yellow wire to do this, and measure to the connector end of the wire. One of them should be a good ground, so show 12V between it and the +12V fat wire. The other two should show no reading (open circuit).

Based on your symptoms, there is a good chance you won't find a good ground on any of the small wires and that will be your problem.

From here on I'll assume it is indeed the center yellow wire that is the ground. Connect it back up, and carefully make a momentary jumper contact between the fat 12V terminal and one of the two remaining small terminals. The solenoid should activate and the windless should operate in one direction. Now jumper to the other terminal. The solenoid should activate again and the windless should operate in the other direction. If that works, then your solenoid and windless are fine.

I'll be a cup of coffee that the yellow wires is a defective ground.
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Old 12-09-2016, 09:54 AM   #7
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Twisted tree wins the prize.

Checked the small ground wire running to the center tab on the solenoid, only got 9V. Replaced the tab terminal, still only 9V. Built a new jumper wire that runs directly from the big ground terminal next to the solenoid to the center tab. Confirmed that I had 12V to the new wire. Connected it.

Every station works perfectly.

Thanks a ton for your help.
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Old 12-09-2016, 10:07 AM   #8
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It is almost always the grounds! Good job!
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Old 12-09-2016, 02:55 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Arch View Post
Here are things that I have found that stopped my Lewmar,.................
I'll tell you what stopped mine - corrosion. Not electrical, mechanical.

The windlass wouldn't turn but I could hear the motor trying to turn (before it tripped the breaker). I took the cover off and one of the gears. I was able to grab the extended motor shaft and move it back and forth with a pair of vise grips. I eventually freed it up, put everything together and it lasted another year.

It failed again and the motor gear was too far gone so I replaced it. I was on a cruise at the time so that was the best choice.
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Old 12-09-2016, 08:39 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dougcole View Post
Twisted tree wins the prize.

Checked the small ground wire running to the center tab on the solenoid, only got 9V. Replaced the tab terminal, still only 9V. Built a new jumper wire that runs directly from the big ground terminal next to the solenoid to the center tab. Confirmed that I had 12V to the new wire. Connected it.

Every station works perfectly.

Thanks a ton for your help.
Cool! What's the prize?

Glad you got it workiong again...
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Old 12-09-2016, 08:45 PM   #11
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Well done! This is how it should always go...
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