Windlass battery?

[HeadedToTexas]

Does the windlass on your Mariner 37 or Helmsman 38 have its own battery? I did not see one on mine, but now I wonder as it has the “running down the battery” sound and all batteries I know of are fully charged.

If it has its own battery, where is the switch and how does it charge?

 

[SteveK]

My dedicated start battery runs the windless and is charged by the engine while the windless is in use.

 

[DavidM]

There are two basic ways to power a windlass: with a heavy cable from one of the engine start batteries (or possibly the house battery) or a dedicated battery near the windlass charged up by a lighter cable from one of the engine room batteries.

Look under the windlass above the chain locker. You will probably find the solenoid that switches up to down and trace back to the power source. If you find a good size cable that goes back to the engine room with no local battery, there is your answer.

Yandina.com has a good technical description of how to use one of their combiners with a local battery.

David

 

[HeadedToTexas]

There are definitely good size cables between the windlass motor and the Windlass Control Box, and good size cables heading aft to the 12 volt panel and batteries. That and the fact that I have yet to find another battery or any reference to it in the diagrams I have from the previous owner really suggest that it runs off the engine or house batteries, true?

Still hard for me to understand why the motor, once moving and running on fully charged batteries, would slow to a stop after a couple rotations with that "dying batteries sound."

And am I reading the function of the Windlass Control Box right, in that the solenoids that transfer power for forward and reverse (or up and down) are within?

 

[DavidM]

Yes you are correct. It does seem that your windlass is powered by the house or starting battery.

You may have some bad connections that are causing that battery run down sound. Run the windlass up and down and then feel every connection for excessive heat. If you don't find the problem then check the voltage at the windlass motor. If it is low, like less than 11 volts work your way back until you find the problem.

David

David

 

[HeadedToTexas]

Thanks David. I metered the contacts on the motor which produced questionable data. That was when I decided that the build up on the contacts was preventing the motor from turning. I was all set up with ratchet and sand paper when I decided "hey, I should test it one more time" and got the gypsy to turn with a little help.

Looks like I should have just gone ahead and cleaned up the contacts anyway. I'll report back after that job is complete. Thanks.

 

[Jeff F]

It looks like the thruster and windlass use the same source of power. If your thruster works ok the issue is local to the windlass. Thruster uses 5x as much power as the windlass.l

 

[HeadedToTexas]

That's a good point. The thruster appears to be working normally. I hope to clean up the contacts tomorrow afternoon. Fingers are crossed.

 

[HeadedToTexas]

So I cleaned up the contacts and crimped on eyes and tightened it all back up. This weekend was our first anchoring adventure. Went like clockwork! 1:5 scope lunch hook plus off the north cove of Kelleys Island. No hesitation up or down. Thanks folks.

 

[dhays]

Glad to hear it solved the problem.

 

[capran]

Does the windlass on your Mariner 37 or Helmsman 38 have its own battery? I did not see one on mine, but now I wonder as it has the “running down the battery” sound and all batteries I know of are fully charged.

If it has its own battery, where is the switch and how does it charge?

Mine is hull number 9. The start battery switch it just to the right of the steering wheel and it runs both the start battery, the bow thruster and the windless. One of the few things I know on my just purchased boat. I have two alternators on the lugger engine. One charges the house bank, the other charges the start battery. Had a different system on my sailboat which had a battery combiner which charged both house batteries and separate engine start battery.

 

[Comodave]

Once the connections are nice and clean and tight I like to spray some Boeshield on them to help prevent corrosion again.

 

[HeadedToTexas]

The battery switch to the right of the lower helm wheel disconnects only the windlass on Hull 3 and there is no windlass battery; just a connection to the house bank. The main engine battery and generator start battery both have their own disconnect switches very near each battery. We do have a combiner switch (bottom left corner of the lower helm instrument pod) that brings the house bank and main engine start battery together if needed, though I am not sure where that relay is as the switch does not have enough wire gauge to do the combining.

And Hull 3 has a Cummins QSB, not a Lugger. Very cool! We have a single alternator too, not dual alternators.

 

[capran]

Does the windlass on your Mariner 37 or Helmsman 38 have its own battery? I did not see one on mine, but now I wonder as it has the “running down the battery” sound and all batteries I know of are fully charged.

If it has its own battery, where is the switch and how does it charge?

The battery switch to the right of the lower helm wheel disconnects only the windlass on Hull 3 and there is no windlass battery; just a connection to the house bank. The main engine battery and generator start battery both have their own disconnect switches very near each battery. We do have a combiner switch (bottom left corner of the lower helm instrument pod) that brings the house bank and main engine start battery together if needed, though I am not sure where that relay is as the switch does not have enough wire gauge to do the combining.

And Hull 3 has a Cummins QSB, not a Lugger. Very cool! We have a single alternator too, not dual alternators.

We've been pushed beyond our limits just to get things working, so I have yet to look at the wiring coming from the two alternators to see if I can trace it. The PO didn't use it much in the 6 years of his usage, and rarely anchored. He was the one that told me that battery switch controls the start, thruster and windless. I feel like I have engaged the Everest summit hike in my learning curve and am buried in an avalanche of snow.

 

[HeadedToTexas]

The power systems have been the most complex and mysterious for me as well. You’ll get there.