Lewmar Foot Switch

Hey everyone

I am in need of the hive mind. I need to replace my Lewmar foot switches and don’t know if the new versions will work with my windless. My local chandler has new switches in stock but could not tell me if they would be compatible with my system. I have an older system 2007ish and the switches are three wire. The new switches are only two wire and I’m not sure if I can make them work. Below are a few pictures to help. Any info would be appreciated, thanks

From the looks of the underside, those support being wired for Normally Open OR Normally Closed switch use. One of the wires is going to go unused. A regular switch is typically open and only closes the circuit when you press it (this is the N.O. position).

How is it wired now? Is it just using the black and blue wires, leaving the gray not part of the circuit? If it's not using the gray NC wire then you'd likely be good with any other normal deck switch that also operates as NO.

The solenoid spade connectors want ground to the middle spade and 12V to the 2 outer spades. So the switches could use 1 wire to the battery (fused) and then a jumper to the second switch. The 2nd wires would go to the outer spades on the solenoid. The middle spade would need a jumper to ground on one of the posts.

Typical Lewmar wiring diagram:
https://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-forum/1075070-wiring-lewmar-windlass.html#&gid=1&pid=1

I will need to poke around a bit more to see how it’s currently wired. Honestly I thought it would be as simple as splicing in a new switch (??).

It probably will be simple, but unless a boat is "brand new" you're at the mercy of whatever may have been done to it in the intervening years.

It shouldn't be too difficult to eye up how it's wired now. Just find the other end, presumably at the junction box for the windlass solenoids. On my EB47 that's under the forward berth. The control wires come down from the flybridge, to the lower helm and then on to the solenoid control, along with wires down in from the bow foot switches. The much heavier gauge power leads come from the batteries to a breaker on lower helm (taking a detour to a hidden fuse panel close to the battery itself) and then to the solenoids.

It's entirely possible the 3 wires coming out of that switch head into a connector and only two of them come out the other side. If find such, make note of the condition of that connector. It's corroded then now would be as good a time as any to put something better in it's place.

Nothing to add, but out of curiosity what's wrong with the originals?

Both up and down are now sticking in the closed position and so I can’t use them. I was hoping the switch could be opened up and cleaned however the switch is a micro switch and not repairable.

Ok got it sorted and as was mentioned above the great wire is not used on my system only blue and black. Now to put it all back together ? Thanks for the help with this one

Rob

I'd ditch the foot switch and install a wireless remote. I have 2 remote transmitters on FW and and use them very often from the FB helm, lower helm and bow. On my 34, the range limit is just short of my cockpit.

FlyWright said:

I'd ditch the foot switch and install a wireless remote. I have 2 remote transmitters on FW and and use them very often from the FB helm, lower helm and bow. On my 34, the range limit is just short of my cockpit.

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where did you mount your receiver mine is at the lower helm it reaches to the dock off my stern on my 38.

Why not both?

The downside to all the wireless remotes is their quantity and their batteries. I've got several different remotes for various things and no two of them use the same battery. AA, AAA, coin (in various sizes), etc. That and just when you need it the battery is inevitably dead... and corroded inside. Range on some are decidedly worse than others.

timb said:

where did you mount your receiver mine is at the lower helm it reaches to the dock off my stern on my 38.

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I mounted the receiver at my lower helm.

Im struggling to see the advantage of adding yet another way to control the windless. I already have three positions to work with (fly bridge, lower helm and locally at the windless). If I’m missing out on something let me know but at this point I will stick with my current setup.

Rob