windlass troubles

[jl123]

I have a 2359 trophy 2001, a previous owner must have had this windlass added, per bayliner this boat does not come equipmented with one, the windlass is a Lewmar Sprint 400 I do not know the year, max pull is 400 lbs 12 volts and 150 watts. when I put the battery switch to both and tried to pull the anchor up (10lb anchor) it would not do it, it only had a 25 amp fuse. since then I have added two strings of batteries, two on switch one and two on switch 2 on both it would have four 12 volt batteries, added a 100 amp fuse and new wire, but still having problems, blows fuse. is it time for a new one ?

 

[jtexas]

Re: windlass troubles

12v 150watt appliance only draws 12.5 amps - would be more under heavy strain, hence the 25 amp fuse.

What you have done by switching to a 100 amp fuse, is to make sure that the motor will burn itself up, and quite possibly the wiring will get hot enough to melt the insulation and start a fire.

You are lucky that it draws enough current to blow the fuse - next time you turn it on, it might not.

If you plan on replacing fuses with higher rated fuses, you should always make sure your fire extinguishers are all charged up first.

Not sure what "switch one and switch 2" are, but when you hooked up that 12volt motor to 24volts (or maybe 48, depending), you blew any chance it might ever have had of being repaired.

12 volt wiring is not something to be messing with until you acquire some basic knowlege of how it works. A single 12volt lead acid battery is capable of delivering a lethal shock if mishandled.

 

[jl123]

Re: windlass troubles

thanks for the look out, guess I'll put it on one 12v batt and 25 amp, if that don't work i guess I buy a new one, thanks for heads up.