2800 Windlass problem??? Help

[Mothers Day]

Hello All:
Anyone who can help with a windlass that doesn't work?? 2000 2800 lawrence windlass. wires are getting hot, and circuit breaker popping on the dash. no movement or even a humm on the motor? Is this thing seized up?
Any help is good help.
Thank you

[mmwjr]

If it was mechanically seized i would expect you would hear the motor try to run before tripping the breaker.

From what you described it sounds like a short in the motor.

Can you seperate the motor from the rest of the unit and see if it still trips?

[Lawnman]

Try taking the cover off,and see if you can turn motor by hand.I had to do that last spring to get it to work.

[Mothers Day]

Thx guys, I'll take the unit apart (if able) and start checking. I can put the wrench on the top and move the Windlass in one direction only. Very little, but it does move. Trouble is, the chain and anchor are pulled all the way up and keeping anything from moving.
I'll keep you posted on what I find later today.

[shrew]

You are more than likely going to need to remove the anchor and chain to do any meaningful work on the windlass.

[Mothers Day]

o.k. I removed the anchor. I have a simpson lawrence windlass (spirit 600)
the motor can be manualy turned in one direction pretty easily. But much more difficult in the opposite direction. I tried the switch again: Nothing...
Any suggestions guys?
Is there another breaker? The switch has an actual circuit breaker right next to it and it is o.k.

[shrew]

Originally Posted by Mothers Day

o.k. I removed the anchor. I have a simpson lawrence windlass (spirit 600)
the motor can be manualy turned in one direction pretty easily. But much more difficult in the opposite direction. I tried the switch again: Nothing...
Any suggestions guys?
Is there another breaker? The switch has an actual circuit breaker right next to it and it is o.k.

The fact that the gypsy moves would indicate it is not seized. You should be able to determine based on the direction the chain enters which direction is "UP" and which direction is "DOWN" (from the perspective of the windlass switches and the direction of the anchor). Obviously Down lets out chain and Up pulls in chain.

So, which direction is free and which direction is difficult to turn. I would suspect that it is difficult to turn paying rode OUT.

I'd start by verifying you're getting 12VDC to the windlass with a Volt-meter. If not, then I'd consider taking a good battery and jumping the connections. If it works, you can deduce the problem is between the battery and the windlass. If it doesn't it may be the windlass motor itself.

[Mothers Day]

Thanks for your info:
I suspect the motor, and will go ahead and "jump" the terminals underneath the Windlass just to be positive.
The simple fact that the wires are getting hotter then heck and blowing the circuit breaker at the helm switch leeds me to believe electrical connections are o.k.
But hey, why not test and be sure.
Thanks again for your input. Much appreciated.

[mmwjr]

Originally Posted by Mothers Day

Thanks for your info:
I suspect the motor, and will go ahead and "jump" the terminals underneath the Windlass just to be positive.
The simple fact that the wires are getting hotter then heck and blowing the circuit breaker at the helm switch leeds me to believe electrical connections are o.k.
But hey, why not test and be sure.
Thanks again for your input. Much appreciated.

If the wires are getting hot keep the local breaker in the circuit and jump the battery to its input otherwise you may smoke the thing and the wiring.

[Mothers Day]

I started a new thread titled "windlass is toast"
Thanks for all your help.
Time to Break Out Another Thousand +++