2008 H41ds electric winch conversion

Nodak7 · Dec 2, 2017

I have done it dakno! Not a bad project. I converted the Lewmar 44 on the Starboard side. It was one of the best improvements I made to the boat. I feel your pain I am 70. Great for furling the main and reefing. I use it for raising the dinghy as well. They sell a kit for the conversion. I believe I have some pictures if you are interested. You will need to drill a hole in the cabin top and run the wires down the void at the stbd side of the engine cover then down thru cabinet above the engine and finally thru the engine compartment and to the batteries.

Nodak7 · Dec 3, 2017

dakno, The stock starboard winch is a Lewmar 44. Lewmar sells kits that allow you to convert the manual winch to electric. Most of the parts of the winch are reused in the conversion. All that you need to do is remove the old winch drill a hole in the cabin top. Mount the motor under that hole and run the electric wires. I believe it was 2/0 wire that I ran. The run is what I described above. There is a removable panel in the overhead above the passage to the aft cabin. I did run them straight to the main house batteries. You will need a second person to help you get the motor mounted. It is pretty heavy. The instructions are pretty good for this project.
http://www.apsltd.com/lewmar-ocean-44-winch-electric-conversion-kit.html

artboas · Dec 3, 2017

I upgraded my genoa primaries plus my port cabin top winch to electric.
The job is not overly difficult: just needs to be planned very well.
You will need the right cable, and 2/0 tinned from Anchor marine is your best choice.
I suggest you take a string, and measure the cable runs. The wire is expensive.
Make sure you have at least 10% excess allowing for bend radiuses, etc.
Next important bit...make sure you have a professional crimp tool. You may need to either rent one, or get a mechanic to help. It is essential to get the crimps right.
Lewmar sells the complete upgrade kit for the winch
Make sure you buy the ELS version of the relay box. It has current monitoring in it, versus the simple solenoid version. It costs more, but I deem it essential in this application
You will need to be removing the existing winch. It is possible someone has bedded it down with with silicone, or 5200.
If it is 5200, you will have a horrible time removing the old winch,. It can take an hour or 2 scraping, and trying to get a thin blade under the winch without scratching the Fiberglas.
Unless you follow my very simple trick, which will take 5 minutes, and make things ridiculously easy.
Remove all of the bolts which held the winch base plate in place. Try to move it. If it doesn't immediately come free, it's because of the sealant around the screw holes.
Very simple.
Make a bowline with 1/2" line, large enough to fit around the winch drum.
Now, simply take the other end of the line to the other cabin top winch
Start to grind. In about 30 seconds the winch will "pop" of its existing pad, no matter how much sealant was underneath it. Pretty cool trick!!!
Now, the conversion kit comes with a template to cut a hole for the motor spindle.

Do not assume that this template is exactly to scale. You cannot afford drilling this hole wrong.
Measure 10 times before to drill it.
You will need a hole saw, and in addition to cutting through Fiberglas, you will be cutting through the 3/8" aluminum mounting plate that the winch is mounted on inside the Fiberglas.
Get a brand new starett hole saw. Do not use a crappy "horror freight " etc type.
Don't try to use a battery powered drill for this. You will need lots of torque, and it will take time and patience.
Get a 1/2" corded drill, and have someone spot you to ensure you are drilling the pilot straight vertical.
For all lugs that you crimp on, use a piece of heat shrink tubing over the crimp where it meets the cable outer jacket. Thus will keep salt corrosion out. Put some silicone around under the heat shrink tubing to really seal it up.
When you mount the winch switch, be sure to use sealant on all the screw holes, and main switch body.

Good luck!

artboas · Dec 3, 2017

With regards to wiring, don't run directly to the house batteries.
The kit comes with a breaker. This breaker must then be tied into your switched 12v system from your main battery switch.
There is likely a spot on your battery panel where this breaker should mount.
You want to ensure that when your main battery switch is off that the winch has no power. This is a huge safety issue
You need to have a way to turn this winch off in emergency situations, plus you don't want someone accidentally activating this winch when the main house power isn't on.

Nodak7 · Dec 4, 2017

artboas said:
With regards to wiring, don't run directly to the house batteries.
The kit comes with a breaker. This breaker must then be tied into your switched 12v system from your main battery switch.
There is likely a spot on your battery panel where this breaker should mount.
You want to ensure that when your main battery switch is off that the winch has no power. This is a huge safety issue
You need to have a way to turn this winch off in emergency situations, plus you don't want someone accidentally activating this winch when the main house power isn't on.

Artbos, there is a spot for this breaker on the panel that has the House and Starter Batteries isolation switch. It is even labeled "Winch" and the breaker they supply fits right in there.

Nodak7 · Dec 4, 2017

Dakno, I went back through my material and I had purchased 25' roles of 1/0 AWG Marine Battery Cable from Greg's Marine Wire Supply. I had just a little left over. Additionally I found the instruction manual for the conversion. Unfortunately it is to large to attach. If you private message me I can send it to you.

The conversion kit # 480443002 is for Lewmar 44ST Ocean Series self-tailing winches manufactured 2000 or later.
ELS stands for Electronic Load Sensing, and means that the electric motor will automatically cut out (and return) if it exceeds the safe working load of the winch.
The Lewmar installation manual outlines wiring on page 14-16.
44ST Conversion Kit, ELS, 43'/min.:15'/min. Line Speed; 50A:180A Draw@12V DC 9544891 480443002
$2,146.89 (2015 price) is the one that you want if you do have the Lewmar 44ST
As I mentioned above it does come with the circuit breaker that has a place on the panel below the Nav Station seat. 90amp if I recall.
You will need 1/0 wire if it is a run of 25' or less and it is. If you run it differently it will need to be 2/0. However my run was about 23' (the max.).
I put the button on the bulkhead just below the winch. You can actually see it in one of the pictures I attached to my first post.
The hints and tricks that Artbos suggests are all very good and will make the job go smoother. I can take a few pictures today of the wiring route I took if you like.

artboas · Dec 4, 2017

Ok
I have a very good trick
You need to connect the input to this breaker to the 12V common rail that is feeding the other breakers.
You don't want to be using 2/0 cable for this short run, cause it's clumsy once you crimp 2 lugs onto it.
2 excellent choices
Get a short length of 3/4" wide flat tinned heavy duty braid strapping . It is used for SSB grounding, etc.
Measure hiw long it has to be between the terminal of the input of the new breaker, and common feed on the nearest one.
On both ends, soak a ton of solder into the braid. So, for about 3/4", it's pretty solid.
Now, just drill holes in the braid the size of the terminals.
You now have a super-flexible bomding strap.
Put heat shrink tubing over the whole length, except at the ends where the holes are.
Option 2:
If it is a straight short run, get 1/2" copper water pipe. Cut a piece to required length of bonding strap.
Now, slit it lengthways.
Flatten it out. Drill 2 holes.
Now you have a super high-capacity copper bus strap which costs next no nothing, and looks very professional.
Be sure to put on heat shrink tubing to insulate.

Nodak7 · Dec 4, 2017

Here are the pictures of the wiring run that I took.

Nodak7 · Dec 4, 2017

dakno said:
Wow you have both have been very helpful. Nodak7, is that the motor under the deck in the 1st pic? I am shopping for the 44st conversion kit now. Also the 12v breaker you mentioned is in the panel at the base of the nav seat? Was the space for the breaker already hot or did you have to go from battery(which one) to the breaker and then to the winch switch ?

Yes that is the motor under the deck that you see. Also the back of the switch. Yes there is a place for the breaker. No it is not hot. It will need to be wired.

Nodak7 · Dec 4, 2017

dakno said:
I found the 44st els conversion kit #606982 at Defender for $2,090. I was getting ready to purchase a 28v Milwaukee right angle drill so I could deduct it off my 17 taxes , or so I told the Admiral...My boat is 80 miles away in Gulfport, Ms so I can't immediately put my eyes on it but judging from your pics it looks straightforward enough. It looks as though there is enough space in that compartment below the winch for the motor to be completely hidden? I have to do it! Hopefully, Santa is listening .

Yes there is plenty of space for the motor under there. That is the stock location and the wire run I showed you is the stock run as well.

2008 H41ds electric winch conversion

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