I have a Lewmar Concept 1 capstan/gypsy windlass on my O'Day 37. (Somewhere in the photos section you can find details of the installation.) The windlass recently quit. One day it was working fine and the next a tiny squiggle and no more motion. The solenoids click when the switches are activated. There is full voltage on both the up and down sides when the switches are activated and voltage drop from battery to motor is less than half a volt. But not a blip from the motor. The 3-amp thermal cutout fuse is fine. The main circuit breaker in the system does not blow. So the problem is not mechanical. If the gearcase were jammed or something else, the circuit breaker would blow. I have removed the unit from the boat and was astonished at all the salt on top of the gear case where the shaft goes through. So much for water tightness. No corrosion apparent, though. Lewmar has been less than helpful. They don't want to fix it. They want to sell me a new motor/gearcase. Considering the unit is only five years old, that's a bit much. Advice and opinion please. Does it appear that I am correct in surmising an electrical problem in the motor? If so, could an automotive electrical shop that deals with alternators and starter motors fix it?
- Status
Can you turn it by hand?
If so that would also suggest that it isn't locking up although I think you've probably already ruled that out with your testing. I'd sure take it to an electric shop if you have one around. It's probably something silly like the carbon brushes (they wear out eventually) or maybe a loose wire. Assuming the windings aren't damaged and there isn't massive corrosion there really isn't much else to go wrong in there. Most likely the repair will cost a small (very small) fraction of the price of a new one. Good luck!
If so that would also suggest that it isn't locking up although I think you've probably already ruled that out with your testing. I'd sure take it to an electric shop if you have one around. It's probably something silly like the carbon brushes (they wear out eventually) or maybe a loose wire. Assuming the windings aren't damaged and there isn't massive corrosion there really isn't much else to go wrong in there. Most likely the repair will cost a small (very small) fraction of the price of a new one. Good luck!
Dead Windlass
Peter, I had exactly the same problem with an earlier model windlass. I stripped it and found the motor brushes were shot - despite the motor only having run for less than an hour over nine years. i.e. about one to two minutes per anchoring. Luckily they had not oversprayed the motor manufacturer's name label so I was able to track them down and order a replacement brush carrier and rebuild the windlass. Now its as good as new. My motor is from Leroy-Somer Motors in France (WWW.Leroysomer.com) Get lucky, Don.
Peter, I had exactly the same problem with an earlier model windlass. I stripped it and found the motor brushes were shot - despite the motor only having run for less than an hour over nine years. i.e. about one to two minutes per anchoring. Luckily they had not oversprayed the motor manufacturer's name label so I was able to track them down and order a replacement brush carrier and rebuild the windlass. Now its as good as new. My motor is from Leroy-Somer Motors in France (WWW.Leroysomer.com) Get lucky, Don.
Me too, brushes totaled...
My motor was also manufactured by Leroy-Somer but the cost of brushes was several hundred dollars with a lead time of 3-4 months. A complete motor was over $1200!!!!! I took my motor to my local electric motor repair shop and for $125 they replaced the brushes and bearings. The bearing were just preventative maintenance. Still at $125 it was expensive but I had no other reasonable source of brushes. My unit failed after 6 years and I think I estimated about 20 hours use. IMO, very poor performance.
My motor was also manufactured by Leroy-Somer but the cost of brushes was several hundred dollars with a lead time of 3-4 months. A complete motor was over $1200!!!!! I took my motor to my local electric motor repair shop and for $125 they replaced the brushes and bearings. The bearing were just preventative maintenance. Still at $125 it was expensive but I had no other reasonable source of brushes. My unit failed after 6 years and I think I estimated about 20 hours use. IMO, very poor performance.
Can you turn it by hand?
No. The gear case and motor are essentially integral and sealed. With the splined shaft removed there is nothing to turn. In any case even with the shaft, etc., in place you are at the wrong end of a worm gear that turns just fine at the motor end but can't be budged at the business end. There is nothing exposed at the motor end. Thanks for your input everyone. A couple of local starter/generator shops have been recommended to me. Stay tuned.
No. The gear case and motor are essentially integral and sealed. With the splined shaft removed there is nothing to turn. In any case even with the shaft, etc., in place you are at the wrong end of a worm gear that turns just fine at the motor end but can't be budged at the business end. There is nothing exposed at the motor end. Thanks for your input everyone. A couple of local starter/generator shops have been recommended to me. Stay tuned.
Problem solved
I took the windlass to an auto electrical shop in Flushing, Queens, that had been recommended to me. The fact that I did not get a "watinelisthat?" look or comment when I dropped the motor/gearcase on the counter was encouraging. They fixed it within the hour with new brushes, a terminal post, cleanup and refurbish the armature. The price was $225, which I thought a bit steep. But what choice did I have? It seemed steeper still when Lewmar said they would sell me a brand new motor for $302.50. Oh well. It's worth almost anything to be able to manage my ground tackle again. A Delta 35 and 150' of chain is a literal backbreaker.
I took the windlass to an auto electrical shop in Flushing, Queens, that had been recommended to me. The fact that I did not get a "watinelisthat?" look or comment when I dropped the motor/gearcase on the counter was encouraging. They fixed it within the hour with new brushes, a terminal post, cleanup and refurbish the armature. The price was $225, which I thought a bit steep. But what choice did I have? It seemed steeper still when Lewmar said they would sell me a brand new motor for $302.50. Oh well. It's worth almost anything to be able to manage my ground tackle again. A Delta 35 and 150' of chain is a literal backbreaker.
- Status