VC500 horizontal windlass hard no torque

[JosefR]

Just noticed my title is wrong..."has no torque." I believe that is the windlass model that I have on my Catalina 30 from reading forums. When I have tried to use it, it will not pull the rode. It will rotate under power without a load. I am wondering if the motor needs to be serviced and if it is fixable. Looking for guidance on removing it and what might need to be fixed, if possible. I cannot look at it until this weekend.

 

[Ron20324]

There should be a socket on the drum end to tighten or loosen the clutch. Sounds like maybe yours is loose?

 

[JosefR]

I will take a look when I get there. Sounds too simple for a repair on MY boat!

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

It will rotate under power without a load.

Does it slow down and stop under load ? ? ?

 

[JosefR]

yes

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

So far, not so good.

Can you get to the motor and do a voltage check while the motor is under load to the point of almost stopping ? Maybe you're only looking at a corrosion problem with the cable contacts to the motor.

Still hoping to get you out of this without buying a new motor $ $ $ $ $.

 

[kloudie1]

Yup.. bad cable connections or a bad relay.. or (less likely) bad brushes in the motor..
With connections that bad, you probably will see some heat damage at the bad one.. disconnect power, clean 'em up and tighten; power side and ground side..
could be a binding gearbox that needs service and lube, but if I was a betting guy, I'd bet on a bad connection

 

[JosefR]

There should be a socket on the drum end to tighten or loosen the clutch. Sounds like maybe yours is loose?

There is not. Only a slot for a screwdriver, I assume to remove the drum.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

There is not. Only a slot for a screwdriver, I assume to remove the drum.

Did you manage to get any voltage readings, from the cable connections, right at the motor ?

 

[JosefR]

No, it looks like I have to go in through the vberth, and I can't even get to that for a while. The stuff y'all said to look at is on the verge of being beyond me.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

The stuff y'all said to look at is on the verge of being beyond me.

Take lots of close up pictures of all parts of the windlass (particularly the motor) next time you're at the boat and we'll show you what to do and where. It's what we do .

 

[JosefR]

I found there are two access plates in the locker, fore and aft. The aft one seems to go to the motor, which appears to be at some odd angle, but upside down on my belly, I couldn't even get my hand in the hole, much less see into it. Don't know if the berth access hole even goes to it.