catalinajack
Guru
I have a 1983 vintage Galley Maid windlass. One of the two reversing solenoids failed such that I had a choice of using the windlass to lower or raise the anchor but not both. I could choose by swapping the motor leads one for another. In fact, I kept it for raising and manually deployed the anchor chain on our one-year cruise doing the Great Loop. As we have been back in our home marina since last May, I have been engaged in a number of "home improvement" projects, one of which is replacing the windlass control. Unfortunately, as with all Galley Maid products, replacement parts are VERY expensive. GM wanted $832 for a new control box which includes a 150amp circuit breaker.
Not willing to pay what I think is an outrageous amount, I set out to find an alternative. It was a long search because I needed to find a reversing solenoid for a four-wire series-wound motor with a wiring scheme that matches that of my Galley Maid. I finally found one in a Lewmar contactor rated to more than accommodate the current draw of my windlass motor. I mounted it and the circuit breaker, wired it up and prompted blew a 125 amp MRBF fuse. Ah, I had attached the cables to the wrong terminals. My attention to detail was lacking yesterday.
This morning, I went back into the chain locker and corrected my mistakes. Then it was outside to the foot buttons for a test. Success, both up and down! Total cost:
1. Circuit breaker - $86
2. Lewmar contactor - $187
3. New 1/0 main feed - $22
Savings was over $600. My point in posting is that sometimes there is more than one way to get to the other side.
Not willing to pay what I think is an outrageous amount, I set out to find an alternative. It was a long search because I needed to find a reversing solenoid for a four-wire series-wound motor with a wiring scheme that matches that of my Galley Maid. I finally found one in a Lewmar contactor rated to more than accommodate the current draw of my windlass motor. I mounted it and the circuit breaker, wired it up and prompted blew a 125 amp MRBF fuse. Ah, I had attached the cables to the wrong terminals. My attention to detail was lacking yesterday.
This morning, I went back into the chain locker and corrected my mistakes. Then it was outside to the foot buttons for a test. Success, both up and down! Total cost:
1. Circuit breaker - $86
2. Lewmar contactor - $187
3. New 1/0 main feed - $22
Savings was over $600. My point in posting is that sometimes there is more than one way to get to the other side.