How to fix a hot windlass on a boat?

Deck equipment, Windlasses, Electric windlasses, Mooring

The windlass is a device designed to facilitate lowering and raising the anchor of a boat or sailboat. There are two main types: manual windlass and electric windlass. In this article, we discuss the issue of heating electric windlasses. So how to fix a windlass that heats up ? What can be at the origin of such an anomaly? What materials can I use to solve this problem?

Contents of the page

What materials do I need to repair a warming windlass?

To fix a windlass that heats up, it is necessary to have a certain number of materials and accessories and whatever if your windlass is a vertical or horizontal windlass.

An ammeter: this tool will allow you to measure the intensity of the current in the operating mechanism. It is often advisable to opt for a clamp model. Indeed, the heating problems of the windlass motors are sometimes due to an overload of the electrical circuit. By using a clamp-on ammeter it is possible to intervene in advance of the failure phase.

A voltmere. Different from the ammeter, the voltmeter measures the voltage flowing in the windlass. If you have the possibility, prefer a connection at the alternator output. A voltmeter is very often available on a current clamp.
A toolbox containing a set of Allen keys, flat, eye, pipe, and socket (2,5mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, 8mm and 10mm), screwdrivers, combination wrenches, 200mm pliers, and a 150 mm needle nose pliers. The parts to be disassembled vary by model, so be prepared accordingly.
A suitable marine grease for lubrication.

Spare accessories depending on the cause of the problem (motor brushes, motors, maintenance kit, etc.).

What are the different possible causes of the problem and how to identify them?

Battery problem

Most of the time, the windlass heating problems come from the battery. In fact, in most models, the windlass is powered by the engine starter battery. The anchor is raised with the engine running, so this solution is the most practical. In addition, the alternator is supposed to recharge the battery automatically, so there should be no problem. The problem that arises comes from the capacity of the starter battery, which is approximately 100 Ah. Windlasses need around 100 amps at the end of their stroke or when pulling out, and no 100Ah battery can provide them for a long time, they will eventually tire. Engine start-up only takes a few seconds, while the windlass can take over a minute to lower or raise the anchor. As a result, the battery gets tired and the windlass heats up.

To identify this problem, use a voltmeter. It will tell you whether the battery is getting tired or not. You can also use an ammeter at the alternator output, during the ascent of the anchor, engine running. It will allow you to check if the alternator shows a peak load. If this is the case, then your battery is unable to supply all of the amps needed to operate the windlass.

Engine problem

Heating can also be caused by a problem in the engine. To show it, you have to separate the motor from the windlass body and run it alone, with another battery. If it continues to heat up, then the problem is with its mechanism. This could be due to a lack of grease on the bearings or a problem with the relay, for example.

Problem in the winch

And if the motor does not heat up when running on its own, then the problem is with the sprocket or the tailstock. This could be the failure of a rotating part, such as a light metal key. Sometimes a part like this twists and generates friction that could justify the heating of the windlass.

What are the solutions to adopt to repair a hot windlass?

In the event of a battery problem: connect your windlass to the service batteries, just in time for an emergency. But, to solve the problem in the long term, go for a more powerful battery.
In the event of a problem in the engine: Detach it from the rest, then take it apart piece by piece to see what happens. Take the opportunity to do the levels and grease the windlass that heats up.

In the event of a problem in the winch: disassemble the doll and the sprocket, then clean all surfaces and contacts with a special boat degreaser. Very often these parts are affected by foreign bodies such as sand, dirty grease, algae and especially salt. Once the cleaning is finished, grease everything in a subtle way with a suitable marine grease (neither too much nor little lubricant).

What should I do if none of these solutions solve the problem?

If none of these solutions work:

In the event of a battery problem: seek advice from a marine electrician.

For an engine problem: simply replace the warming windlass motor with another. You will find some windlass motors on Amazon, Ebay et Ticketmaster like this Lofrans Tigres 24V / 1500W motor or this Lofrans X2 12V / 700W motor.
If it is a winch problem: Once the sprocket and the headstock are disassembled, inspect each element and replace the damaged parts. You will find many spare parts on the internet:

Maintenance kits:

Spare parts:

See spare parts for Lofrans X3 and PROJECT 1500 windlass

Sprockets:

Sprocket for LOFRANS X1 windlass

Windlass maintenance and recommended maintenance cycles

The maintenance of an electric windlass is the same regardless of the make and model. Among the most famous you will find the brands Lofrans, Lewmar, Quick, Italwinch, Maxwell and Plastimo. In general, it must be maintained every two months during navigation and during disarmament. As it concerns windlass oil, it should be replaced every two years (use only SAE 80W-90 oil for your windlass).

For more information, refer to our article on the maintenance of a windlass.

What to do if the warming windlass cannot be repaired

If even a professional repairman can't fix your electric windlass, then it will need to be replaced. To choose the windlass best suited to your boat and to your mooring line, you can read our windlass buying guide.

As for the choice of the brand, we wrote a article on the main windlass brands to help you differentiate them.