boat electrician - windlass?

[hydeaway]

Can anyone recommend a good boat electrician in the Hampton Roads area? I need some help troubleshooting my windlass.

Thanks!

Tom

[Bob H.]

How about some more detail. The circuit is simple electrical up and down control.

[hydeaway]

I have power to the switch on the bridge, and I have power to the foot pedal on the bow, but when I engage either switch, all I hear are the solonoids clicking.

I have not yet checked to see if I have power to the motor. I believe the positive wire to the motor should be hot all the time unless a circuit breaker is blown, or the battery is dead, but in either of those events, I shouldn't have power to the switch or foot pedal.

[Bob H.]

I have a few ideas. Check the voltage at the solenoid. I don't know what the voltage should be, but I would think anything less than 11.5v may be a problem. A clicking solenoid is usually a voltage problem or the solenoid coil is bad. Check connections for corrosion if there's a significant voltage drop. Next, you can bypass the solenoid and directly power the winch motor. If it runs, replace the solenoid.

[BBCroaker]

If the coil is bad it would not be clicking.That what makes the armature move and click. I'd check for voltage to and from the contacts. If you have voltage to the line side of the contact and none on the load side. the contact is bad and you need a new solinoid.
You may have a blown fuse o nthe line side.

[Bob H.]

My bad. Hard to think before I've had my big coffee. Contact side is correct, but coil is less to type