Windlass Blows 100 amp ANL Fuse

[jlr]

I have a resettable 70 amp breaker and a 100 amp ANL fuse in the engine room both connected to my windlass. It turns out that the 100 amp fuse has been blowing frequently (and, while I am not aboard). In other words, when I leave the boat and raise/lower the anchor from the bow to make sure it is straight, it all works fine. When I come back to the boat and try to lower the anchor from the pilothouse, the 100 amp ANL fuse has blown. What makes it more curious, is that the 70 amp breaker dedicated to the windlass has not popped. I need to get this corrected. The only thing I can think of is that something else may also be connected to the 100 amp fuse for it to blow while no one is operating the windlass or even aboard the boat. Any ideas would be appreciated. I guess it is also possible that the switch on the panel to raise/lower the anchor may be creating a short so that the 100 amp fuse blows so quickly when I try to lower the anchor, I do not realize it but that same switch seems to work fine after replacing the blown fuse. Aside from the expense, it is getting really annoying to have to go into the engine room to keep replacing that fuse at odd times. Help please. By the way, the windlass is a (Simpson Lawrence). Also, since the 100 amp fuse is between the reversing solenoid and the battery, is it possible that something is shot with that solenoid so that going from using the foot pedals on the bow to the toggle switch in the pilothouse is creating a short? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[jlr]

BMP

[Elusive]

Since the fuse blows when you are not aboard it seems that either something other than the windlass is connected to the circuit and causing the problem (trace the circuit to confirm). You could turn the CB off when leaving the boat & see if this affects the situation - it could provide a clue if the fuse blows anyway

or

maybe the windlass is being activated either by a faulty switch or the solenoid and causing an over-current situation (causing the fuse to blow). I would pull the foot switch on the bow & look at it for corrosion,


I would also check all of the connections in the circuit to make sure they are tight & free of corrosion.

[thataway]

I would suspect that there is a short in the foot switch/selenoid area--this is in a moist area, and subject to corrosion. Start by looking at the connections there, and checking for a direct short. 100 amps is a lot of current, I cannot think of anything "connected" which would draw that much in most boats. Since the 70 amp breaker does not blow, and I assume it is on the remote part rather than on the direct part, I would look to the selenoid.

[jlr]

Thanks folks. All good suggestions. It may be cheapest solution to replace both foot switches and the solenoid rather than trying to isolate which among the three is causing the problem. I guess a clue might be that on occasion, when I release the foot pedal, the windlass continues to run for perhaps as long as 5 seconds. That can't be right.

[thataway]

That suggests that the selenoid relay is hanging up.

[jlr]

Checked all connections last night. All were pristine. I am starting to believe that part of the problem may be human error. It is possible that my knee may have been hitting the up toggle underway will the anchor was all the way up already. That would certainly pop/blow something but I can't figure out why it would wipe out the 100 amp ANL fuse between the control box and the batteries before it would pop the 70 amp breaker between the control box and the motor.

[Elusive]

A momentary switch should solve that problem and is the correct choice anyway

[jlr]

The switch is a momentary switch now but it is not recessed so that that my knee would not hit it underway.

[wkearney99]

It shouldn't pop the fuse before the breaker. Something isn't right. My bet's on the breaker. They do fail. Usually due to corrosion that causes them to 'stick' instead of trip. They'll continue to work manually just fine but the corrosion inside them (or even defective manufacturing) is just enough to keep them from snapping properly.

That and consider using momentary switches, not a toggle. A momentary switch would require constant pressure on it to complete the circuit. That and if you've got a row of switches it might be a good idea to move it to a position you're less likely to hit accidentally.

[jlr]

Thanks.

[tobnpr]

You should have a smaller gauge (10 or 12) hot lead going to the switch. This provides power to the solenoid at the windlass; put this lead on a separate switched breaker. With the breaker in the off position it won't matter if you hit the switch accidentally- no power to the solenoid to activate the winch.

[jlr]

Thanks. Will do.