R25 Windlass Wiring

[NorthernFocus]

I'm trying to figure out how in the world to get at the electrical connections where the smaller wires off the windlass motor join the cabling from the solenoid. I'm troubleshooting an intermittent electrical problem with the windlass and suspect one or both of those splices are corroded causing a high resistance point. On my boat at least the splices are up under the gunn'l just aft of the rope/chain locker. I can barely see them with a mechanics mirror. Can't even reach one hand up in there much less get at them. It's not the best place to hide electrical connections that someone may have a need to work on some day. Any ideas would be much appreciated.

 

[Andrew Custis]

Hello Dan,

Being that the boat you are working on is a 25 classic, it is a little different from what we do today on current production models. The wiring as you see it is tough but certainly doable. You may be better off to run a new string of wires and I believe access is best by removing the headliner panels in the vberth to look up the side to find the wiring. I did some troubleshooting on a newer one recently and simply ran new wires (outside of the wiring channels) direct to the solenoid one by one to determine which one was the problem. Turns out it wasn't a faulty wire but a faulty switch that was causing the issue! I am quite sure the foot switches you have installed have been discontinued which you may want to isolate by disconnecting one at a time.

 

[NorthernFocus]

Thanks for the reply, Andrew. I'm already past the switches. The only part of the electrical system that I haven't verified are the two connections in question, i.e. where the heavy gauge cables splice to the motor leads. The other possibility is the motor itself.

The splices are actually up under the gun'l behind the chain locker. So pulling the headliner down doesn't improve access to the connections. But doing so may allow releasing the wiring to get enough slack for it to drop down within reach. It's obvious that the leads were terminated while there was still slack in the cables then everything was bundled up and secured where it now resides. I'll give that a try.

 

[NorthernFocus]

FYI for anyone interested, my problem was the motor itself. Just finished overhauling the windlass and installing a new motor. Hopefully it makes it another eight years before it needs work again.

 

[doke01]

I have an R25 classic and had to replace my windlass motor at 8 years too (last year). I have to go back and replace the clutch but that's for this winter. Looks like we are on the same lifecycle.

 

[NorthernFocus]

I have an R25 classic and had to replace my windlass motor at 8 years too (last year). I have to go back and replace the clutch but that's for this winter. Looks like we are on the same lifecycle.

Well that's interesting. I was surprised at how good of shape all of the rest of the components were in. Hopefully it's good for eight more years 😀