Windlass / Chartplotter Interference

[JeffreyAC77]

I have a 2015 R31-CB (LE). Whenever I activate the windlass, it immediately shuts off my chartplotter, which I need to restart once I am done with the windlass. Any idea what the solution to this may be?

thanks,

 

[Kevin Lamont]

I have a 2015 R31-CB (LE). Whenever I activate the windlass, it immediately shuts off my chartplotter, which I need to restart once I am done with the windlass. Any idea what the solution to this may be?

thanks,

Hello,

Do you have the engine running while using the windlass? Not having the engine on and running could cause a draw on the battery enough to possibly cause the plotter to shut off. I also would check connections for the windlass to ensure all are tight and clean. Hope this helps.

Thanks,

 

[JeffreyAC77]

Will check operation with engine running - thanks. An electrician things the windlass may need better wiring - is that a possibility?

 

[bob daily]

Your gps is designed to shut down with low voltage, I would bet that your windless and gps are on the same power source! Operating the windless with out the engine running causes a big power drop which shuts down your GPS. Bob

 

[Red Raven]

On our R27 the windlass is on the thruster battery and the chartplotter is on the house battery. If yours is the same and there is not a combine switch between the house and thruster batteries this would not happen. Check the wiring on your boat to see if the thruster and house batteries have been combined via direct connect or switch. If so, then that is likely the reason. Either separate them via the switch or use care to not run down either battery before using the windlass and always run the engine when pulling the anchor in any case.

Curt

 

[JeffreyAC77]

The chartplotter shuts off as soon as we start to drop the anchor/windlass so it is not stress during use and I do keep the engine running. Will check the siring.

 

[scross]

As usual, I agree with Curt!
I think best practice is to have one battery bank for engine, one for thrusters plus windlass and a third house bank. There is no reason for having the very high power draw windlass on the house battery bank. Running the windlass should have no impact on any component using the house bank for power!

PS: One of the important reasons for having one of battery banks dedicated to the engine and another bank dedicated to the thrusters plus windlass is that these banks should be using starter type batteries which is what starter batteries are optimized for - short duration high amperage draws. The house bank can use deep cycle type batteries which are better suited for lower amperage long duration current draws.

 

[BB marine]

Unfortunately all wiring systems in the Fluid Motion production lines do not agree. The Cutwater C26 and C28 have the windlass powered from the house battery. The R31 is the same way. I never liked this but never did anything about it. I never had an issue with the draw from the windlass causing a low voltage spike and shutting the Garmin down. This could be because my normal procedure was to fire up the engine before pulling the anchor up. When the engine is running for a couple of minutes the voltage of the engine battery is above 13V so both the thruster battery and house bank are all paralleled via the ACR. I would assume if the engine was not running and I pulled the anchor up using the windlass I would have experienced the same issue.A voltage drop or spike will shut the Garmin down.

 

[GaylesFaerie]

As alluded to already by others, I never run the windlass up or down unless the motor is running. This practice may or may not help your chart plotter problem but it does insure you have control over the boat at all times and so you can back down on the anchor to insure it sets and when you move up on the line to release the anchor from the bottom. Also, since the windlass is an induction load it will stress the batteries in any event so having the motor running and charging is a good thing. GF

 

[JeffreyAC77]

The chartplotter shuts off as soon as we DROP the anchor (with the engine running) so would it then be a wiring issue?

 

[bob daily]

Mr. Jeffrey, your GPS will show voltage going to it, have some one watch this and you will see the voltage drop prior to shutdown. Another way is supply the GPS with a different power source and isolate from windless. The problem (with engine running) could be wiring, batteries or alternator sure hope you have success finding and fixing. Bob

 

[Red Raven]

The chartplotter shuts off as soon as we DROP the anchor (with the engine running) so would it then be a wiring issue?

Beside the issue with the chart plotter does the windlass otherwise work properly? Can you pull the anchor up without issue? If so, I would suspect a voltage spike is being generated on the power circuit that causes the chart plotter to shut down. This could occur anytime the windlass is activated either up or down. As stated previously, watch the house battery voltage when activating the windlass and look for a sudden drop in voltage. It is also possible that the duration is too short to see it. The cause could be a poor connection anywhere from the battery to the windlass or high start up current in the windlass due to corrosion or other. In any case, moving the windlass power to the thruster battery will solve the chart plotter shutdown problem.

Curt