Horizon 600 windlass problem

04FV270riverrat

so my windlass on my 270 will let the anchor down, but won’t pull it up. It pulls really slow for about 10-20 seconds, then it blows the 50amp breaker back by the battery switch. I tested amp while pulling and it draws about 34 amps before the breaker pops. All connections are tight (switch/breaker isolator/breaker at battery switch panel). Once it pops the breaker a couple times, it won’t move in the up function at all. I’m hoping the motor inside the windlass can be rebuilt or replaced. Anyone ever have this issue?

DanD2

They can be rebuilt.....I found a local guy that replaced the brushes on mine about 3 years ago and it's been working fine since

04FV270riverrat

DanD2 said:

They can be rebuilt.....I found a local guy that replaced the brushes on mine about 3 years ago and it's been working fine since

I'm hoping I can get it rebuilt. Took it out of the windlass today. On a battery charger it runs faster in one direction than the other. I assume it should be the same speed going both ways. 

04FV270riverrat

Alswagg said:

You can also buy a new electric motor.  I have done this on several windlasses   Simple google search will locate one. I think the last I ordered was from Jamestown distributing 

I’ve googled for a day now. I’ve come up with the motor is discontinued and not made anymore. I dropped it off to be looked at today, hopefully it’s rebuildable.

Handymans342

Just replace it with the 700 and be done with it

J3ff

I want to do that, but I had a 700 on my other boat and it was a POS, same thing has been on two of my bosses boats and again, big POS's 

Handymans342

Dont have to be a Lewmar

J3ff

oh? other ones will go in without drilling more holes? 

04FV270riverrat

Handymans342 said:

Just replace it with the 700 and be done with it

Paypal me $700 and I'll get it ordered! lol If I can rebuild the motor I'll most certainly go that way first. Everything else on the windlass is in good order.

J3ff

my motor is fine, it's the thing that grabs the rope that is warn down... can't find parts! 

Dude_Himself

Oh,  they were manufactured under another name... but I can't think of it. Once you figure that out the parts are easy to find. 

Black_Diamond

Try these guys:

https://www.p2marine.com/simpson-lawrence-horizon-freefall-parts

J3ff

Getting closer, but I need part #40 from right here.. https://www.p2marine.com/simpson-lawrence/simpson-lawrence-horizon-parts/simpson-lawrence-horizon-600-900-parts which seems like they don't sell.. 

Willhound

@J3ff you are correct. I contacted Lewmar a while back regarding new gypsy and no longer available. They suggested keeping an eye on Ebay.

Dude_Himself

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/lewmar--replacement-gypsy--14047740?mrkgcl=481&mrkgadid=3252241765&cm_mmc=PS-_-Google-_-GSC%20-%20Product%20Type-_-14047740&product_id=14047740&adpos=1o1&creative=108171392404&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=Cj0KCQjw3v3YBRCOARIsAPkLbK6Z4DOTIArZLmTZ4Wwli_5NmqeTqaWXt5SpKArD--oWJZgcpZhKaVsaAu4KEALw_wcB

Willhound

@Dude_Himself I'd seen that one and checked with Lewmar and was told the Pro and Profish series will not work with the old Horizon models. Different size shaft. That's when they told me to check EBay.
Also in the Q&A section of the listing.

J3ff

https://www.ebay.com/itm/METAL-WINDLASS-GYPSY-60529RC6K-LEWMAR-SIMPSON-LAWRENCE-HORIZON-SHIPS-FAST/283003505731?epid=8020300316&hash=item41e452cc43:g:XUUAAOSw24RbHcra hmmm. May try this one, doesn't specifically say 600 though. 

Dude_Himself

@Willhound that had the same part number as the diagram. Curious. 

Willhound

I wondered too. But I found more pics of that gypsy online and it didn't look exactly like mine so I contacted Lewmar. That's when they told me it wouldn't fit. The one @J3ff found on EBay might. I see Horizon in the description.

04FV270riverrat

@J3ff I have my windlass motor in the shop, if it's not fixable, I'm going to buy a new windlass. I could sell you my housing and gypsy all together, you'd have some spare parts. My internal gears are in great shape far as I can tell and the gypsy works fine with my rode.

J3ff

04FV270riverrat said:

@J3ff I have my windlass motor in the shop, if it's not fixable, I'm going to buy a new windlass. I could sell you my housing and gypsy all together, you'd have some spare parts. My internal gears are in great shape far as I can tell and the gypsy works fine with my rode.

You've got a deal. I did order the ebay one yesterday, but the seller will let me return it as long as I don't open the package. Won't open it till I hear from you.  Going to FL for a bit anyway so the boat is hardly going to be used over the next two weeks. 

04FV270riverrat

So I stopped by the local shop to see what he found on the motor. The gear on the end is causing some friction when the motor is spinning in reverse.

The gear moves up and down on the shaft very little but when it moves down, it causes friction, but only in reverse. You can feel it while spinning the armature by hand.

He's going to see if he can get the gear to stay up with another washer/thrust washer and see if that fixes the problem. We are assuming that the friction caused is why it spins slower in reverse than forward and then when a load is added it creates so much friction that it's drawing too much amperage and blowing the breaker.

I'll update tomorrow hopefully with the results.

@J3ff you don't happen to have yours apart right now do you?

J3ff

ah, hope it's that easy to fix! no, mine is on the boat as it still KIND of works. My main problem is that even though the line/chain is new as of last year it slips where the chain and the rope meet. 

Willhound

@J3ff if I remember correctly you went with 8 plait line? I noticed that my new 8 plait slips a bit too but I've got 50 feet of chain so where I usually anchor it never sees the rope. I was thinking it's just because the new rope is so shiny and slick. I'm thinking that once it gets used a bit the issue will go away. 

J3ff

yeah, I did get 8, the problem is it worked at first, for a few months and then started slipping!! 

04FV270riverrat

Got my motor back today and it spins great in both directions. I’ll put it back in the windlass this weekend and report back.

04FV270riverrat

All seems good with my windlass now. I believe dirt/moisture was causing the gear to grab and then in turn over heat or over draw the motor. I used the anchor for a concert Friday night and the windlass pulled in about 100ft with no problems. Hopefully I'm fixed for now!

Dude_Himself

04FV270riverrat said:

Hopefully I'm fixed for now!

For now... MUAHAAAHAAHAA!

Sorry, it's wackamole. The curse of the 12+ year old boat.

Viggy

I believe I have a horizon 600 windlass. Same problem.motor works going down but not up. I have it apart now but cannot see how to take the motor out. There seems to be  something on the shaft which won’t allow me to take the gear off. Any suggestions?

rmfriday

the gears should all pull out if i remember correctly or maybe a c-clip holds the main gear in
then there are 3 bolts that hold the motor to the housing  

04FV270riverrat

@Viggy you have to remove the 2 bigger gears, then you can unbolt the motor and pull out it.