Fwd: Wiring run to new windlass

[Blair Clark]

Hello all,

Sorry about duplicate emails on this thgread but i was trying to send pictures to help illustrate but am having difficulty doing so. Tghat said perhaps the words arfe enoiugh to illicit welll needed repsonses which i am hoping our group memebrs will rerspond with.

As an update I have gone ahead and purchased a horizontal Lewmar proseries 1000 windlass.

LEWMAR WINDLASS PROSERIES 1000G 700W MOTOR - 5/16" G4

To power it I have been gifted some tugboat shore power cable that has six individual coated wires containing 7/16th diameter copper core wire.  I plan to use two of these wires ( one for positive and one for return) to run to our house 2 battery bank located just aft of the engine under the aft cabin berth. 

The wire also had smaller 3/16 core wire in green which I think is a grounding wire. I am. It sure if I should or how to use the grounding wire.

Also we are going with a 9 ft wired hand heldcontrol unit at bow.

I would appreciate any input / lessons learned on such choices as to what route people have used to run the cable, where the breaker is positioned,  where the helm toggle switch was mounted, wiring tips etc. I am admittingly weak on electrical projects so your help will be appreciated.

After previous review of past posts I am thinking that the box and chute configuration that Richard Bigeley shared may fit our purposes best. 

That said there was another choice that I was interested in that I can no longer for. Pictures of. It was a “J” shaped skewed to the starboard side shelf that I would appreciate seeing again. If anyone had comments on pros vs cons of the 2 set ups would be appreciated.

Also we have purchased a new kit of 

14283] TITAN ANCHOR RODE 200' 5/8" 8PLAIT rode with 50' 5/16HT chain.

Any input will be appreciated.

Blair

902-233-1684

Coincidence 1990 C&C 34+

[Chuck Scheaffer]

Hey Bair,

Windlass power:

Have you considered placing a battery near the windlass?  Under the vee berth or inside a locker.  That way you can save on big cables; keep the power cables short and simply run charging cables rated for 10amps back to the charger or to a 12v to 12 v Victron unit.  You'll need a breaker sized for your windlass (150 amp maybe) and wires rated for that.  You can also add a fuse to the battery terminal rated for the battery's max output (200 to 300amp) as a safeguard. 

Chuck

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[Chuck Scheaffer]

Looks like your windlass has a 50amp draw and needs a breaker set for 70 amp.  You can use those tug boat wires and add lugs made to fit the terminals on the battery and the breaker.  You can use the breaker also as a switch so a battery switch is not necessary.  I'd mount the breaker where it's easy to get to, near the windlass in the anchor locker, but you could mount it near the battery.  https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Systems-Circuit-Breakers/dp/B005CRV794/ref=asc_df_B005CRV794?mcid=252aa6b97f1b3ad3a02bf5b9836fc513&hvocijid=3733534120301076020-B005CRV794-&hvexpln=73&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=730434204848&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3733534120301076020&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9003904&hvtargid=pla-2281435182218&th=1

Chuck

[Blair Clark]

Thank you chuck,

Great info to consider.

Since I have the wire for free are there any pros cons of just running back to main battery bank? I was thinking I may be able to avoid buying and servicing a fourth battery.

Blair

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[Tim Aseltine]

Hi Blair.

I just wanted to add to how I wired mine up. My windlass is mounted inside the locker. I installed a corded remote also inside the locker. ( Did not want a wireless, as it could disappear overboard quite quickly). My control box is on the starboard side shelf in the v berth. I ran 2awg wire back to my starter battery, as 99% of the time the engine will be running. On the way to the battery the wire stops at the nav station where I have a breaker that I use as the on off switch when not in use. I also installed the provided control switch in the cockpit on the starboard side accessible at the helm.

Tim Aseltine

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On Mar 8, 2025, at 9:33 AM, Blair Clark <blairc...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Matt Cowan]

Hi Blair - one thing to consider is placing the breaker as close to the battery as possible.  ABYC standards require battery bank fusing close (7” max) from the battery.   

The theory is to minimize the length of wire that isn’t fused for the specific wire size.   Since you are dealing with large currents, I would put the breaker as close as possible to the battery bank. 

My windlass breaker is located in the aft cabin at ankle height on the fiberglass panel At your foot as you approach the bed. This is physically close to the battery driving it. (Maybe 12” wire)”

Hope this helps. 

Matt 

Matt Cowan

18 McAllister Lane

Bloomingdale, ON N0B1K0

+1 519 590 1191 (m)

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[Chuck Scheaffer]

I like the fuse on the battery terminal.  Protects the wiring and the battery from a dead short.  Cheap enough to keep a spare onboard.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=battery+terminal+fuse+300+amp&crid=18FQWVGFVT1X&sprefix=battery+terminal+fuse%2Caps%2C123&ref=nb_sb_ss_mvt-t3-ranker_8_21

Chuck S

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[Tim Aseltine]

Just to clarify. I have a fuse mounted on the battery terminal, Blue Sea MRBF type, I believe a 124amp, as well as the 70amp breaker at the nav station. It is a 285 series BS7085.

FYI. Just another thing I did, was to run my shore power plug to the bow in the anchor locker to make it easier to plug in. My stern plug is not connected.

Tim

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On Mar 8, 2025, at 11:32 AM, Chuck Scheaffer <scheaff...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Chuck Scheaffer]

Interesting thread.

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[Blair Clark]

Hello all,  

I have been away all week end going home to my hometown and have not gotten a chance to read replies.

Thank you so much and will read Monday/Tuesday 

Cheers

For now.

Blair 

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[Blair Clark]

Happy Monday folks,

Thank you for the input.

What route did you use to run the wires back to the battery banks behind the engine?

Thanks

Blair

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[Tim Aseltine]

I cable tied the wires along the top of the starboard side and through the head cabinets. It would would be nice to know what the gauge of wire is that you are using. I would strip it back to see if there is any markings on them.

Tim

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On Mar 10, 2025, at 3:00 PM, Blair Clark <blairc...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Matt Cowan]

Wire gauge - if you measure the bare conductor, here is a chart for diameter, gauge and current capability.

https://pbxbook.com/other/awgsizes.html

The web has a bunch of slightly differing information on diameter and ampacity - but these numbers are in the (conservative) ballpark.  (There are charts that show higher current capacity for the same wire gauge - depends on insulation temperature, whether in conduit, etc. etc.)

Matt.  

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[Blair Clark]

Hi there

I have two sizes of copper wound wire. The larger is 5/16 which is what I plan to use for the power and return and the second is 3/16 green covering which I believe was a grounding wire. I do not know if I will need to use that smaller wire.

The strands came from a larger shore power cable for a tug boat. 

I will try and attach a picture.

Cheers

 Kaur

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[Blair Clark]

Whoops 7/16 

[Matt Cowan]

7/16 - that will carry all the current you need and then some..... (looks like 4/0 cable) - 300 amps

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[Blair Clark]

Perfect thank you. My plan is to install it in the anchor locker similar I think to Richard bigeley set up.

If Richard is seeing this thread I would love to get measurements from his set up.

Cheers

Blair

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[Blair Clark]

Hello Tim and other responders to this thread.

I now have my plywood jig built and have received a quote from a local metal supply company to make the 1/4 aluminum platform for the windlass. Now I am switching effort to the electrical side of the project.

This may really show my electrical immaturity but i have to ask a couple of questions:

1) My plan is to put the Lewmar supplied 70 amp breaker as close to the battery bank as feasible and put the contactor bar in the starboard side shelf of v berth

2) Running from the battery bank forward:

i) When installing the 70 amp breaker close to the battery bank there are two sides. One going to the battery and the outward wire going forward to the windlass contactor. My question is do I use the same larger size wire for both directions? or is it a smaller wire size running to the battery?

ii) if i do put a 124 amp fuse does it go between the battery and the 70 amp breaker or after on way forward?

3) I will be running the large wire size under the toe rail starboard forward to starboard V berth shelf

i) These large wires will terminate at the lewmar supplied contactor

ii) the two, much smaller hardwired wires coming from the windlass run from windlass to back of contactor bar. Is a fuse needed on this wire? It seems odd to me that the wires going from the windlass to the contactor bar are so much smaller than the large wires. Perhaps this is due to concerns over run length and voltage drop.

iii) the handheld remote wire will run to an outlet connector supplied by lewmar. The backside of this outlet connector will then run to the inside of V berth to the contactor bar. I believe a 3 amp fuse is needed on this wire

4) I also plan on installing the supplied protected up down toggle switch on my navigation pod at the helm.

i) does this wire need to run all the way to the V Berth contactor bar to the same connection points as the hand held remote wires?

Thank you for all your support. If i am missing anything please let me know.

Blair

Coinciden 1990 C&C 34+

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[Blair Clark]

Hi group mates,

Please see the below and comment if you can.

After going back to the boat I think the 300 amp fuse is a block fuse on the post of the battery.

Any helpful info you can help with will be appreciated.

Enjoy your day.

 Blair

902-233-1684

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Blair Clark <blairc...@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Mar 24, 2025 at 10:20 AM

Subject: Re: Wiring run to new windlass
To: <cc-...@googlegroups.com>

Hello Tim and other responders to this thread.

I now have my plywood jig built and have received a quote from a local metal supply company to make the 1/4 aluminum platform for the windlass. Now I am switching effort to the electrical side of the project.

This may really show my electrical immaturity but i have to ask a couple of questions:

1) My plan is to put the Lewmar supplied 70 amp breaker as close to the battery bank as feasible and put the contactor bar in the starboard side shelf of v berth

2) Running from the battery bank forward:

i) When installing the 70 amp breaker close to the battery bank there are two sides. One going to the battery and the outward wire going forward to the windlass contactor. My question is do I use the same larger size wire for both directions? or is it a smaller wire size running to the battery?

ii) if i do put a 124 - 300 amp fuse does it go between the battery and the 70 amp breaker or after on way forward? 

[Chuck Scheaffer]

Hi Blair,

I would use the same size large wires for powering the windlass motor, positive and negative.  You can run smaller control wires for the contactor, and the manual should specify what size they need to be, probably dependent on how long the run is.  If you keep the control buttons and contactor near the windlass, the control wires can be smaller than if the buttons are located near the helm, or if you mount the contactor some distance away from the buttons.   When you calculate the length of wire run for voltage drop, you must include the whole circuit, both positive and negative, so ten feet of wire becomes a twenty foot long circuit.

 

I also prefer the breaker for the motor to be located within five feet of the motor, so I can work on it easier.  That is typical of any HVAC electrical and I'm handicapped by 45 years working in that trade.  The breaker protects the motor, while the fuse protects the batteries from a dead short.   Placing the breaker near the batteries will work, but will require a trip below to reset it.  So I would locate the windlass, the control buttons, the contactor, and the breaker all inside the anchor locker, near the windlass.

I hope this stirs up comments from others.  I'd double check the manual, myself.

Chuck Scheaffer Resolute, 1989 C&C 34R, Annapolis

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[Blair Clark]

Hi chuck,

Thanks for opening the “floor and for feedback.

Not debating but to clarify a few points:

1) the pro series 1000 lewmar has hard wired into its chassis a positive and negative wire. I plan on running these through the bulkhead to attach to a contractor bar inside the V berth shelf. It is probably a 3-5 ft run.

Also I will be affixing a watertight deck fitting and socket for the hand held wired windlass remote control to plug into in the anchor locker bulkhead with the back side wired to the contract bar.

2) then I plan on running my 2 large wires all the way back from the contractor bar to the battery compartment.

3) I am going to situate the breaker as close as I can to the battery compartment as it was my understanding that this would be the safest spot to do so ie very close to battery.

4) I will put a block fuse to the battery connection.

5) I plan on installing the supplied up down toggle switch in my binnacle mounted navpod. I am thinking but not sure that this has to run from the binnacle to the forward mounted contractor bar inside V berth.

Hope this helps

Blair 

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[Matt Cowan]

Blair - I would like to qualify Chuck's answer.

The battery should be fused so that a short circuit anywhere in the wiring from the battery to the load (in this case the windlass) will cause the breaker or fuse to blow before the wire catches on fire.  For that, you can look up current carrying capacity of wire sizes and fuse accordingly.  Protecting the wire drives the primary fuse close to the battery.

If the wire is undersized compared to the fuse, a short circuit may cause a fire because the wire will heat up and burn before the fuse blows. 

This is what is driving the ABYC standards for fusing within 7" of the battery itself.  

If your battery is adequately fused for the wire size, then a subsequent breaker can be placed closer to the load.  

So if your wire is capable of 100 amps and your motor at the windlass is 50 amps, then the wire needs to be fused with something less than 100 amps, and you may want to put in a breaker to protect the motor, of, say, 70 amps. (to account for motor startup currents)

In practice, there is often a big wire going to the breaker panel from the battery and a series of breakers (15 amps typically) that are fusing each of the circuits that branch from the breaker panel.  The big wire from the battery should be fused according to the wire's current carrying capacity and each smaller circuit likewise fused appropriately for the wire size and the load.

Matt 

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[Blair Clark]

I have now made the platform and ready to start electrical.

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[Tim Aseltine]

Hi Blair

I will be at the boat tomorrow and hopefully will take pictures and check wire gauges for my windlass.

Tim

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On Mar 28, 2025, at 8:46 PM, Blair Clark <blairc...@gmail.com> wrote:



I have now made the platform and ready to start electrical.

<IMG_1112.jpeg>

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[Tim Aseltine]

Hi Blair

This is my install. As you can see I installed my remote control plug in the anchor locker and also my shore power outlet.

Tim

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On Mar 28, 2025, at 11:10 PM, Tim Aseltine <timas...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Blair

[David Knecht]

I often race single-handed on my 34/36 and one of the things that makes it difficult is tacking.  My normal process is to set the autopilot, go forward and move the traveller car to the complementary position (to windward for the new side), autotack the boat, bring in the genoa on the new side.  The necessity to go forward to move the traveller is what makes this especially time consuming to pull off.  

I wanted to compare notes with others on the main traveller position.   I have always found it odd that I almost always have to pull the traveller up to windward to keep the main from backwinding significantly.  This is also necessary to keep the end of the boom centered between the backstay arms.  My experience is more with racing dinghies and there you almost never pull the traveller up to windward except in very light wind.  A small bubble of backwind seem OK, but if I have the traveller in the middle, there is quite a bit of the sail that is backwinded in most wind strengths and the boom is significantly to leeward.  It is only in strong winds when very overpowered that I can drop the traveller and then the main is mostly luffing.  I would like to know if this is normal, or something about my boat/sails/setup?  I don't have much experience on other large keel boats so perhaps this is normal.  Thanks- Dave

S/V Aries

1990 C&C 34+

New London, CT

[Ben Sutton]

Hi Dave,

I have the same traveller set up. My experience is exact!y the same. 

There is a fair amount of running around when single handing.

 If traveller is pulled up to the windward side, I find it helps centre the traveller before pressing the auto tack buttons. That way one can at least focus on getting the genoa in before worrying about pulling up the traveller on the other side. It also prevents to autopilot from sending you off in completely the wrong direction because of a lack of pressure from the main.

You may do this already. If not I hope it helps.

Ben Sutton

Evangeline C&C 34+

On May 4, 2025, at 6:31 AM, David Knecht <davida...@gmail.com> wrote:

I often race single-handed on my 34/36 and one of the things that makes it difficult is tacking.  My normal process is to set the autopilot, go forward and move the traveller car to the complementary position (to windward for the new side), autotack the boat, bring in the genoa on the new side.  The necessity to go forward to move the traveller is what makes this especially time consuming to pull off.  

<pastedGraphic.tiff>

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[n]

Consider moving the traveler to the cockpit in front of the helm . 

 

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