What kind of voltage are you getting at the windlass? Even with your motor running, we don't know how the boat is wired. You said your bench test worked, so it'd be more boat related than windlass related.

Glen:

I am not sure how handy you are but something I picked up this winter is a clamp on ac/dc amp meter. This to me is a tool that if you do your own electrical work is a must along with a good volt meter. It will surely help you in figuring out your windless trouble. Most good volt meters can be used a a amp meter up to about 30 amps, but you need to disassemble equipment to put it n line. With the clamp on it is quick and dirty.

Randy

I'm no expert, but it seems to me that if the windlass spins up fine for 3 seconds and then starts to slow down, the voltage at the motor is likely dropping rapidly. I would start by measuring that.

If your alternator is putting out sufficient current, and your cabling is all good (in size and condition) all the way to the windlass motor, then a significant voltage drop should not occur, especially under no load.

I agree that a clamp ammeter is a great tool.

[QUOTE=Triatica;1433]I believe I have the stadard (if there was such a thing) windlass from Maxwell fitted into the anchor locker.

When I got 'Blown Away', the windlass did not work and needed to be dismantled to get it to work. Basically I checked over everything in the forward part of the boat... I thought it was just that the contacts on the Windlass was the problem..

So having confirmed that the windlass spun fine on the test bench in the garage, I have now discovered that now re-insatlled, it will get going fine, but after about 3 seconds (even with no load) is starts to slow down to a crawl over the next 2-3 seconds. This is the case, even with the engine at 2000 RPM.

My theories are from bad to a worst case scenario:
1. the contacts at the windlass breaker are suspect and need to make them solid / corrosion free
2. somewhere else in he line, the contacts or wiring is suspect so insufficeint amps are getting to the windlass
3. carbon from worn brushes are causing some shorting in the motor assembly
3. windings in the motor are partly burnt out (I did not notice the classic burn electrics smell when I took it apart).

Any comments / diagnosis which could shed some light on it?[/QUOTE]

I was once sailing with a friend delivering his boat. The engine would run for awhile, the fuel pump would stop. It turned out the solder contact was broken. As the pump heated up the contact would expand and separate. You may have something similar. You might still haave contact, the effective wire diameter might narrow causing large voltage drop at the constricted joint. That's my 2 cents. Lou Bruska, Sojourn