Slow Ideal windlass

That's about the general speed of an ideal, and a larger windlass. If it was too fast and the chain bound up, you'd start tearing up all kinds of things.

Ideal lists their windlass retrieval rates by model. I've never seen any under 30' per minute or 1 foot every two seconds. Did you actually time it - Is it really 50% slower than that?

Is the windlass 220V or the hydraulic pump 220V?

Every windlass I've used has been about 1' of retrieval every 2-3 seconds. Some of the others, the drum spins faster, but the drum is also smaller and retrieves about the same. You can't get speed and torque out of a windlass on that size vessel normally. The ideal's are slow, but they're a good windlass and near indestructable usually. However, they do tend to jam the chain up once in a while on the intake if the hause pipe isn't in the exact right spot, or the chain doesn't get used often.

Agreed. The OP seems to think his is way slower than normal. Ideal rates their windlasses at 1' every two seconds. If it is an A/C motor the rpm's will be constant. If it is wrong the rpm will probably be 1/2. A/C hydraulic pump to hydraulic windlass and there could be a lot of issues slowing the windlass down either a little or a lot. Really needs to mark 50' of line and time it.

Also a windlass seems very slow when it is pulling in slack line for you but not so much when it is doing the heavy work - don't you agree

Can you loosen the clutch hut to achieve freefall?

Do you think it is now noticeably slower than before it was rebuilt? What was done to it during the rebuild that might effect its speed?

Why was it converted to 220V? Usually windlasses are DC current so they can be used if your generator isn't working. As well as safety reasons......You're bringing in a wet chain.

Have you double checked the windlass sizing against their charts for anchor and chain sizes?

I seriously doubt there is any safety related issue in the voltage selection for a windlass motor. DC motors can be damaged by water as can AC ones.

The big question here must be the specs the motor was "rewound" to.

I am not able to recall ever having had a DC motor rewound to AC myself.

I assume it was a 110V rewired to 220v. AC motor rpm is set by the cycles. Since he didn't say 230v I'd guess it's still 60 hz. You usually just change series windings to parallel and there is no change in the output. Not sure if you could cut the rpm in half by rewiring. Never seen it done.

A/C motors need to run at their rpm. They really can't run slower due to load like a DC motor so it's not load.

That only applies to synchronous motors. An AC motor driving a load like a windlass is normally series wound and will turn faster with no load but slow down (with a large increase in torque) under load. They are capable of starting under heavy loads.

Such is true, but I'm not sure if I want to be standing on the deck of an Aluminum sportfish in bare feet working the windlass if it decides to short out and is 220v ac. It probably is fine, but on a 62' you generally always see DC so you're not having to rely on having a generator running, or if there's a fire and you shut everything down. etc.

I can't recall ever seeing "raise the anchor" on a fire emergency checklist.

And why should a "short" in a windlass motor present more of a hazard to the operator than a "short" in the blender or any other AC circuit?

I never heard of a "series wound" AC motor. DC motors can be series wound and will theoretically have a no load speed of infinity and develop maximum torque at stand still. AC motors will slow down somewhat under load, it's called slip, but will still run close to synchronous speed.

Bob

Uhhhhh, no, but dropping the anchor quickly might be important if you've lost all of your engines because the Halon system went off and shut everything down. Chances are you're not going to have the wrench to loosen the brake sitting on deck next to the windlass.

A short would prevent more of a hazard because the windlass is exposed to elements and driven salt water, it is pulling in wet anchor chain and/or rode, and mounted to the Aluminum deck that you are standing on. Not to mention the windlass footswitches would also be A/C powered and again you are stepping on those.

If you need a wrench to operate the anchor windlass it would seem to make sense and be the actions of a prudent mariner to have such a wrench ready to hand would it not?

How is being exposed to elements and driven salt water going to prevent more of a hazard?

I would be very surprised if you were actually using a foot switch that held the contactors for the line voltage of the motor in an AC system. The control of the anchor windlass (winch) is often different than the voltage it runs on many use low voltage AC and the rest DC to close contactors. The Button you stand on can either close contacts which then supply current to elsewhere in the control circuit ( this low voltage control circuit will be fused) or have an air bladder that closes a contactor remotely and then this supplies current elsewhere in the control circuit.

So you plan to drop the anchor by powering down with the brake on then?

A short inside the motor will by definition be between two conductors inside the motor housing. A short outside the motor will be between two supply conductors, not your foot and the deck. A ground fault will be conducted by the deck. In either case it is extremely unlikely you could ever become part of a circuit.

Your fear is irrational.