I am considering adding a electric windlass to my boat and I would like some
opinions on the best way to connect to the electrical system.

The windlass will be approximately 40 feet from my house battery bank which is
700amps. It has been suggested to me to place a small battery up close to the
windlass so you don't have to run heavy battery cable such a distance and
sustain the power loss. Small cable could be run to the battery strictly for
recharging.

Thanks for the help.

Ray Cullum
S/V FROLIC

I am considering adding a electric windlass to my boat and I would like some
opinions on the best way to connect to the electrical system.

The windlass will be approximately 40 feet from my house battery bank

That means you need an 80-foot circuit sufficient to run a windlass. You're
talking some huge cables for a job like that.

Yes, consider putting in a separate battery for the windlass. If you can get
the battery within 5-6 feet of the windlass motor (without putting it in the
chain locker) you will be much happier.

The battery will be lots cheaper than running that much 2 guage cable.

"Ray Cullum" wrote in message
...
I am considering adding a electric windlass to my boat and I would like
some
opinions on the best way to connect to the electrical system.

The windlass will be approximately 40 feet from my house battery bank
which is
700amps. It has been suggested to me to place a small battery up close to
the
windlass so you don't have to run heavy battery cable such a distance and
sustain the power loss. Small cable could be run to the battery strictly
for
recharging.

Thanks for the help.

Ray Cullum
S/V FROLIC

You might take a look at;
http://www.yandina.com/Bank3.htm

Mike
*********************************

I am considering adding a electric windlass to my boat and I would like some
opinions on the best way to connect to the electrical system.

The windlass will be approximately 40 feet from my house battery bank which
is
700amps. It has been suggested to me to place a small battery up close to
the
windlass so you don't have to run heavy battery cable such a distance and
sustain the power loss. Small cable could be run to the battery strictly for
recharging.

Thanks for the help.

Ray Cullum

I would "bite the bullet" and run the heavy wire. You will end up with
one more battery to mainatin, in a poor location to start with. You

It's 40' to the battery, so there's an 80-foot circuit.

If it's 40-feet to the battery, this is probably a 45 or 50-foot boat, at
least, and an appropriate windlass could easily draw 60-70 amps. That will
require a #2 wire to prevent a loss of no more than 10% of the voltage over
that distance. (It would take 3/0 to get voltage loss down to the 3% allowed
for "critical applications", but the windlass is not in the critcal category.

#2 marine cable sells for about $3 a foot, so even before considering terminal
connections, etc, there's $250 in wire costs alone.

As far as the gauge of the wire needed, some of the new winches draw a
lot less power than older units, it might need smaller wire than you
think. I'd check it out first, that extra battery sounds like nothing
but trouble to me than it's worth. Put the wire in and forget about
it.

There's no need to worry about using the compass or the autopilot at the same
time you're hauling with the windlass, but if there were that 80-foot circuit
could effect every compass aboard each time the windlass were activated. :-)

Avoiding an additional battery for the windlass can be sound advice, but is
less sound when the normal bank is 40-feet away.

http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth/wind1.htm
Some helpful sugestions here...
JR

Ray Cullum wrote:

I am considering adding a electric windlass to my boat and I would like some
opinions on the best way to connect to the electrical system.

The windlass will be approximately 40 feet from my house battery bank which is
700amps. It has been suggested to me to place a small battery up close to the
windlass so you don't have to run heavy battery cable such a distance and
sustain the power loss. Small cable could be run to the battery strictly for
recharging.

Thanks for the help.

Ray Cullum
S/V FROLIC