CDK
05-09-2009, 01:55 PM
Albeit long ago, at one point in my life I decided to invest a lot of money in an electric anchor winch. Not an Asian product named Yong fang or Ying Chan, but a serious UK made product from Simpson-Lawrence.
Above deck everything is stainless steel and chrome plated brass, all parts below deck were painted.
Yesterday, when preparing the boat for the summer season, it turned out that the winch didn't work. Pressing the up or down button resulted in a current surge well over 100 Amps.
So I dismantled the winch as far as possible. The painted below deck parts looked like unidentifiable objects from a junkyard. When I removed the bottom of the gearbox, a copious amount of water and a bit of oil came out, the badly rusted electric motor produced water without oil.
Complete dismantling of the winch is impossible because the stainless steel shaft is stuck in a collar made from cheap, rusty iron. I also found some shims that were dangling from a shaft because at the time of assembly many years ago, someone put them at the wrong side of the bearing.
If the manufacturer had pushed a 0.05 $ plastic washer on the vertical shaft, no water wound have dropped on the seal that should keep the water out and the oil in.
I have removed all the debris, cleaned and polished the bearing surfaces as good as was possible, reassembled everything and installed the winch. Because of the damaged bearings I left out some rings so everything has some play, but at least it is serviceable again until I buy a new winch.
It now makes exactly the same rattling noise I hear throughout the summer when sailing boats anchor in our bay.....
Above deck everything is stainless steel and chrome plated brass, all parts below deck were painted.
Yesterday, when preparing the boat for the summer season, it turned out that the winch didn't work. Pressing the up or down button resulted in a current surge well over 100 Amps.
So I dismantled the winch as far as possible. The painted below deck parts looked like unidentifiable objects from a junkyard. When I removed the bottom of the gearbox, a copious amount of water and a bit of oil came out, the badly rusted electric motor produced water without oil.
Complete dismantling of the winch is impossible because the stainless steel shaft is stuck in a collar made from cheap, rusty iron. I also found some shims that were dangling from a shaft because at the time of assembly many years ago, someone put them at the wrong side of the bearing.
If the manufacturer had pushed a 0.05 $ plastic washer on the vertical shaft, no water wound have dropped on the seal that should keep the water out and the oil in.
I have removed all the debris, cleaned and polished the bearing surfaces as good as was possible, reassembled everything and installed the winch. Because of the damaged bearings I left out some rings so everything has some play, but at least it is serviceable again until I buy a new winch.
It now makes exactly the same rattling noise I hear throughout the summer when sailing boats anchor in our bay.....