Anchor winch woes

[marisca]

During last season my Quick anchor winch became temperamental and needed the odd tap with a hammer or winch handle to encourage it into life. I assumed it was worn or sticking brushes like the Lucas starter motors of my youth. Yesterday, I spent a silly amount of time extricating it from the boat and today I thought I'd just check the brushes.
Life ain't that easy! Despite a competent looking plastic shroud over the motor, salt water has got in and there are salt deposits clogging up 2 of the brushes and filling any gaps it can. So far I've sheared the long screws that hold the motor to the gearbox - they seem to have welded themselves to the motor end-plate, washed out the motor and am hoping it all goes back together and works when I've finished.
I guess I should have added the anchor winch to the list of sea cocks, rope winches, engine, etc. that should be fettled every year - if only it wasn't such a bugger to get it out the boat.

[Nick]

How many years of unserviced service has it provided up until now?

[marisca]

How many years of unserviced service has it provided up until now?

Good question. A mere 8 or 9 years though I did check the gearbox oil level a couple of years ago (it was fine).
Further hammer and chisel work has released the brush holder/bearing carrier. One brush is split with the spring wedged into it stopping movement and another is stuck and the the spring support was corroded and fell off in my hands. I presume it is a stock motor if I only knew who made it. All is not totally lost - a brand new motor is available for a mere £391 (probably + VAT). I may drill out the rivets holding the holder to the bearing holder and try filing something up. Mind you brushes cost ~£90.

[mm5aho]

Not on a windlass, but on other DC motors, I've bought oversized cheap brushes for other things, and filed them down to size. A similar case was a set costing over £50 replaced by a £5 set and 40 minutes filing to size. Watch for spring compatibility on the types with springs permanently attached. Short leads can be extended easy enough.

[pagoda]

As Geoff suggests, filing down other brushes to the same size is the way to go. Did that for an antique starter motor. Silly money for originals.
Our Quick windlass has a 2 pole contactor which had some wear on the "UP" side (no surprise) . It can be dismantled fairly easily. Fine wet n dry sorts the contacts out . Fill most of the recesses where the water intruded with water resistant marine grease to discourage a return match?

[marisca]

Stripped the thing and found water ingress though quite how baffles me all the seals seemed to be intact inside its plastic box. The bottom brush had obviously been lying in a puddle and the spring and support had corroded to the point where it fell off when I touched it. Another of the brushes had split into a wedge with the spring load.
My normal parsimonious nature kicked in and I started unriveting the brush carrier to fabricate a new spring support but then indolence took hold and I bought a new motor via t'internet all the way from Italy. It cost £240, ~£100 less than than the same UK sourced version with carriage at £6 instead of £15 and arrived 2 days later. I knew the EU was a crap idea!!!!
All fitted again with every possible water pathway sealed and I now have 3 spare brushes and springs.

[claymore]

Did I once read where someone had drilled a hole in the 'plastic box' to let water out and thus prevent the bottom being sat in a puddle?

[sahona]

Guilty as charged m'Lud. I believe water will always get everywhere even if it just builds from condensation. The trick is to let it go away again before it causes trouble. My instance was the installation of a Kobra with a vertical motor whose brushset was at the bottom, a disaster waiting to happen. So I drilled a wee hole in the lowest part of the end cap before installing.
I regret to admit it hasn't been maintained since new in 2006 as I was supposed to be an engineer 20 years ago (yes! retired that long!) but I also believe that if it's working don't fix it - with the caveat that any deviation from normal operation detectable by any of the senses, should be immediately investigated. So far, so good...

[claymore]

Bill - yer back.
How's things?

[sahona]

I am well thankyou John, and enjoying your humour once more. I wasn't in hiding, just busy and a bit drawn to FB, but now I've more time I'll probably spend some here. Boat's a bit neglected but things look positive as K says she's looking forward to Islay again this year when it stops raining.

[sahona]

I am well thankyou John, and enjoying your humour once more. I wasn't in hiding, just busy and a bit drawn to FB, but now I've more time I'll probably spend some here. Boat's a bit neglected but things look positive as K says she's looking forward to Islay again this year when it stops raining.