A dedicated starter battery located close to the windlass is considered by
some to be the best setup, but my boat came with it wired to the house
bank. Works fine, but I might change it during a reconfigure in the works.
I'll add my two cents: First, ditto on the Ideal windlass suggestion. They
are expensive, they are heavy, and they last forever. I had no problem
getting parts for mine, and it's 46 years old. Well, I had no problem, but my
Visa card sure did :-) Still, it's cheaper than a whole new windlass.
Second, for what it's worth, I recently switched my windlass to operate off
the start bank instead of the house bank. Here's why: I realized that I'm
typically hauling the anchor in the morning, and that's when the house bank
is at its lowest voltage and the alternator is working hardest. Adding the
windlass load does not help. The start bank, on the other hand, is always
fully charged, and the alternator is loafing along. Running on 27 volts
instead of 24 is 10% less current and 10% less voltage drop. Plus, more or
less by definition you will never be pulling up the anchor without the engine
running so you don't need to worry about running down the start bank.
Scott Welch
Chief Evangelist, Open Text Social Media Group
www.opentext.com
905 762 6101
"Things turn out best for people who make the best of the way things turn
out." - John Wooden
JHWardJr@aol.com writes:
>A dedicated starter battery located close to the windlass is considered by
>some to be the best setup, but my boat came with it wired to the house
>bank. Works fine, but I might change it during a reconfigure in the works.
>
I'll add my two cents: First, ditto on the Ideal windlass suggestion. They
are expensive, they are heavy, and they last forever. I had no problem
getting parts for mine, and it's 46 years old. Well, I had no problem, but my
Visa card sure did :-) Still, it's cheaper than a whole new windlass.
Second, for what it's worth, I recently switched my windlass to operate off
the start bank instead of the house bank. Here's why: I realized that I'm
typically hauling the anchor in the morning, and that's when the house bank
is at its lowest voltage and the alternator is working hardest. Adding the
windlass load does not help. The start bank, on the other hand, is always
fully charged, and the alternator is loafing along. Running on 27 volts
instead of 24 is 10% less current and 10% less voltage drop. Plus, more or
less by definition you will never be pulling up the anchor without the engine
running so you don't need to worry about running down the start bank.
Scott Welch
Chief Evangelist, Open Text Social Media Group
www.opentext.com
905 762 6101
"Things turn out best for people who make the best of the way things turn
out." - John Wooden
