I have a Powerwinch Windlass 36' Class whcih I bought new and installed it on my 26 footer fishing boat. I fitted a 17 lb anchor with 1/4 inch ACCO chain and rope. After I used the windlass for the 5th time the windlass refused to release the gypsy to allow the anchor to free fall. Since I don't live in the USA, I could not use the warranty from Powerwinch.
I dismantled the windlass and opened the case of the windlass. I noticed that the small gear which should have been attached to the motor spindle had unscrewed itself off the spindle. I also noticed a piece of washer made of some kind of material like leather had also broken off and was in the windlass casing. I am not sure where that came from. I re-screwed the small gear to the motor spindle and reassembled the windlass. I reconnected it back to the boat. The windlass could spin to retrieve but it could not disengage the gear when I tried to activate the freefall function (which is done by pressing the down switch). I split the case of the windlass again and tried to figure out how the free fall gear works. There is a Locking Gear mechanism which I noticed can spin only one way (ie to retireve anchor) but it refuses to spin the other way even if the down switch is pressed. I was wondering if the Locking Gear mechanism (part no. R001437) is faulty and that it should spin freely when the down switch is pressed and the Spinoff Gear (part no. R001436) which is connected to the Locking Gear, turns in the other direction. I am not sure whether it is the Locking Gear or the Spinoff Gear that should spin freely when the down switch is activitated as only by spinning freely can the Gear Kit (which connects the movement of the Spinoff Gear to the Gypsy) allow for free fall (without being prevented from doing so by the Locking Gear which stops the Spinoff Gear from turning in the anchor down direction.). If I could just know which one (Locking Gear or Spinoff Gear) is supposed to spin freely when the down switch is activated then I know which part to change. Anyone out there with some experience with how the free fall release mechanism works? Thanks
I dismantled the windlass and opened the case of the windlass. I noticed that the small gear which should have been attached to the motor spindle had unscrewed itself off the spindle. I also noticed a piece of washer made of some kind of material like leather had also broken off and was in the windlass casing. I am not sure where that came from. I re-screwed the small gear to the motor spindle and reassembled the windlass. I reconnected it back to the boat. The windlass could spin to retrieve but it could not disengage the gear when I tried to activate the freefall function (which is done by pressing the down switch). I split the case of the windlass again and tried to figure out how the free fall gear works. There is a Locking Gear mechanism which I noticed can spin only one way (ie to retireve anchor) but it refuses to spin the other way even if the down switch is pressed. I was wondering if the Locking Gear mechanism (part no. R001437) is faulty and that it should spin freely when the down switch is pressed and the Spinoff Gear (part no. R001436) which is connected to the Locking Gear, turns in the other direction. I am not sure whether it is the Locking Gear or the Spinoff Gear that should spin freely when the down switch is activitated as only by spinning freely can the Gear Kit (which connects the movement of the Spinoff Gear to the Gypsy) allow for free fall (without being prevented from doing so by the Locking Gear which stops the Spinoff Gear from turning in the anchor down direction.). If I could just know which one (Locking Gear or Spinoff Gear) is supposed to spin freely when the down switch is activated then I know which part to change. Anyone out there with some experience with how the free fall release mechanism works? Thanks