Maxwell VWC 2500, VWCLP 2500 User Manual

2500 VWC VWCLP

MANUAL

Copyright: Maxwell Marine International Ltd.
All rights reserved
Patents pending

Maxwell Marine International Ltd. reserves the right
to make engineering changes to all products without
notice. Illustrations and specifications not binding as
to detail.

Printed in New Zealand

P19163 Rev. 7.00

27/07/2010

Contents

1.0 INTRODUCTION

2

1.1 PRE-INSTALLATION NOTES

1.2 PRODUCT VARIATIONS

1.3 SPECIFICATIONS

2.0 INSTALLATION

2.1 SELECTION OF POSITION FOR THE WINDLASS

2.2 PREPARATION OF MOUNTING AREA

2.3 PREPARATION OF THE WINDLASS

2.4 INSTALLING THE WINDLASS

2.5 POWER CONNECTIONS TO DC MOTOR

2.6 INSTALLATION OF CONTROLS

2.7 NOTE TO BOAT BUILDER

3.0 USING THE WINDLASS

3.1 PERSONAL SAFETY WARNINGS

3.2 LOWERING THE ANCHOR UNDER POWER

3.3 RETRIEVING THE ANCHOR UNDER POWER

3.4 LOWERING THE ANCHOR UNDER MANUAL CONTROL

3.5 RETRIEVING THE ANCHOR UNDER MANUAL CONTROL

3.6 OPERATING THE WARPING DRUM INDEPENDENTLY

4.0 MAINTENANCE

4.1 EVERY TRIP

4.2 EVERY THREE MONTHS

4.3 EVERY YEAR

4.4 RECOMMENDED LUBRICANTS

4.5 SPARE PARTS

4.6 TOOLS FOR MAINTENANCE

5.0 TROUBLESHOOTING

APPENDIX A - Dimensional drawings
APPENDIX B - Spare Parts
APPENDIX C - Electric Wiring schematics
APPENDIX D - Warranty Form

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1

1.0

INTRODUCTION

1.1

• Read this manual thoroughly before installation

• Be mindful that the correct selection of windlass

• Inspect your windlass carefully when unpacked.

• The windlass is supplied with chainwheel, as

• The windlass is designed for use in conjunction

• For side pocket anchors, a chain roller should be

• The connection of the power lines and control

PRE-INSTALLATION NOTES

and using the windlass. Failure to adhere to the
correct procedures, recommendations and
guidelines described in this Owner’s Manual may
invalidate the warranty.

for each application, together with correct
installation, normal care in use and maintenance,
are essential for long life and reliable
performance.

Any damage or lack of components should be
reported immediately to your Maxwell distributor.

specified on purchase order. Make sure it is the
appropriate one for the chain being used on
board. Correct fit of the chain to chainwheel is
essential for reliable and safe operation of the
windlass. This can be guaranteed only when
calibrated chain to a recognised international
standard is used and the chain is correctly
identified to Maxwell, or if a chain sample is
provided to Maxwell to develop a custom
chainwheel.

with chain stopper of the appropriate size. Their
use is an important safety feature.

installed above the hawse pipe to ensure smooth
and quiet travel of the chain from deck to hawse
pipe. The roller requires a central groove to align
chain and flat faces (for longer chains) to support
and avoid bending the chain links.

circuitry to the windlass must be done by skilled
technicians, to ensure reliable and safe
operation of the windlass.

2

1.2

PRODUCT VARIATIONS

There are two options of above-deck arrangements
or “topworks”.
The types of topworks are:
VWC - vertical windlass with chainpipe
VWCLP - vertical windlass with chainpipe, low profile

Each of the above topworks is available as clockwise
or anticlockwise configuration (see description of
Definition of rotation in Section 2.1).

Picture 1.1 Picture 1.2

VWC Topworks VWCLP Topworks

Chainwheels

The chainwheel numbers consist of two parts: main part
number and suffix, for example 3231-001.
The main part number refers to the type of chainwheel
and the suffix refers to size and type of chain.

Please refer to your closest Maxwell Marine agent or
distributor (Appendix D), who will select the correct
replacement chainwheel for your chain.

3

1.3

Electric DC Drive 24V

Line speed at 350kg load (771 lbs)

14.5m/min (48 ft/min)

Maximum pull capacity

1135kg (2500lb)

Current at 350kg load 100A

Current at stall

380A

Motor power

1.5kW (2HP)

Weight of capstan 41kg (90lb)

!

SPECIFICATIONS

Rated capacity and chain speed is based on

the chainwheel for 10mm chain. The
performance may vary by up to ±10% when
other size chainwheels are used.

4

2.0

INSTALLATION

2.1

Windlasses of this size will often be installed in

windlass deckplate (Picture 2.4). Be sure to select

SELECTION OF POSITION FOR THE WINDLASS

pairs, giving an emergency backup in the event of
mechanical or electrical failure. In this case one of
the windlasses will normally be retrieving anchor
running clockwise and the other anticlockwise
(Picture 2.1).
Position of the windlass should be selected together
with positions of hawse pipe and spurling pipe.
The deckplate should be installed pointing with its
narrower end in the direction of the incoming chain.
That allows the chain to have maximum
engagement with the chainwheel.
Allow the chain a straight run from the bow roller to
the chainwheel with no more than a 2° deviation
from horizontal (Picture 2.2).
The bow roller should have a vertical groove to suit
the profile of the chain. Its centre line should be
tangentional to the chainwheel. This will align the
chain so that it enters the chainwheel without
twisting.
The fitting of a chain stopper is essential to take the
load off the windlass while the vessel is at anchor. It
must be correctly aligned with the direction of chain
and installed at appropriate height to avoid the
chain rubbing over chain stopper body or pawl.
Make sure the chain stopper clears the anchor
shank.
A tensioner device to tension the anchor into its
pocket is recommended. If the anchor is not snug in
the pocket, it could cause damage to the pocket in a
heavy seaway.
Ensure a minimum of 800mm (32") clearance
between the end of spurling pipe and the chain
piled up in the chain locker (Picture 2.3). This will
assist kinks, which may develop in outgoing chain,
to shake free.
The chain must gravity feed into the locker. If the
chainpipe cannot be positioned directly over the
locker, a heavy wall pipe can be used to direct the
chain to the required area. It is important that the
chain slips through the pipe easily; completely
unaided, sharp corners should be avoided. It may
be necessary to provide the pipe with a bell mouth
or to bell mouth the entrance to the chainpipe from
the locker to assist the free flow of the chain from
the locker.
The chain locker must be of such a size and shape
that the chain will heap up and feed out naturally
without fouling.
If it can be arranged, the chain locker bulkhead
should pass between the chainpipe outlet in the
deckplate and the gearbox. This will keep the
gearbox, motor and power lines dry and away from
flaying chain. Access for servicing from inside the
cabin area can usually be arranged through a
locker.
Note that the gearbox can be indexed through a
number of different angles in relation to the

Antilockwise topworks Clockwise topworks

Picture 2.1

Picture 2.2

Correct angle of chain and height of chain stopper

Picture 2.3

Recommended free space in chain locker

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the most convenient arrangement at installation and

ensure incoming chain well clears the gearbox,

2.2

PREPARATION OF MOUNTING AREA

It is of paramount importance that the vessel has

motor and power supply lines.
To ensure safe position of the operator while tailing
from the warping drum, footswitches should be
positioned at least 700mm (28”) away from the
windlass.
The below deck portion of the footswitch should not
be exposed to water or wet environment and the
breather holes must be kept clear. The arrows on
the footswitches should be arranged to indicate the
direction of operation.
The motor starter should be located in a dry area in
close proximity to the windlass. It must not be
located in the wet environment of the chain locker.

Picture 2.4

Positions of drive, relative to topworks

sufficient deck reinforcing and total structural
strength to sustain the loads that can be transmitted
to the mounting area of the windlass and chain
stopper. This should be equal to the loading of the
equipment to beyond breaking strength of the chain.
The mounting area for the windlass must be perfectly
flat and rigid. Structural grade fillers can be used to
level this area if initial flatness is inadequate.
Mounting area for the chain stopper should be
prepared at the same time. The chain stopper has to
be installed at an appropriate height to ensure that
chain lays horizontally when it comes out of the
chain stopper and into windlass. Maximum allowed
angle deviation in vertical plane is ±2°.
If hawse pipe is angled outboard from deck to anchor
pocket, the chain stopper should also be angled by
half of the angle of the hawse pipe (Picture 2.4). That
will help to reduce twisting of the chain between the
chain stopper and the windlass and ensure good fit
of the chain into the chainwheel. The chain stopper
can be installed vertically if the hawse pipe angle is
less than 4°.
A deck cutout detail drawing is enclosed with these
instructions to assist in marking out all the drilling
and cutting required for installing the windlass.
Before drilling and cutting, check the marked out
area is dimensionally correct and make any
necessary corrections.

Picture 2.4

Installation angle of chain stopper

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2.3

PREPARATION OF THE WINDLASS

Remove windlass from its packing case.

2.4

INSTALLING THE WINDLASS

Refer to the drawing in Appendix B for help with

!

Disassemble it in the following order (refer to
drawing in Appendix B):

• Remove the black Plastic Cap from the top of
the windlass, taking care not to damage the
chromed surface.

• Undo and remove the Retaining Screw and
Retaining Washer under the Cap, using a flat
screw driver.

• Undo and remove Clutch Nut.

• For VWC models only - remove Drum.

• Remove upper Clutch Cone and Disc Spring.

• Undo Screws that retain Chain Stripper and

remove it.

• Remove Chainwheel, Disc Spring, Lower
Clutch Cone, Key, Retention Clips, Emergency
Crank Collar and Wave Spring.

• Undo Screws and remove the Deckplate.

• Refer to Appendix B of this Manual and identify

all parts. If any parts are damaged or missing,
contact your Maxwell distributor. Some smaller
parts might not be assembled on the windlass
by the factory, but supplied in a plastic bag in
the packing case.

Maxwell strongly recommends generous application
of a high quality anti-corrosive paste or coating to the
mating sections of main shaft, drive key, flanges,
screw threads, dowels and other surfaces that are
likely to seize after being in contact for a prolonged
period of time.
Also ensure anti-corrosive coating is liberally applied
to the inside wall of the spacer tube.

identifying components and installing them correctly.
Extra care should be exercised when handling
polished parts to avoid any damage to polished
surfaces.
When assembling the parts, apply an anti-seize
compound generously over all screw threads, keys
and keyways, main shaft and inside the spacer tube.
Proceed with installation in the following order:

• After cutting holes for the windlass in the deck,
apply an appropriate bedding/sealing compound
and bolt the deckplate to the deck using
mounting studs, washers and nuts. Tighten them
evenly to 35-40 Nm (25-30 ft lb). The chainpipe
and the pawl, if should already be assembled to
the deckplate.

• Offer up, from below deck, the drive assembly
sliding the main shaft through the deckplate,
taking care not to damage the deck bearing.

• After aligning them correctly, bolt the deckplate
and spacer tube together, from above deck,

When installing the Capstan, the shaft

MUST
Marine Grease, Castrol Boating Grease,
Vavoline Val Plex EP or equivalent grease.

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be coated in Shell Nautilus NLG12