Windless wiring help 265 Express

Rfazilat

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Alright, I have located the pre-wire at the windless location (anchor locker) and it runs down the starboard side of boat and not the port side as the GW diagrams and others have indicated. Has anyone else experienced the windless pre-wire running down the starboard side of the boat (assuming to the helm, but there is no slack coiled anywhere to continue on). I'll check if the 6 ga is wired into the aux switch, if not....stumped.
 

DennisG01

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At this point, it doesn't rally matter how it's run on other boats and/or if the GW diagrams are correct. It's kind of a moot point, you know?

All that matters is if the existing "pre-wiring" is the correct size for the windlass you are installing - you need to estimate the entire "run" of cabling to the battery (both positive and negative).

What do you mean by "aux switch"? The windlass needs to be wired with a solenoid/contactor and, at the dash, a proper windlass switch (guarded).
 

wspitler

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In a typical windlass installation, the switch at the helm will not be connected to a 6 gauge wire. Those switches are normally not capable of handling the high amps required by a windlass. The helm switch typically activates a contactor/relay in the anchor locker. The six gauge wire will be connected directly to a battery bus with a high amperage circuit breaker probably 50 A in your case. From the battery bus it will go directly to the anchor locker and attach to the contactor which will connect it to the windlass when the helm switch is activated.
 

SkunkBoat

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I said that it runs starboard side to under helm left of glove box. I ran the new 6 gauge on port side in tube with AC wires. You should use yellow instead of black for negative to avoid confusion with blackAC hot.
 

SkunkBoat

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The original Grady took power from the DC bus terminals over to a breaker under the keys . they used 10 gauge.

I used that pre wired 10awg to feed a solenoid.
 

seasick

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The original Grady took power from the DC bus terminals over to a breaker under the keys . they used 10 gauge.

I used that pre wired 10awg to feed a solenoid.
Did you install the solenoid in the anchor locker or at the helm? What gauge did you use for the power feeds? ( Did you maybe use the 10s for power and something else for the solenoid control wire?)