[Shop-talk] 110 vac winch

[Steven Trovato]

OK, more winch stuff.  My father-in-law has a boat that he lifts out 
of the water after each use with a homemade lift.  The winch he built 
it with has died, and he is now replacing it.  He purchased a cheap 
winch and it lifts the boat, then drops it back into the water when 
the winch is turned off.  Not quite what he had in mind.  Just 
thought i'd point out that winches can have "dynamic braking" which 
just means that the gearing and the motor kind of resist 
unwinding.  This is clearly not enough to hold a boat up.  Other 
winches have "mechanical braking" which involves an actual mechanism 
to keep the drum from turning.  Even these, though, are not always 
rated for the full load of the winch.  I don't think your lifting 
application is going to leave a heavy load on the winch, right?  Just 
thought I'd point all this out in case it is helpful.

-Steve Trovato
strovato at optonline.net