Freefall lifeboat engine does not start. Part 2. Troubleshooting

Greetings! Today we have another problem with the lifeboat, it won’t start with any battery. At the same time, you can hear the starter motor rotating, but the start does not occur. This is the second article on this topic. In the first article we looked at a case where one battery failed and in that situation the battery tester was very helpful in identifying the problem.

In fact, low starter battery capacity is a fairly common cause of poor starting of lifeboat engines. Usually the solution to the problem ends with this, that is, replacing the batteries. But there are exceptions, especially on older ships.

Freefall lifeboat does not start. Part 1. Troubleshooting

Lifeboats on a ship are usually inspected once a week, testing the starting condition of the engine on two batteries, rudder, telegraph-propeller, lighting, as well as the condition of batteries and chargers.

Despite regular checks, the lifeboat's engine may stop starting at any time. This is exactly the situation that occurred on the ship during the inspection of the boat by the port inspector.

Electric Drive of Boat Winches (rescue boats, lifeboats)

Boat winches are intended to handle rescue boats carried by sea-going and river ships. These do not include the winches used to regularly hoist and lower boats and launches in the performance of routine work and finishing operations of the ship.

Under the International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea all ships must be equipped with rescue boats. The same Convention specifies a number of requirements to davit on which the operating conditions of the electric drive depend to some extent.