Our bespoke winch systems use several component parts to function, depending on their configuration:
The hoist assembly – The hoist assembly consists of a drum for the wire rope to feed onto and an electric motor/gearbox which rotates the drum. If access is difficult, we can often locate the hoist assembly remotely and direct the hoist rope to the main lowering point using pulleys.
Pulleys – Pulleys are used to direct the rope between the hoist assembly and the Contact Suspension Unit. The pulley bodies come is different configurations depending on how the pulley are to be used and where they are to be installed. Also, the size of the wire rope used will determine the size of pulley wheel used.
Contact Suspension Units – When the light is in its raised and operating position the Contact Suspension Unit automatically makes the electrical circuits and engages a “mechanical lock”, consequently relieving the winch, pulleys and wire rope from tension. Unlocking the unit to lower the light for maintenance automatically breaks the electrical circuits therefore no live cables are lowered with the fitting.
Cable Reels – The cable reel pays out the electrical flex to the light fitting as it is lowered to ground level and then automatically retracts the flex when raising the fitting back up to high level. This means that the fitting can remain energised throughout the raising and lowering process.
Hoist control enclosure – The hoist motor uses 3 phase power to run so we use an inverter to convert the domestic 230v power supply feeding the system to 3 phase power that the hoist motor can utilise. The inverter is housed in the Hoist controller enclosure. All the system control circuits feed back to this enclosure. Although it is usually housed close to the winch assembly, this is not essential and can be up to 30m away from the hoist assembly.