Boat lifts are a common sight in Southwest Florida, and with boat lifts come boat lift motors. Boat lift motors are the workhorses of any lift, and their malfunction is never welcome. An understanding of how they work will help you deal with any problems.

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The defining feature of a boat lift motor - and its most common source of problems - is the ability to turn in both directions by the flip of a switch.

To accomplish this, the start and run circuits of the motor must be electrically separated and independently energized so the polarity of the start circuit can be reversed to change the direction of travel. The start circuit gives the motor extra power to begin moving and throws it in the desired direction of travel.

Once the motor is moving the start circuit disconnects and the run circuit keeps the motor turning until the power is turned off. The start circuit is composed of one of the motor windings, a centrifugal governor, a capacitor, and a centrifugal switch. The capacitor supplies extra power to the windings and the switch and governor work together to disconnect the start circuit when the motor is up to speed. If the start winding does not receive the power it needs the motor will just buzz and overheat.

CAUTION: It is NOT safe to start a motor by spinning the pulley. This could result in the loss of appendage or even worse.