Hooking up Winch to Battery

[Banjer Picker]

Do I hook the hot wire directly up to the pos terminal? What are the other options?

THanks!

Brandon

 

[Viperwolf1]

You could wire it through a battery cutoff switch but the ones I've seen have a limit of about 150 amps. I don't want my winch to be current choked when I really need it to work. A big copper knife switch would be cool though.

 

[crankman]

i would go direct connection i want max power available when im stuck. ive seen people put shutoff switches between winch& battery but they need to be high amp to handle the load.

 

[BroncoDawg]

Not much funner standing up, then hooking up and spooling out a winch for the first time. Hook your cable to a telephone pole and drag your shit up the street because you can!! ALWAYS reel in cable from atleast a couple feet away and sloppy spooling will cost you a cable quick. Have Fun.

 

[Flintknapper]

i would go direct connection i want max power available when im stuck. ive seen people put shutoff switches between winch& battery but they need to be high amp to handle the load.

I would definitely use a battery cut off switch. It is no problem finding one that will handle the amps. This one is under $20.00

You can imagine what would happen if a solenoid stuck closed and you were unable to stop your winch from reeling in or out.

Also, it pretty much insures you won't have problems with someone vandalizing your bronco by free spooling the cable out, wrapping it around your vehicle....then using a paper clip to activate the winch via the remote receptacle (called taco-ing a truck).

Just install it on the negative terminal. Always run your leads directly to the battery for best performance.

 

[bmc69]

Moroso and others make some good battery switches and they are not cheap..but the one in the above pic is junk. I can't count how many of those I replaced in our race trucks after they wouldn't pass enough current to run the starter. A few uses and a teeny bit of corrosion (they are not sealed at all so the corroiosn internally is inevitable) and they stop working or barely work and won't pass any current.


In all the years and all the vehicles I have had winches on (30+ years..10+ vehicle?) ..ALL of them are/were wired directly to the pos battery lug. I cannot see adding another failure point in the form of an isolation switch.

 

[Viperwolf1]

Also, it pretty much insures you won't have problems with someone vandalizing your bronco by free spooling the cable out, wrapping it around your vehicle....then using a paper clip to activate the winch via the remote receptacle (called taco-ing a truck).

Just install it on the negative terminal. Always run your leads directly to the battery for best performance.

If you want to keep it vandal-proof then you need to keep the key out of the switch, not wired to it. I personally think it's easier and better to wire in a solenoid cut-off switch inside that kills the solenoid activation current only.

It doesn't matter where the battery switch is installed it's still limiting current.

 

[bludorbronc]

I wired mine to the side post on an Optima and it melted the post out ,then after more research the side post is not designed to carry that much load.

 

[Madgyver]

For now I just hook up the + lead cable to the battery when I need it....

The battery disconnect is a good idea to have....
We all remember that 4x4 show where the guy got his fingers messed up when the winch didn't stop....

 

[Apogee]

I wired mine to the side post on an Optima and it melted the post out ,then after more research the side post is not designed to carry that much load.

Thet's a very good point. Most battery side terminals are not rated for that high of a current load. Make sure you do your research with respect to the specific battery you're using as most recommend using the main terminal posts on the battery for any high-draw application.

 

[deltarat]

I wired mine to the side post on an Optima and it melted the post out ,then after more research the side post is not designed to carry that much load.

Opps! Mine is wired to the side also. Good thing I have not had to use it.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

If you want to keep it vandal-proof then you need to keep the key out of the switch, not wired to it. I personally think it's easier and better to wire in a solenoid cut-off switch inside that kills the solenoid activation current only.

It doesn't matter where the battery switch is installed it's still limiting current.

Devils advocate here : If the solenoid sticks in the on position , killing power to the solenoid won't do anything , it's stuck in the on position.
I've had that happen on starter relays ..... that gets the adrenaline going !

Start truck ... release key ...starter still grinding away ... first instinct , dump the clutch to kill the motor .... oops ... truck lurches and refires cause the starter is still grinding away .... buddy who was there realizes what's going on throws hood open and manages to pull battery hot off bare handed in one shot ..... deep breath ....light cigarette and go clean britches.

 

[Viperwolf1]

Devils advocate here : If the solenoid sticks in the on position , killing power to the solenoid won't do anything , it's stuck in the on position.
I've had that happen on starter relays ..... that gets the adrenaline going !

Start truck ... release key ...starter still grinding away ... first instinct , dump the clutch to kill the motor .... oops ... truck lurches and refires cause the starter is still grinding away .... buddy who was there realizes what's going on throws hood open and manages to pull battery hot off bare handed in one shot ..... deep breath ....light cigarette and go clean britches.

You are correct. That's why I only mentioned vandal-proofing. For safety purposes the Moroso switches in the Jegs catalog I saw today will take 300 amps continuously but they are not keyed.

 

[904Bronco]

Try this: Winch manager.

http://kodiakinc.com/saftey_jumps.html

I have this on my 75 Bronco

Company is in Gilroy, Ca

 

[crankman]

this post got me interested again due to good post from bludorbronoc which he had a problem with his side post being connected to his winch. it got me very concerned cause mine has been that way for a long time i contacted Interstate battery customer service via email and the tech responded that there was no difference in the top and side post on there batteries. that being said Apogee had a good point to contact your battery co and double check just to be sure. Thanks again to you both

 

[Viperwolf1]

If you have a dual post battery you can always connect the starter to the side posts and winch to the top. The starter doesn't draw as much current as long as a winch does. It would also make it easier to remove the winch connection if you're so inclined.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Being an electrician , sooner or later I'll obtain a big ol' copper knife switch on isolators , I'll use it , just to make Viperwolf jealous.

here ya go !
http://www.wirthco.com/battery_fuse...y_switches_and_battery_disconnects-c-7_9.html