Winch wiring?

RBBailey

NAS-ROW Addict
Callsign: KF7KFZ
I got the winch to work properly once I rolled it out about 15 feet. Not sure why that made the difference, but it is now locking and unlocking the way it should.


Question about wire gauges: I assume the diameter of a given gauge (e.g.: 18 or 2/0) corresponds to the diameter of the copper filament itself, NOT including any of the insulation?
 

Napalm00

Technical Excellence Contributor
It may be worth while taking the gearbox off and making sure that the lever and clutch assembly is lubed. Instruction manual has how to do this.

And yes wiring gauge is talking about the copper part of The wire.

I use 2/0 for defender installs
 

BarryO

Well-known member
Question about wire gauges: I assume the diameter of a given gauge (e.g.: 18 or 2/0) corresponds to the diameter of the copper filament itself, NOT including any of the insulation?

Correct. Make sure you're using 100% copper wire; some of the cheap wire out there (e.g.., most jumper cables) are copper-clad-aluminum (CCA) and have much higher resistance.

Figure out how much cable you're using, both ways (add up the length of the two wires). Decide how much of the rated pull you want the winch to deliver; ideally, you'll have a chart for the winch that shows the ampere draw for that pulling force. That, and the voltage drop you're willing to tolerate, with determine the maximum voltage drop in the cable, according to Ohm's Law: Resistance = (voltage drop)/(current). IMO 1 volt is a good voltage drop. Divide the resistance by the total length of cable gives you the maximum resistance per foot; look up the needed wire size on a table for copper wire.

Based on that. IMO 1/0 is a good size to use in many cases; you can always go bigger if you want to spend the money and want to put up with dealing with the larger size.
 

RBBailey

NAS-ROW Addict
Callsign: KF7KFZ
Pretty sure I had a nice chart someplace that showed the voltage drop over distance for a given gauge of wire when I made my glow plug harness. Thanks.
 

Napalm00

Technical Excellence Contributor
I think I used 13feet of each color to run it on top of the frame rail to the battery box
 

RBBailey

NAS-ROW Addict
Callsign: KF7KFZ
Was that going the driver's side?

I'm going to lay under there this week sometime and run a test line to get the right length. Going over the wheel well is one option, drivers side frame another, or pass frame, then over the gearbox is another. The third option is where several of my wires are already running.
 

Napalm00

Technical Excellence Contributor
My truck is rhd so yes to the driver side. Just take the shortest route, over the gearbox seems dangerous?
 

RBBailey

NAS-ROW Addict
Callsign: KF7KFZ
I use 2/0 for defender installs

2/0 is what came with the winch. At least, it measures out at almost exactly 0.36 inches. I had envisioned that I was needing a thicker cable, but really I just need longer versions of what I have. I suppose it never hurts to go larger. I'm pretty sure that the cable that is on my old 6000lbs Warn winch is 3/0.
 

Napalm00

Technical Excellence Contributor
Main reason I i didn't go larger is that the 3/0 and above is massive and really really expensive.

Warn sells a rear winch wiring kit for the 6-9.5k winches that uses AWG 2 not 00 or 2/0. Its 20 feet long!

after finding that out, I felt pretty good about using 2/0 for a 13ft dual home run.
 

RBBailey

NAS-ROW Addict
Callsign: KF7KFZ
Actually..... I have other 2/0 cable laying around.... I may need to rethink this, because I want to put in a cut-off switch anyway, I may not actually want to go buy new cable if I'm just going to cut it in the middle and run it through the switch anyway... Hummmmmmmm.... I might use 10 feet on one side --> switch --> 3 feet on the other side to the battery.
 

Napalm00

Technical Excellence Contributor
I used forklift SB350 connectors at the winch instead of a switch. In hindsight a switch at the battery box plus these is the best way to go for me.

switch will de-energize the whole circuit outside of the box for saftey
SB connector will allow me to use the winch wires as a jump start/charge point without touching the battery
SB connector will make removing the winch easier if i ever have to do it.

I use a marine battery so the connection the battery is especially easy
 

BarryO

Well-known member
I used forklift SB350 connectors at the winch instead of a switch. In hindsight a switch at the battery box plus these is the best way to go for me.

switch will de-energize the whole circuit outside of the box for saftey
SB connector will allow me to use the winch wires as a jump start/charge point without touching the battery
SB connector will make removing the winch easier if i ever have to do it.

I use a marine battery so the connection the battery is especially easy

I'm planning on a switch at the battery box as well. At the winch, it'll be wired directly, but I plan to put an SB connector in parallel for an easy access jump start/charge point. This weatherproof connector will protect it when not in use. https://powerwerx.com/anderson-36036p1-sb175-environmental-boot-source
 

Tomaco1

Well-known member
Anyone know of a good switch for the battery box to turn the + winch cable on and off?
I just searched, there’s a million of them.
 

Robert

Well-known member
Anyone know of a good switch for the battery box to turn the + winch cable on and off?
I just searched, there?s a million of them.


I'd look for something rated for at least 250 continuous amps, 500 momentarily. Most 12v winch specs I've seen call for around 400 amp at stall.
 

Tomaco1

Well-known member

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