Wiring for winch

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dryan

Well-Known Member
Chaps, looking at installing a 2000lb warrior ninja winch in the back of a Hilux tub.

Spec sheet for winch shows it could pull 100amp at full load so would require 4awg wire to run to the battery.

I’m thinking that I’m never going to be pulling more than 400lb and even at that it’ll be less as it’s a drag up a ramp, so the amp would be more like 50 and I could perhaps get away with 6 or 8awg ?

Never having wired one of these before looking for advice from those who have!
 
dryan said:
Chaps, looking at installing a 2000lb warrior ninja winch in the back of a Hilux tub.

Spec sheet for winch shows it could pull 100amp at full load so would require 4awg wire to run to the battery.

I’m thinking that I’m never going to be pulling more than 400lb and even at that it’ll be less as it’s a drag up a ramp, so the amp would be more like 50 and I could perhaps get away with 6 or 8awg ?

Never having wired one of these before looking for advice from those who have!
Click to expand...
fitted lots to pull huge caravans on artic trailers and always used the best wire, you will want to fit an isolator. Small winches need every bit of juice they can get, also if you did pull something heavy your wire will be up to spec. My last recovery 7.5 ton truck had a 8000 lb Wreckers International fed using welding cable from the batteries.
What are you fitting the winch to as the tubs are quite flimsy and the load cargo bolts M6.
 
Winch is being mounted on a frame copied from a post on here, box section bolted to the 4 cargo points on the tub.

It’s only ever going to be used for red/fallow deer so 400lb would be a safe max to consider.
 
Can you not get a 500lb winch? Your plan that it'll draw less current at 400lb is quite reasonable. However, if it snags you'll either blow a fuse or the undersize cables will heat up and melt. Both will probably be a pain in the arse. My advice would be use the correct cabling and fusing for the maximum rated current as advised by the manufacturer.
Good luck with it.
 
Having fitted a few winches on offroad vehicles I would recommend using the correct size cable - I used to even up size to make sure the winch got enough power. Only downsize cable if you also downsize the winch. Double the weight you want to pull is an ok guide so 1000lb rated winch. would work.
Fuse the battery end and fit an isolator switch you can easily get to to turn it off in emergency.
 
Use the correct cable as specified by the manufacturer. Anything less is a potential fire risk as you cannot estimate the load as you are pulling over uneven ground.
 
Don't forget the gearing up aspect of a full drum of cable.
The current draw will rise as the drum diameter increases as in effect it is now geared up compared to when it started with an empty spool.
 
The Op may never know when said winch may come in very handy for extracting his vehicle from a "difficult situation" so best not skimp on either cable load rating or fixing arrangements DIRECT to chassis!

K
 
Whilst you never "expect" to have to pull loads in excess of 400lb the effects of friction, stiction/jams, etc means that winch stall current loads increase dramatically - trust me, I have been there! Fit good quality wire feeds - BTW most car jump leads are crap so use good quality cables, or welding cables, as others suggest.
 
I'm ready for a pi££ take but can a winch be rigged up with heavy duty jump leads like you use on a tractor then powered by a 100 amp leisure battery
I'm thinking a winch on a trailer which can be removed, 8x5 ivor
 
Norfolk Horn said:
I'm ready for a pi££ take but can a winch be rigged up with heavy duty jump leads like you use on a tractor then powered by a 100 amp leisure battery
I'm thinking a winch on a trailer which can be removed, 8x5 ivor
Click to expand...
The battery on a heavy load would last minutes at best!
Lots of variables in there but a mate has a similar set up to what you're suggesting for pulling horse carts on but he also has a forklift jackplug lead to use some alternator power.

Beware though .....
I have seen a Warn 8274 taking over 500A on a heavy pull in competition. This was backed up by x2 spiral cell optima batteries and a 150A alternator spinning.
 
You could make a portable rig but as eldon points out, batteries get drained quickly. A reasonably big car battery will give some use - I don’t know the maths behind it but am confident you won’t be pulling power like a Warn 8274, they are epic monster winches (one of mine added below as I was feeling nostalgic).
 

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JamesH said:
You could make a portable rig but as eldon points out, batteries get drained quickly. A reasonably big car battery will give some use - I don’t know the maths behind it but am confident you won’t be pulling power like a Warn 8274, they are epic monster winches (one of mine added below as I was feeling nostalgic).
Click to expand...
Those had a c-clip on the end of the shaft if I think it is the same one, I did a couple where I heated the end of the shaft down then drilled it M6 to do away with the C-clip
 
Be very careful if it’s a newish truck and check with a main dealer
You can’t just go splicing stuff into the loom anymore. A friend had a tow bar fitted to his new Santa Fe by a local firm because it was cheaper than the factory option, he now has no warranty and more warning lights on his dashboard than Apollo 13.
 
Dunwaters said:
Be very careful if it’s a newish truck and check with a main dealer
You can’t just go splicing stuff into the loom anymore. A friend had a tow bar fitted to his new Santa Fe by a local firm because it was cheaper than the factory option, he now has no warranty and more warning lights on his dashboard than Apollo 13.
Click to expand...
I was given an as new towing light harness for my D-Max from a friend who works in a main agent, plug and play no drama.
 
eldon said:
The battery on a heavy load would last minutes at best!
Lots of variables in there but a mate has a similar set up to what you're suggesting for pulling horse carts on but he also has a forklift jackplug lead to use some alternator power.

Beware though .....
I have seen a Warn 8274 taking over 500A on a heavy pull in competition. This was backed up by x2 spiral cell optima batteries and a 150A alternator spinning.
Click to expand...
I was just thinking an occasional Red in a sledge up into my trailer which is the low ivor general purpose type so not to heavy a pull.
Something like a frame with the winch attached dropping over the headboard/ ladder rack and the battery in the back of my truck.
I have my dog box in my truck so don't want a winch in the tub
 
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