From reading the forums here it sounds like Warn doesn't recommend using a breaker when hooking the winch to the battery.
I'm wondering what peoples real world experience is with this topic. Has someone tried using a breaker and found that it keeps popping when in heavy use? Was thinking about using a 250 or 300 amp breaker switch. And normally I would keep it off until I want to power the winch.
Winch breaker and cut-off switch
Re: Winch breaker and cut-off switch
I think it’s a good idea to have the power switched and not “hot” at the winch.
I put a switch behind the drivers seat parallel with the ground switch on both
my trucks. If for what ever reason a wire got shorted the default would be off
and no risk of drained batteries or fried cables.
I put a switch behind the drivers seat parallel with the ground switch on both
my trucks. If for what ever reason a wire got shorted the default would be off
and no risk of drained batteries or fried cables.
Puller: 71' 710K 2.7L EFI aka Mozo
Follower: Sankey MK 3, 3/4 Tonne
Rescue Pinz: 73' 712MK
Driver: Ron // KO0Q
Follower: Sankey MK 3, 3/4 Tonne
Rescue Pinz: 73' 712MK
Driver: Ron // KO0Q
- VinceAtReal4x4s
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Re: Winch breaker and cut-off switch
Never used one myself and I've had several winch trucks and used them all over 25 years, never installed one and I do winch related work every week and nobody I wheeled with had one that I know of either. Realistically you might get a short in some sort of bad accident maybe, but is that going to happen any other time? One in a million I bet. Good cables are well covered and extra protection on edges are a good idea and something I install. If you do use a switch, get a larger amp rating than you think you need!
More than once I've installed a ground kill-switch on the contactor/solenoid ground wire which makes sure they wont get activated until you are ready to use it, especially useful when installing a wireless system.
More than once I've installed a ground kill-switch on the contactor/solenoid ground wire which makes sure they wont get activated until you are ready to use it, especially useful when installing a wireless system.
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Re: Winch breaker and cut-off switch
WRT a switch, I guess it all depends upon how much of a paranoid you are
My thought process is, well, what could go wrong even if not that likely.
I also tend to be a magnet for "sh*t happens" so that gets me more in the
belts and suspenders camp. Thus the Switch on the Battery side. As an FYI
I use Flaming River, USA made switches beefy 250 Amps steady state, with
Surge up to 2,500 Amps (5 seconds).
My thought process is, well, what could go wrong even if not that likely.
I also tend to be a magnet for "sh*t happens" so that gets me more in the
belts and suspenders camp. Thus the Switch on the Battery side. As an FYI
I use Flaming River, USA made switches beefy 250 Amps steady state, with
Surge up to 2,500 Amps (5 seconds).
Puller: 71' 710K 2.7L EFI aka Mozo
Follower: Sankey MK 3, 3/4 Tonne
Rescue Pinz: 73' 712MK
Driver: Ron // KO0Q
Follower: Sankey MK 3, 3/4 Tonne
Rescue Pinz: 73' 712MK
Driver: Ron // KO0Q
- mushmasher
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- Joined: Fri Apr 03, 2015 12:07 am
Re: Winch breaker and cut-off switch
Exactly! This is one of the reasons I want to have a cutoff switch or breaker switch.VinceAtReal4x4s wrote: ↑Mon Oct 10, 2022 12:05 am More than once I've installed a ground kill-switch on the contactor/solenoid ground wire which makes sure they wont get activated until you are ready to use it, especially useful when installing a wireless system.