Best way to power rear winch?

87GMCJimmy

87GMCJimmy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2007
Location
Mint Hill, NC
I have a VR12,000 that I plan to install in a rear bumper on the Power Wagon. The issue I have is- at full load, the winch can require 457 amps! So, the way I see it, I have two options:
1)HUGE power and ground cables (it is about 20' worth of each) in about 2/0-4/0 (not sure if 2/0, 3/0, or 4/0 would be best???) size to minimize heat and voltage drop. The drawbacks are- amp draw on primary battery and expanse of cables (2/0-4/0 is PRICEY!!!)
OR
A second battery located out back near the winch. The drawbacks are- weight (negligible, truck already ways over 7,000lbs anyway), expense (dual battery kit (was looking at National Luna?), battery, etc) The advantages would be- an extra power source, full voltage to winch, and the ability to run smaller (cheaper) power cables and still have it work great!

BUT, it seems like any dual battery setup I've come across has always been fraught with gremlins, they never seem to work reliably. Maybe I'm only seeing the bad???

One of the biggest issues is- whatever I do, I do not want to have to hack into ANY stock wiring as the Canbus setup of the truck can be VERY finicky. (2012)

What would be the best setup for this??? Thanks in advance!
 
Hmm, I guess the second battery might not work as I planned- "A number of people install winch cables to the auxiliary battery. This is not recommended as the alternator supplies a large portion of the current to the winch, ensuring optimum winch speed and power". Thoughts?
 
Rear power cables and done. All the extra modules for side mt and rear mt winches on fire trucks are done this way. Cable versus battery, switch, voltage regulator for duals, cable to the rear ect should equal out. Run one hot cable and run the ground straight to the chassis with a good copper lug and good hardware, we use stainless steel. We also make our own cables. We also stock several gauges of primary wire.
 
I know off the top of my head our 4 ga. runs about a dollar a foot. I could check on some heavier "ought" gauges if you like.
 
You need a friend that can get basically free 2/0 lol. Luckily, I have one of those. If you ground the winch at the rear, make sure there are good grounds from the battery to frame and all that.
 
NCJeeplover said:
Ive done several rear winch and trailer winch set ups and found the cheapest way to go is buy jumper cables. Look on ebay. They are amazingly cheap. Warn uses 4 gauge wire for its winch leads, so I like to step up one size for the length of the wire.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2053587.m570.l1313.TR2.TRC0.A0.H0.X2+gauge+jumper+cables.TRS0&_nkw=2+gauge+jumper+cables&_sacat=0
Click to expand...

Never ever thought of this! Wonder what the difference is in the wire. That's a heck of a lot cheaper per ft. than what we buy buy the 500ft roll several times a year. Any electricians or the like care to chime in and offer some wisdom???
 
The insulation might not be as durable, maybe?? Either way, you can buy a lot of plastic wire loom for the price difference.
 
foreign and domestic?? suppliers? I can see that being a huge factor. Do you thing the copper strand or the actual Amp rating differs much. Only reason I'm poking at this is I could be a lot more competitive on some projects. You'd figure sourcing in large bulk and building from raw materials would be the norm but this method is by half cheaper. And you get some really odd welding clamps out of the deal!:p
 
The insulation is different. Jumpoer cablkes if ul listed aren't tested to an insulation standard nor are they continuous rated. Plus the linked product is 4awg that bins not the same as 4\0 ...now parallel 4 awg equals ~1/0. So if you used both halves as the hot and ran a short ground, maybe?

Anyone who has overheated a jumper cable has felt the insulation start to soften.
 
I new I was missin something. I missed the awg. And I suspected that cables weren't listed and advertised for continuous duty. I'll stick to my expensive stuff. Thanks @Ron
 
Is there any change in required wire size if you mount a rear battery with the rear winch?

Then the wire needed to run from engine compartment to the rear is for
Charging from either battery isolator and/or alternator.
 
I would disagree that the alternator is providing the majority of power in most situations. The alternator is only going to put out its rated current amount or within 10% of it at that load. The battery is going to supply the current past that point. Proof of that is look at the charge wire diameter compared to the battery cable. The charge wire only has to support 100-200 amps of current flow. Simple electric principles on that.

I think putting a battery in the back would assist and give you many benefits but do you need them? If so, put the supplemental battery in the back. If not, just bite the bullet and install the correct wire to support operation. Remember, the winch only requires massive amounts of current when you load it up to the point of stall. If you winch responsibly and don't work it that hard all the time (like guys that pull until the cable melt the insulators), then you will have no issues.

Also, gauge size is important but equally is cable quality. If you do not have too many sharp runs, you probably can something that isn't so fine strand which means cheaper for you.
 
The winch on my gooseneck runs off a battery on the trailer. Only thing that charges it is the little wire from the 7 way plug. May could do a rear battery mount and just run it to the winch and charge it with that wire. Although seems it would be cheaper and less maintenance if you just ran from main battery.
 
Skinny said:
I would disagree that the alternator is providing the majority of power in most situations. The alternator is only going to put out its rated current amount or within 10% of it at that load. The battery is going to supply the current past that point.
Click to expand...
This. My old set-up had enough draw to bog down my 70amp alternator, drain the stock battery and stall the motor (4-cyl). Now I have a dual-battery set-up and diesel batteries powering both my winches using 2/0awg and charging everything with a 120amp alternator.

87GMCJimmy said:
A second battery located out back near the winch. The drawbacks are- weight (negligible, truck already ways over 7,000lbs anyway), expense (dual battery kit (was looking at National Luna?), battery, etc) The advantages would be- an extra power source, full voltage to winch, and the ability to run smaller (cheaper) power cables and still have it work great!

BUT, it seems like any dual battery setup I've come across has always been fraught with gremlins, they never seem to work reliably. Maybe I'm only seeing the bad???
Click to expand...
You could always run another battery in parallel near the rear winch instead of a dual battery set-up...
 
I see no downside to a rear battery and only positives except for the high cost of good batteries.
 
On my work trucks I have always done the receiver hitch cradled winch and jumper cables but the trucks are usually anchored off stationary pulling something around. Cheaper, easier and I only have to keep 1 winch alive. :smokin: Plus I get alot more use out of my jumper cables.
 
consider length into the AWG equation, that affects size as much as amperage. I chose welding leads, they are multistrand too. probably less than $50 for the pair out to the rear winch.
 
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