24V winch

[krick3tt]

I have received my new 24V winch. Now for the installatiion...
Where are the best points for hookup of the supply leads for the power?

Other than welding the nuts after install, is there a way to make this a little more (or at all) theft resistant?

Cheers,
Morris

[MASSIVE PINZ]

Where did you find the Winch??

[krick3tt]

Ordered it from E.I.
Call Alex or Scott

[michaelh712]

Check out Tuffy security products; they make a "lock", a small box with key that fits over a bolt for theft protection. It's pretty heavy duty, but nothing is perfect.

[Jimm391730]

I ran the winch leads under the grill, over the frame member and into the engine compartment, where the ground lead i connected to the chassis and the power lead goes to the big starter bolt. I had about 2" to spare with the stock leads from the Superwinch I have.

Jim M.
712W and 710M

[krick3tt]

Does that mean the winch can only be operational when the engine is running or it that the lead directly from the battery?

Cheers,
Morris

[EuroTruck]

Hi Morris,

You'll be better served by hooking the winch leads directly to the batteries. To do this, purchase more wire of the same size supplied with your winch, a couple of splice lugs and a couple of terminal lugs. Don't forget a crimper, if you don't already have one.

Run the cables through the grill, through the engine compartment and into the battery box. Take care to tie the cables up and out of the way of the throttle linkage, etc. Use profuse amounts of shrink tubing on possible friction/wear spots. We buy the large rolls of the big shrink tubing off of eBay for almost nothing.

If you have a detached control box, it is a good idea to mount it in the cab out of the elements. We like to mount them on the air tunnel wall in the passenger foot well.

Good luck with the project.

-Sean Philyaw

[David Dunn]

I'm with Sean, run the wires back to the batteries. I favor using a heavier welding cable. Depending on the installation, I sometime will make splices with copper lugs with eyes and bolt them together ( I have a truck with a rear winch and remote battery jumper connector, the wires are "Y"ed together at the rear). If you choose to use a butt connection for a splice, heavy wall copper tubing works well, and use a dull chiesel along the tube to crimp it ( not across).

The control box inside is also better. If you want to get real tricked, you can wire a pair of "safety" switches with covers to the control box and mounted to the dash that you don't need the winch's remote in the cab. One switch to interupt the power to the control box and the other operates the winch. If needed or wanted to, you can still plug in the original remote and operate the winch remotely. (The Pink Cow had this with it's original winch, but are lit rocker switches without covers). You do want to use 2 switches, and be sure the winch is locked out from accidently use.

Dave Dunn

[krick3tt]

Thanks for the tips.
I had the winch leads running direct to the battery attachment points in the mog. The Warn 15K had leads exactly the correct length to do that. One went to the battery cut-out switch and one to the connection point on the frame that was direct from the battery.
I like the idea of mounting the control inside, seems to make a lot of sense, as I will eventually be moving to Washington and the rain may be a factor in the life of the winch, not so much here in CA.
I remember seeing the pink cow setup and forgot to ask where the control was located. It looked like a very clean, neat installation.
I may have a little issue with the switch setup though, I am not a whiz with the electrical side of things. I am still learning. May have to save that till later when I have a garage to work in.

Cheers,
Morris

[pinzwheeling]

Hi Morris,
If you want some help getting it all put together, come over my house this weekend and we can figure it out together.

I know that bumper you got from EI last week cannot be light, that is one heavy duty bumper.
Michael

[Lightningpinz]

Just remember one thing. When you run the battery cables back to the batteries you have now BY-PASSED the battery disconnect switch. The winch is attached to the chassis (grounded) and it will now be a new ground path when the disconnect switch is opened. If you want the battery disconnect switch to operate (disconnect the batteries) run the negative of the winch back to the disconnect switch and then beef up the cable from the switch to the batteries.

[krick3tt]

Thanks for the tips and offers of help (Michael). I am waiting for the bolts to install the bumper from EI, they did not make into the package that was delivered at Calico Mogfest.
As soon as they arrive I can get to the business of installation.

Michael, I'll give you a call when the bolts arrive and I would really appreciate the help. Yeah, it is heavy and being on bolth ends at the same time is not easy for anyone.

Cheers,
Morris

[Buzz]

I'm hooking up my 24V winch also. One thing I was wondering about is whether I should put in a breaker. There is no mention of one in the paper work from WARN. Seems like that could be a nice way from burning up a motor at the exact time you need it most.
So, should i have one or am i missing something? - Buzz

[bernhard]

I believe what your looking for is more of a over heat shut off. You could do a long pull at close to the breakers limit and still fry the motor from to much heat. I belive warn dose have a winch with this system built they call it thermometric.

[Buzz]

Thanks Bernhard,
I am looking at just such a breaker like #593293 at Westmarine.com
Those are thermometric as you suggest. I just dont know what amperage to shoot for. The WARN specs here: http://www.warn.com:80/truck/winches/src/XD9000.shtml
suggest it will pull 226 amps at full load, so should I get something that trips at 220? - Buzz