Electric boat winch

Starcraftobsession

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jul 9, 2013
Messages
41
I bought a boat that has an electric winch. It's has the plug -in and now I'm,trying to wire the other end of the plug in with a 7 blade plug in so I can plug it in to my truck. There's 6 wires that go in to the 7 blade and only two( a positive and negative) that go to the connecting plug. How do I do this? I wish I could post pics but I'm,not good at computer stuff....or wiring stuff for that matter! Thanks in advance!
 

Rapio

Seaman
Joined
Apr 13, 2013
Messages
62
I would be concerned as to whether a 7 pin plug had the capacity for an electric winch. For my 2000lb winch I used #6 wire for pos. and neg. with a corresponding heavy 2 prong female and male plug. I didn't fuse it, but think it would be about 80 amps. I may be over cautious but ?????
 

ahicks

Captain
Joined
Sep 16, 2013
Messages
3,957
Power through a 6 or 7 pin connector is generally only enough to charge a battery located on the trailer side. You would pull power for the winch from that battery, through some pretty good size wire. Power routed through the connectors won't be near enough to do the winch justice.
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
47,295
generally to power the winch directly, you need a winch power harness like this

winch-power-cable_rs107-base.jpg


the most you can pull thru a properly wired 7-pin plug is 15 amps (40 amps total thru the whole plug) as that is the rating of the plug. pull any more than that, and the connections heat up and melt the plug. your winch will pull about 50-60 amps
 

ezmobee

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 26, 2007
Messages
23,767
I would be concerned as to whether a 7 pin plug had the capacity for an electric winch.


It absolutely would not. I had one briefly on my boat trailer when I bought it and that sucker melted down some even heavier wires going straight to a battery.

In my opinion those electric winches are more trouble than they're worth. Unless, of course, you have a disability and need one.
 

b.gagnon

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 28, 2001
Messages
835
Take it off and get a 2 speed manual winch....Less trouble!
 

dennis461

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 11, 2011
Messages
516
Wire it up separately using a connector already shown.
I have that type of arrangement, however, my connector is below the rear bumper and sometimes gets salt water in it (as does the 6-pin light connector).
I test my lights and winch before leaving home.

The two speed manual winch should also be on your trailer as a backup system. (My manual winch is mounted on the trailer tongue, not the upright)
My electric power is as I recall, a 50 amp fuse which is OK for the fat wire I used, my winch is rated at higher amperage, but sometimes manufacturer's overstate things. I've stalled my winch without blowing the fuse.

As for tossing it out, I vote against it.
Mine is wireless-remote control, so I can wade into the water and keep my boat lined up to rollers while winching (boating alone).
Without this 'convenience' I would spend too much time on the ramp. :)
 

Starcraftobsession

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jul 9, 2013
Messages
41
Thanks for all,the replies guys. I appreciate it. Dennis do you mean to wire it to my 5 battery and run wires back? What if I were to mount a battery box to the hitch and do it that way?
 

dennis461

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 11, 2011
Messages
516
Thanks for all,the replies guys. I appreciate it. Dennis do you mean to wire it to my 5 battery and run wires back? What if I were to mount a battery box to the hitch and do it that way?


If I ignore the '5'...yes run a 6 gauge wire from positive battery terminal to a 30 amp fuse (If your winch looks like a Brave Little Toaster with a hooks coming out).
Of course you will need a battery terminal configuration which will allow connecting a new additional wire to it.
Batteries with side terminals only are a problem.
My fuse is a single holder inside a plastic container under the hood near battery.
Then from the fuse down under and to the back of tow rig.
Use wire plastic wire covers. Secure the wire from chafing

Connect to the Anderson Power Products Connector of the appropriate size (requires soldering and you may need a torch instead of a solder gun).
For negative, I cleaned off a portion of my truck frame and connected a black wire there, no need to run back to battery.
(Check your existing negative connection from battery to frame and engine block, if they look like skinny wires, you should double them up or replace with 6 gauge.


If you put a battery box on the 'hitch', what part of it, tow vehicle side, or trailer side?
What would you put in it?
If you put a battery in there on the trailer, (and I see this often on land based trailers with winches at the local race track) you still need some heavy gauge wire to charge it up, or some additional electronics to allow low current charging (to prevent melting the trailer connector wires using them instead of 6 gauge)

This is certainly doable (battery on trailer, use trailer connector wiring), can you guarantee you won't put saltwater in the battery box :)


Can you describe or post pics of your battery and your winch?
 

levittownnick

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 2, 2003
Messages
789
I have a 1997 20 ft. Proline that I trailer and have been doing so since it was new 20 years ago. I have been using the same electric winch since it was new. I have changed the clutch in the winch 2 or 3 times but not the winch. My tow vehicle is a 2011 GMC Acadia that came Tow ready. The wiring is adequate for the winch but I did buy an adapter to go from the 7-pin connector to a 4-pin. The 7-pin connector comes factory wired with different gauge wiring for the designated loads. If as you indicated, you are not knowledgeable in wiring, I would spend the money to have a competent person make the proper pin selection and wiring. Possibly engage an RV shop or boat trailer business. Not everything is a do-it your-self project, there is wisdom in not doing what you are not equipped to do.

Happy boating,
Nick
 

dingbat

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 20, 2001
Messages
15,413
Got lucky with my install. Battery had both post and side connections.

Battery clamp to inline, 50 amp auto reset fuse to lug on 8 AWG wire, to red Anderson power connector on the back of the truck. Soldered a mate to the winch and never looked back.

Takes me all of 15 seconds to hook up. Connect cable to boat and load a # 5300 boat load using thumb pressure.
 
Top