Electric winch

[mailman1]

I have a spare deep cycle battery and want to know if I could hook up my winch wires to it, instead of running them to my truck battery? This way I could recharge the battery any time and it would sit in the back of my pickup.

 

[briannh1234]

Re: Electric winch

You can hook it up like that. I'm not sure how your gunna charge it. Maybe hook it up to a regular battery charger when you get back from using it?<br /><br />They make a battery box that mounts the battery to the tounge of the trailer. It's another way to go.<br /><br />- Brian

 

[jtexas]

Re: Electric winch

Mailman, that would certainly work, but around here you'd be replacing that battery just about every week, after some low-life helped himself to it. Maybe if that box is welded to the trailer frame & locked.<br /><br />If it's just that you're nervous about tapping into your vehicle wiring harness (I would be too since I know little to nothing about that), I'd think about running a couple wires from the boat battery. That or else I bet somebody on iboats can tell you exactly how to do it.

 

[mailman1]

Re: Electric winch

I have a cap on the pickup. All I have to do is unlock the cap grab the plug and good to go. Just wondering how often to recharge because when I get home, just plug in recharger that's it. No problem of anyone walking off with battery.

 

[rwidman]

Re: Electric winch

Originally posted by jtexas:<br /><br />If it's just that you're nervous about tapping into your vehicle wiring harness (I would be too since I know little to nothing about that), I'd think about running a couple wires from the boat battery. That or else I bet somebody on iboats can tell you exactly how to do it.

You can't "tap into" the vehicle's wiring harness to run an electric winch, it draws too much current. My winch came with a #8 cable and 50 amp circuit breaker to be connected to the battery positive post and a shorter cable to be connected to the vehicle ground (connect it to a good solid ground like the frame or trailer hitch, not just sheet metal). It's not that hard to do, just be careful when you route the cable to keep it away from anything hot or anything that moves. I installed a heavy duty socket next to the trailer wiring connection on the truck and a matching plug on a pigtail connected to the winch. An advantage of using the vehicle battery is that you can leave the engine running for a little extra voltage (I don't but I've seen others do it, just like jump starting a car).

 

[JRJ]

Re: Electric winch

As long as your winch battery has the stuff to do what you want, then sure, you can recharge it, and do it again.

 

[gstanton]

Re: Electric winch

As you now know, you could use your battery seperately as you describe. Also, if your truck is already wired for towing a travel trailer, you could use a seven pin plug and tap into the 12 volts that is coming back to the connector to power your winch. I'm not sure which pin is the 12 volt pin, but your owners guide should have it. It's purpose is to charge the travel trailer's on board battery as you travel.

 

[freek hulsbos]

Re: Electric winch

Put an extra battery in the back of your truck. It is the easiest way. When you un-trailerd the boat you have an extra battery on board.<br />Whatch out; there must be a circuit braker in the line's to the accu but the most regular winche's have them allready in the cable's. Sorry for my english if some words are wrong written down, I am from The Netherland.<br />Have a nice season.....<br />FjH

 

[rwidman]

Re: Electric winch

Originally posted by gstanton:<br /> .... Also, if your truck is already wired for towing a travel trailer, you could use a seven pin plug and tap into the 12 volts that is coming back to the connector to power your winch. I'm not sure which pin is the 12 volt pin, but your owners guide should have it. It's purpose is to charge the travel trailer's on board battery as you travel.

That winch will draw way more current than the trailer socket can provide. You can use the trailer socket to charge an extra battery but not to operate the winch.

 

[gstanton]

Re: Electric winch

Well... OK... but that's they way my BIL does it.

 

[gstanton]

Re: Electric winch

Well... OK... but that's they way my BIL does it.