Best way to wire a winch??

scottyb · 09-07-2012, 09:52 PM

Theoretically it would, can you draw that up and show how you will get 36v at the same time?
I think you'll have trouble doing that.

archer161 · 09-07-2012, 10:02 PM

My cart is 48 volts and i was thinking that all i had to do would be run wire from each pair of batteries which will make 12 volts if you use 2-6 volt batteries. Then repeat this 3 more times and then hook all four of the positive ends together and then all four negitive ends together to keep it just 12 volts!!!

yurtle · 09-08-2012, 04:51 AM

Draw a picture for yourself, and you'll see this is WAY more complicated than what was suggested.

You'd need to break several series connections and parallel them. It can be done with a number of high current disconnects, and several lower current switches.

However, this would be VERY unsafe, if you failed to open the series disconnects before closing your paralleling switches.

Imagine, you're out cruisin' around in the woods half drunk, and you get stuck, so you hook up your winch and start closing switches... BAM!

Unless you're suggesting you'd carry a wrench and move cables around every time you get stuck. Also more complicated.

yurtle · 09-08-2012, 05:11 AM

One other option, though not quite a sexy as a WINCH, is a hand crank winch, like used for boat trailers.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...s+hand-winches

kab69440 · 09-08-2012, 06:57 AM

Probably the easiest thing for you to do is to crimp or solder alligator clips on your winch feed. You could then use any two batteries at a time to keep the discharge even. That group parallel hocus-pocus sounds like more trouble than it's worth. I would build a small battery rack to mount a 12v motorcycle cell somewhere on the cart before I tried that.

JohnnieB · 09-08-2012, 06:59 AM

You could add steering diodes in the 12V taps to isolate them from each other and not have to break the series loop, but they would have to be high amp ($$$) diodes to power a winch and there would have to be one in each wire of each 12V tap, so you would dropping the 12V output by 1.2V. The diode setup might be cheaper than a high powered 48v to 12V converter, but the wiring would be very complex and the potential of miswiring would be very high.

Something not mentioned yet and not as good as using a 12V charger to bring up the voltage of the batteries used to power the winch is recharging the battery pack as soon as you can after using the winch, then restarting the charger two three time after it automatically shuts off. Check the individual battery voltages after that and if they aren't within about 0.1V of each other, discharge them slightly (down to 90% or so) and do it again until they are.

Not quite as gentle as charging the two used for the winch separately, but better than running with an imbalanced battery pack.

FWIW: On the rare occasions I've ventured into uncharted territory with my cart, I carried a "Come-along", which is similar to the hand powered winches yurtle linked to, except it has two hooks and isn't hard mounted to cart.

yurtle · 09-08-2012, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnnieB

FWIW: On the rare occasions I've ventured into uncharted territory with my cart, I carried a "Come-along", which is similar to the hand powered winches yurtle linked to, except it has two hooks and isn't hard mounted to cart.

I have an old school one that does a neat trick. You can go for length, or lifting capacity - 3,000 lbs.

JohnnieB · 09-08-2012, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yurtle

I have an old school one that does a neat trick. You can go for length, or lifting capacity - 3,000 lbs.

Two speed gear ratio or just the separate hook with pulley?
(Which could be added to any towing/lifting device.

)

Mine is old school also, in a former life it stretched fence wire.
Cost me $5 at a yard sale and some penetrating oil to get it working right.

Hypersprint · 09-08-2012, 12:30 PM

kab mentioned a motorcycle battery, that got me to looking into smaller deep cycle batteries like this trolling motor rated for 28AH, I wonder how many pulls on 2500lb winch with a 1hp motor I could get and run lights as well?

Thanks
Rob

yurtle · 09-08-2012, 12:43 PM

I'm assuming the OP put all eight of his batteries under the seat for the same reason I did; to keep the bag-well free.

What if you sacrificed some of that bag-well space and put a medium sized, deep cycle 12 volt battery there?

09-07-2012, 09:52 PM	#11
scottyb Happy Carting Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Southern California Posts: 73,419	Re: Best way to wire a winch?? Theoretically it would, can you draw that up and show how you will get 36v at the same time? I think you'll have trouble doing that.

09-07-2012, 10:02 PM	#12
archer161 Not Yet Wild Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 51	Re: Best way to wire a winch?? My cart is 48 volts and i was thinking that all i had to do would be run wire from each pair of batteries which will make 12 volts if you use 2-6 volt batteries. Then repeat this 3 more times and then hook all four of the positive ends together and then all four negitive ends together to keep it just 12 volts!!!
archer161 Not Yet Wild Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 51

09-08-2012, 04:51 AM	#13
yurtle Gone Mad Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Buford, GA Posts: 8,988	Re: Best way to wire a winch?? Draw a picture for yourself, and you'll see this is WAY more complicated than what was suggested. You'd need to break several series connections and parallel them. It can be done with a number of high current disconnects, and several lower current switches. However, this would be VERY unsafe, if you failed to open the series disconnects before closing your paralleling switches. Imagine, you're out cruisin' around in the woods half drunk, and you get stuck, so you hook up your winch and start closing switches... BAM! Unless you're suggesting you'd carry a wrench and move cables around every time you get stuck. Also more complicated.

09-08-2012, 05:11 AM	#14
yurtle Gone Mad Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Buford, GA Posts: 8,988	Re: Best way to wire a winch?? One other option, though not quite a sexy as a WINCH, is a hand crank winch, like used for boat trailers. http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...s+hand-winches

09-08-2012, 06:57 AM	#15
kab69440 Gone Wild Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Marion, Ohio Posts: 1,391	Re: Best way to wire a winch?? Probably the easiest thing for you to do is to crimp or solder alligator clips on your winch feed. You could then use any two batteries at a time to keep the discharge even. That group parallel hocus-pocus sounds like more trouble than it's worth. I would build a small battery rack to mount a 12v motorcycle cell somewhere on the cart before I tried that.

Today
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09-08-2012, 06:59 AM	#16
JohnnieB Techno-Nerd Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: West Virginia Posts: 19,654	Re: Best way to wire a winch?? You could add steering diodes in the 12V taps to isolate them from each other and not have to break the series loop, but they would have to be high amp ($$$) diodes to power a winch and there would have to be one in each wire of each 12V tap, so you would dropping the 12V output by 1.2V. The diode setup might be cheaper than a high powered 48v to 12V converter, but the wiring would be very complex and the potential of miswiring would be very high. Something not mentioned yet and not as good as using a 12V charger to bring up the voltage of the batteries used to power the winch is recharging the battery pack as soon as you can after using the winch, then restarting the charger two three time after it automatically shuts off. Check the individual battery voltages after that and if they aren't within about 0.1V of each other, discharge them slightly (down to 90% or so) and do it again until they are. Not quite as gentle as charging the two used for the winch separately, but better than running with an imbalanced battery pack. FWIW: On the rare occasions I've ventured into uncharted territory with my cart, I carried a "Come-along", which is similar to the hand powered winches yurtle linked to, except it has two hooks and isn't hard mounted to cart.

09-08-2012, 12:30 PM	#19
Hypersprint Gone Wild Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Parrish, FL Posts: 385	Re: Best way to wire a winch?? kab mentioned a motorcycle battery, that got me to looking into smaller deep cycle batteries like this trolling motor rated for 28AH, I wonder how many pulls on 2500lb winch with a 1hp motor I could get and run lights as well? Thanks Rob

09-08-2012, 12:43 PM	#20
yurtle Gone Mad Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Buford, GA Posts: 8,988	Re: Best way to wire a winch?? I'm assuming the OP put all eight of his batteries under the seat for the same reason I did; to keep the bag-well free. What if you sacrificed some of that bag-well space and put a medium sized, deep cycle 12 volt battery there?

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