new winch

i've just brought myself a new winch for my landy and the leads seem to short to fit them to the battery, but a friend has told me you can wire it directly to the alternator is this true. has any one got a simple wiring diagram for me to understand to wire it in
thanks

I wouldnt advise it - there are no connectors suitable anyway. Either buy a longer length of cable (correct way) or attach it to the permanent live on the starter motor (bodge).

i take it you have the solonoid box on top of the winch first thing i would do is move it as they have a tendancy to fill up with mud and water thus they dont work when you move it draw a diagram of the wireing .......... you can wire direct to the battery just put a isolator switch in line so it can be turned off while not in use follow the your diagram and there will be no problems ......... and you can buy new lengths of the thick wire from any good motor factor place mind it ant cheap

Did he mean wire it to the starter maybe where there is a heavy live cable?

this might give you an idea

I wired mine to my starter motor live but replaced all the standard wiring for seriously heavy duty stuff. I run twin batteries and they have 300Amp cable running from the battery to battery and then to starter motor live. The Earth cable is also 300A. I have also wired a 400Amp isolator switch between the batterys and the starter motor. I found that an FIA switch was only rated at 100Amps @12v and was getting warm. I burnt this out while I was at a comp. The winch is now much faster than before and feels like it has some bol**x whereas before it was pants.

P.s,

Forgot to say that I removed and re greased every connection after them being tightened.

Cant see why wiring it to the Starter post is regarded as a bodge? Mabe if you leave the standard battery to starter wiring there as it will not be rated high enough but if you upgrade the wiring then its very much suitable.

Jai

Hi Lads
I would lengthen the cable and put in an isolator in.
I wouldn't take it from the starter post and i would consider it a bodge.
Taking it from the starter is considered "ten gallon hat stuff" i'm a electrican so i would advise new cable and an isolator.
Remember never have a constant supply at your winch cos u could end up like a fella i no.
Some W$%^ER free spooled his winch and brought the wire over the roof and hooked it to his hitch and then shorted it out and his roof met his floor pan. So fit an isolator.

dominic

Try welding suppliers for cable.I've found them cheaper than motor factors.
Rick

Domo said:

Hi Lads
Some W$%^ER free spooled his winch and brought the wire over the roof and hooked it to his hitch and then shorted it out and his roof met his floor pan. So fit an isolator.

Click to expand...

Not the first time I've heard of this. Sounds amusing until it's your motor that is scrap.

Domo said:

Remember never have a constant supply at your winch cos u could end up like a fella i no.
Some W$%^ER free spooled his winch and brought the wire over the roof and hooked it to his hitch and then shorted it out and his roof met his floor pan. So fit an isolator.

dominic

Click to expand...

ound: That has to be the funniest thing I've read for some time. Obviously not funny for your mate, but picturing it in my head makes me almost wet myself laughing :crazy:

It was funny but he had a good sence of humour.
it was in a nice v shape afterwards:hysterically_laughi :hysterically_laughi :hysterically_laughi

If there is one (or two) pieces of advice I would give when fitting a winch is don't bodge the fooker! You might think it's alright when it goes in and workis, but I nearly lost my pride and joy when my cheap wire melted on the exhaust pipe, and started smoking. There was no fuse and no isolator... I had to get in the back for my tools, find a spanner to fit the batter terminal and get under the seat to disconnect everything. Now I've got both, and did a very neat job or fitting it. And the other bit of advice is always carry a fire extinguisher. It'll cost you about a tenner for a 1kg one, but it certainly better than watching your motor burn to a crisp when the bodgy wiring has it's wicked way!

Hope at least someone takes note of this and saves a Landy from the cheese-wire winch!

I had an engine fire bacause the disco harness became dislodged from its clips and shorted on the back of the engine block. I had spanners next to the battery where I always keep them and a 2KG fire extinguisher and it only just put it out once I disconnected the battery. Cannot stress enough how important it is to carry a fire extinguisher. It saved my mota from going up now I have a 200A isolator switch just after the battery that isolates Everything. A new harness fitted, new clips, and the all wire is now wrapped in high temp wrap aswell as being tied up every 100mm. Don't risk it!

My winch is taken from the starter motor but it is no bodge. Cable is tied every 100mm and all cable is uprated to silly specs. fitting a winch to the starter motor is not advised unless precautions have been taken. i.e uprating standard battery cables to vehicle to take the extra load a winch will draw from the batterys. Jai
Jai