DEFENDER90-DAZ
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My split charge solenoid/relay is an albright one and is rated for 400amps+ same a wlm's - if its not rated high enough it will burn out 
Daz
Daz
Split charge system - outputs?
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Jongould
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Only if its inline with the winch, if your winch is connected to just one battery it will draw the amps from that battery only, as that battery drops charge it will draw charge from the other battery but not at 400 amps...
DEFENDER90-DAZ
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I think you will find that the winch will draw current from BOTH batteries via the split charge - if its not rated high enough it will burn out!!
Daz
Daz
DEFENDER90-DAZ
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Post number 18: http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f16/batterys-203198-2.html
If the batteries are connected by the split charge it will draw current from both batteries to feed the winch
Daz
If the batteries are connected by the split charge it will draw current from both batteries to feed the winch
Daz
Jongould
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It will draw its current from the battery its connected to first, path of least resitance an all that. The other battery will get a power drain as the winch is drawing power from the circuitry and the batteries are acting in parallel but the first battery will provide most of that power. Watch your gauges, when winching your winch battery will go down to 12V whilst your main will remain at 13.5V, as you use up the power in the first battery it will start to draw more from the second battery. I am using a 120amp relay and have had no issues.
EDIT - if your winching battery is a bit crap it will draw from the main battery and yes, this would burn out your relay, make sure your winch battery is healthy
DEFENDER90-DAZ
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When you connect both batteries together as you do with a split charge relay it WILL draw current from both batteries! If you connect both batteries using a relay and both batteries are of the same charge state/age/capacity it will draw equally from both batteries - most batteries aren't that evenly matched and it will draw MORE from the 'stronger' battery!! If you are drawing 400amps from the winch it could be a 50/50 split in amps drawn - but probably not! So you need a relay/solenoid to be able to handle the full current draw so it doesn't burn out!!!
Daz
Daz
Jongould
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Yep, your right, sorry should have explained more about the setup im using, the secondary battery is a bigger, stronger battery than the starting battery and therefore the drain is primarily on the main battery, as the edit said if your secondary battery is below par then it will draw of the primary. If you are simply using a car battery for your secondary then yes, totally, use a big relay. I personally wouldnt use anything below a 1000CCA for a winch, my main battery is only 600CCA so it will draw the majority of its power from the main battery. Also I run the winch earths directly from the secondary battery and not chassis, again this encourages to draw from this battery first...
DEFENDER90-DAZ
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Read post number 22 : http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f16/batterys-203198-3.html
The t-max solenoids are rated at 120amps.............................
Daz
The t-max solenoids are rated at 120amps.............................
Daz
DEFENDER90-DAZ
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So if you have a problem with your large battery the current drawn will be reduced from your large battery and increase to your small battery - through your 120amp solenoid/relay
Daz
Jongould
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So if you have a problem with your large battery the current drawn will be reduced from your large battery and increase to your small battery - through your 120amp solenoid/relay
Daz
You make sure you dont have a problem, you will also find many split charge/winch systems wired in the same way and very few if any have issues...
You are correct that a 400amp is best, will happily concede that (and not argue in the face of physics) but if the winch battery is good and the system is set up correct then a 120amp is fine... its a damn site better than ones I have seen before with 15amp headlamp relays being used...
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DEFENDER90-DAZ
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So you're saying that you haven't had any problems - so thats ok?
If your big battery develops a fault whilst winching using both batteries how will you know??
I think i have explained how it all works enough - take my advice or don't - its up to you
Daz
If your big battery develops a fault whilst winching using both batteries how will you know??
I think i have explained how it all works enough - take my advice or don't - its up to you
Daz
Jongould
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Because I test my batteries and also monitor them whilst winching. If I had to I would simply switch my ignition off and problem solved. Also I am not the only person running a 120amp relay and there are many proffesionals out there which run the same and have also had no issues. remember a 120amp relay will run at about 250 amps before burning out, my winch will max out at about 250amps...
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