Winch isolator switch

Ok Folks - do you have one, and wot are your reasons for having one - or not?

don't see the point really.
just more connections to give problems.

i don't have one as i don't have a winch

I have seen too many winches carry on winching after the user has stopped winching. This applys to both 4x4's and recovery trucks. I have seen a winch start up on its own and sheer the strapping down point that it was hokked onto on the recovery truck and fly straight throught the rear window. The truck was driving down the road at the time and to say the driver had a heart attack is an understatement.

A q I shud have asked is where do yu site yo switch - coz if its inside the cab, it means longer wires (on a Disco) and yu have to be inside the cab whilst winching - not the safest place and if its outside, any passing little tow-rag can turn the fooker on or orf - or pinch the key?

The Mad Hat Man said:

A q I shud have asked is where do yu site yo switch - coz if its inside the cab, it means longer wires (on a Disco) and yu have to be inside the cab whilst winching - not the safest place and if its outside, any passing little tow-rag can turn the fooker on or orf - or pinch the key?

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I have a 110 so the extended wiring doesn't affect me.

I have an anderson connector on the outside so I can just pull the plug and a heavy duty key type switch on the inside.

I also use a winch sail to slow the cable down and often have a snatch block hanging on my cable when winching (even if it's not needed) cos it helps send your cable down in the event of a cable/strop/tow point breakage.

ratty said:

I have a 110 so the extended wiring doesn't affect me.

I have an anderson connector on the outside so I can just pull the plug and a heavy duty key type switch on the inside.

I also use a winch sail to slow the cable down and often have a snatch block hanging on my cable when winching (even if it's not needed) cos it helps send your cable down in the event of a cable/strop/tow point breakage.

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Winch sails are a false security the chances of 8oz of nylon slowing down a cable which has just had 5tonnes of release force applied to it is extremely unlikely. Like wise the snatch block. best precautions you can take are. make sure your not in the likely release field, if the cable snaps and Raise your bonnet so it catches anything that comes flying at you if the cable lets go.

The Mad Hat Man said:

A q I shud have asked is where do yu site yo switch - coz if its inside the cab, it means longer wires (on a Disco) and yu have to be inside the cab whilst winching - not the safest place and if its outside, any passing little tow-rag can turn the fooker on or orf - or pinch the key?

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No yer dint you only need to get to the switch if it all goes tits up and your solenoid sticks. You should always have the bonnet up when winching anyway.

so - if yu gonna have the bonnet up - then the switch can be mounted in there?

if yu wanna stop little vandals playing - then leave the winch isolated till yu wanna use it?

Yep. but few people do leave the bonnet up. so mount it in the cab.

ah! but yu is talking to at least one winch virgin - so if the switch is under the bonnet - then it forces yu to have bonnet open . I aint got any electrics sorted yet - so I can choose the optimum set up - better to get it rite first time.

redhand said:

Winch sails are a false security the chances of 8oz of nylon slowing down a cable which has just had 5tonnes of release force applied to it is extremely unlikely. Like wise the snatch block. best precautions you can take are. make sure your not in the likely release field, if the cable snaps and Raise your bonnet so it catches anything that comes flying at you if the cable lets go.

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Good points redhand but also...

any force taken out of a breaking cable is a bonus. If you don't have a winch sale use a floor mat or old coat or blanket draped over or tied to your cable..

When a cable breaks it comes back in a coiling motion. By hanging a snatch block on your cable the cable on breaking cannot get back through the snatch block so it slows it down. The weight of the snatch block also sends the cable downwards not up.

A combination of snatch block and sail/blanket on full cable extension (you are stating a 5 ton (11000lb approx) pull meaning you are on full extension unless your winch is 10 ton (22000lb approx) upwards) will take approx 60-70% of the force out of the effect. 125ft of cable minus approx 50ft means the cable on a straight pull should drop (in theory) 75ft short of your vehicle. There are always exceptions to the rule but in the 10 years of using winches on distances of up to 600m I have never been hit yet. (quick someone find me some wood..........aaaahhhh thats better).

It is the short range winching that you are correct on. The above will still help but will in no way be a 100% failsafe. Like you say get the bonnet up when you can and most importantly stay out of the line of fire

A towing strap wrapped round the rope to act as a sail. didn't help these chaps when this happened

but it was a rope not a cable. attachments are more likely to fail than a cable. so bonnet up. Oh and rear jate rings are not designed to be used for towing. their ideal max stress is less than 500kg.

Deffo would agree that a winch isolator is a good idea, after a friend's winch kept on going when winching something impressive.

Our Freelander has a isolator on the entire electrical system which kills eveything not just the winch.

I know a lot of people rely on the winch in-free-out switch, but the disadvantage is that whatever you have been winching is now plummeting back to where it started.

Cheers

Blippie [1]



[1] used his winch three times [2] and therefore thinks he is an expert [3]
[2] once was straightening out the bumper on the 90 so doesn't really count
[3] crikey, a forum post with footnotes!

The Mad Hat Man said:

ah! but yu is talking to at least one winch virgin

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I would never have put you down to being a winch virgin daft.

an why is that then ratty?

The Mad Hat Man said:

an why is that then ratty?

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The way you come over on here is like an old school teacher. Been doing the job for years and full of more knowledge and experience than most. I spose the saying......

'been there. seen it. done it. got the t-shirt'. springs to mind

I dunt wanna be accused of making yer head swell so if it does than go see yer doctor

that and the fact that most nick names are because the person is the opposite to the name....eh...'daft'

ratty said:

that and the fact that most nick names are because the person is the opposite to the name....eh...'daft'

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most,, but not all

slob said:

most,, but not all

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