Rear power; 2nd battery or long cables?

[rb70383]

I am installing a rear winch and debating on getting power to it. Would it be better to run long power cables or just add a rear battery and run a 10ga charging cable to the rear battery that is also only connected while the ignition is on. I have a flatbed on a 05 dodge ram. Plenty of room for a battery. If the battery route, maybe an under bed tool box and mount it inside.

Which way would be better. I think the 2nd battery is best, but is it worth it to go through the trouble mounting a 2nd battery?

 

[ski_bike_camp]

If you go the long cable route? You will need something big like 4/0 to minimize the line loss. Especially given the draw that winch will likely pull. You will also still have a cable question, because you will still have to charge the 2nd battery from the alternator. Same thing, you will want decent cables to minimize the loss.

 

[rb70383]

That is sounding like a positive for a second battery. Only thing is its a diesel and it already has dual batteries. Now it will have 3. Ugh

 

[cruiserpilot]

I run two winches as well, and I ran 2/0 to the back. I got a deal on real battery cable from a generator supply company. It took 50' to do the whole truck. I also
have Anderson booster plugs front and rear. With a tester, I have zero loss to the rear Anderson plug. 12.64V at the battery, same on the plug. I used stainless
P connectors at no more than 16" intervals using existing fastener bolts and threaded holes along the bottom of my land cruiser.
I also have dual battery, so the winches run on second battery, the truck functions on the start battery. Use an islolator, I have a 750A switch so I have OFF to
winches ( all the time ) 1 - front, 2 - rear, 3 both ( only when actively wheeling )
I also rented a top quality lug crimper and did all my own ends, with exact length cables. Then all lugs have heat shrink in red or black to identify cables at ends.
Take your time, it's not difficult, just need patience.

 

[IdaSHO]

Ive got two 2-Gauge circuits on my truck.


One to the camper house battery bank for FAST charges when running.

And one to the rear hitch for the trailer mounted winch.

All connections made using large anderson connectors.
Both controlled by 200A continuous duty relays.


By far the cheapest way to get this much wire is by cutting up cheap 20' 2-gauge jumper cable.

 

[IdaSHO]

Crimped using a hammer crimper.

 

[MOguy]

Winches suck allot of juice and you need thick wire/cable. They pull hundreds of amps. When you run the winch you pull allot out of a battery but the battery will pull allot out of the alternator while the winch is running. I would thick having and extra battery closer to the winch would be better. I would also thick you want a heavy cable running back to the battery. While you are driving you will only be charging the battery, no big deal but when you use the rear winch the drain on the battery and the rest of the system will be heavier than just when charging.

 

[MOguy]

Ive got two 2-Gauge circuits on my truck.


One to the camper house battery bank for FAST charges when running.

And one to the rear hitch for the trailer mounted winch.

All connections made using large anderson connectors.
Both controlled by 200A continuous duty relays.


By far the cheapest way to get this much wire is by cutting up cheap 20' 2-gauge jumper cable.

A winch will draw more than 200 amps. When you jump a car or truck you are only sending a larger amount of power for a short period of time. When you run a winch you may draw more power and definitely for a longer period of time then when jumping a vehicle. I wouldn't trust any cheap wire to handle the needs of a winch.

 

[IdaSHO]

Assumptions, assumptions....

Just relax.

My winch draws less than 90A

Its a small ATV winch on a trailer mounted crane.
I use it primarily for firewood season. Comes in handy for LOTS of other things though!

 

[MOguy]

Assumptions, assumptions....

Just relax.

My winch draws less than 90A

Its a small ATV winch on a trailer mounted crane.
I use it primarily for firewood season. Comes in handy for LOTS of other things though!

If you are using a crane/pulley your winch will work easier. As far as relaxing, overloaded electric lines can make a relaxing event turn into something far from relaxing.

Not sure what size winch you have but even an ATV winch can draw more than 90 amps:
WARN 2.5ci WINCH
12V DC PERFORMANCE SPECS:
Line Pull
Lbs.(Kgs.) Line Speed
FT./min(M/min.) Motor
Current Pull by layer
layer/Lbs(Kgs.)
0 24(7.3) 18 amps 1/2500(1134)
500(227) 19(5.8) 51 amps 2/2200(998)
1000(455) 15(4.6) 88 amps 3/1930(875)
1500(680) 11(3.3) 125 amps 4/1700(771)
2000(907) 9(2.7) 165 amps
2500(1134) 7(2.1) 204 amps
https://www.warn.com/atv/winches/25ci.shtml

One for a full size P/U (like the one it would be mounted in) will draw far more:

WARN VR10000
12V DC PERFORMANCE SPECS
Line Pull
Lbs.(Kgs.) Line Speed
FT./min(M/min.) Motor
Current Pull by layer
layer/Lbs(Kgs.)
0 25.9 (7.8) 66 amps 1/10000 (4536)
2000 (910) 13.0 (3.9) 160 amps 2/8000 (3629)
4000 (1810) 9.6 (2.9) 247 amps 3/7280 (3302)
6000 (2720) 7.1 (2.1) 332 amps 4/6670 (3026)
8000 (3630) 5.0 (1.5) 417 amps 5/6230 (2826)
10000(4536) 2.3 (0.7) 502 amps
http://www.warn.com/truck/winches/VR10000_winch.shtml

even this Cheaper Harbor Freight can draw well over 90 amps:

http://www.harborfreight.com/2500-lb-atvutility-electric-winch-with-wireless-remote-control-61297.html

 

[cruiserpilot]

I have two batteries for my two winch system. I kept the batteries to the front, the charging wire from the alternator to the battery I wanted as short
as possible. Getting charge to the battery is paramount, in my opinion and why I did it the way that I did.
As above, that is why battery selection is important as a winch is a very high instant and then continuous draw.

 

[rb70383]

My truck is a diesel so it already has 2 batteries and a decent charging system. I could mount the second battery and run heavier shorter winch power cables yet run something like a 4 or 2ga wire to the main battery through a solenoid that is only in with ignition.

 

[IdaSHO]

If you are using a crane/pulley your winch will work easier. As far as relaxing, overloaded electric lines can make a relaxing event turn into something far from relaxing.

Not sure what size winch you have but even an ATV winch can draw more than 90 amps:

Setting down internet tough guy.

All you are doing is making assumptions.

I really dont care what SOME ATV winches draw.
As stated, the winch I have for the trailer draws less than 90 amps.

If you cannot understand that simple statement then that's your problem, not mine.



And with ALL of that said, 2-gauge wire from the front of the truck to a rear mounted battery is probably your best bet for a rear truck winch.
The large wire allows for fast charging, and allows for roughly 100Amps running the length of a pickup.

 

[MOguy]

Setting down internet tough guy.

All you are doing is making assumptions.

I really dont care what SOME ATV winches draw.
As stated, the winch I have for the trailer draws less than 90 amps.

If you cannot understand that simple statement then that's your problem, not mine.



And with ALL of that said, 2-gauge wire from the front of the truck to a rear mounted battery is probably your best bet for a rear truck winch.
The large wire allows for fast charging, and allows for roughly 100Amps running the length of a pickup.

It may be fine for your needs but this post isn't about you. Feel free to start one about you if you so desire. I am not sure why you fell the need to be so condescending towards me? You are giving out bad info that could cause somebody a problem. My intention was not to hurt your feelings or point out your error but to make sure somebody didn't make a mistake. Most winches can pull more than 200amps. Whinches that are large enoung to recovery a full size PU can draw over twice that much. Your suggestions is not adequate for what seems to be the OPs intent. A 2 gauge wire might be adequate for battery to alternator. I would go bigger, but I would not ever use a jumper caple or a 200amp switch on a winch large enough for a full size truck.

http://www.powermastermotorsports.com/charge_wires.html

 

[cruiserpilot]

Skygear - Can't thank you enough for posting the charts! I used them when I set up my rig. And in the course of it all lost them.
I also had the help of my local auto-marine-elec specialist. Important to figure out cable runs and all the rest.