My First Winch Install...One Basic Question

I'm installing the first winch I've ever put on a vehicle and would like to know where you guys usually connect the positive lead. My directions just say "+ Positive" which in my experience with other electrical accessories means directly to the battery, but there must be a better way than sandwiching a connector between the main positive lead and the battery terminal. What do you guys do?

This is going on a 2010 Chevrolet Express.
 

dms1

Explorer
I hook both POS and NEG directly to the top posts of the battery. If you have both top and side posts, the side post are usually not recommended, contact your battery manufacturer to be sure. I don't use any fuses, but I put a heavy duty on\off switch on the positive wire near the battery.
 

NatersXJ6

Explorer
If you buy a "marine" battery, it is possible to get multiple sets of top posts. I found that to be much easier to wire to when I didn't want to modify factory wiring.
 

RedF

Adventurer
I'm installing the first winch I've ever put on a vehicle and would like to know where you guys usually connect the positive lead. My directions just say "+ Positive" which in my experience with other electrical accessories means directly to the battery, but there must be a better way than sandwiching a connector between the main positive lead and the battery terminal. What do you guys do?

This is going on a 2010 Chevrolet Express.

Directly to the battery - both ground and positive. Some people install a fuse and/or a cutoff switch.

If its a top post battery, alot of guys change to a ordnance battery connector.
Usually more robust than OEM connectors and easier option to stack on ring terminals.

Btw, as amusing aside.
Be aware if winch relay box is accessible to the public, its temptation to vandalism.
Some years ago when everybody sporting a jacked up 4x4 & Warn winch. It was great sport to stick a wire jumper on the "in" terminals of the control box, then walk away...

Most current setups switch both the power and the ground, so a single jumper won't close the circuit but your point still stands.
 

AaronK

Explorer
Always direct to the battery with a high load like a winch...positive and ground.

Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk
 
Thanks for the advice. It's a side post battery. I'll need to drill out the power leads since the screws are just a little too big to fit through.
 
I did a little jumbling of different wiring paths including running out to a positive power block and ran the winch power off the positive lead coming from the battery, but today decided against that and changed the bolt on the battery from the stock battery specific bolt to a 3/8-16 bolt (1" long) and some aluminum spacers to run the lead right off the positive terminal. It's cleaner and the positive lead is now covered by a rubber boot.

I'm considering a heavy duty switch to ensure the winch never drains my battery. Anyone have a recommendation?
 

NatersXJ6

Explorer
I'm considering a heavy duty switch to ensure the winch never drains my battery. Anyone have a recommendation?

I'm 98% sure that a winch "draining your battery" would involve a short that would be indicated by a large fire consuming your vehicle.

You would be better off with a huge fuse than a switch IMHO.

With that being said, I've always wired mine direct to top posts and protected the wire well at pinch or abrasion points.
 

cruiserpilot

Adventurer
The winch will drain your battery with continuous use, obviously. You need to make sure your alternator is up to charging your battery after winch use.
Biggest fear for me is using the winch late in the day, driving short distance to recovery camp and shutting truck off before the battery has had time to
charge back up for the morning start.
Look at the winch motor as a starter motor, you do know how fast you drain the battery if your truck won't start and you keep cranking the starter over and
over. So just make sure you take a break in between winch pulls, if you are really working your way out of a big stuck to charge the battery back up.
Keep your hand on the winch motor, if it gets really hot then stop and charge the battery and let the motor cool. Lets the contactor/solenoids cool.
Proper management of the system is important.
In my experience, the big failures in winching is bad grounds. Keep all the connections clean and tight. Keep winch line spooling evenly, if its wire and binding, it's
creating a huge resistance and heat in the motor. That is hard on the battery and the winch motor. Carry a spare regulator for your alternator, know when your system has
failed to charge. If it's not charging, then you want to know. my .02
 
Thanks for the pointers, I'll be sure to keep an eye on the contacts.

My instructions say specifically to keep the engine running while winching to keep the battery power up. This is basically just an emergency tool, I really don't plan on going anywhere where I'll be winching a bunch.

Eventually I will have some auxiliary batteries and an isolator with solar panels with the hope that battery power will never be in short demand, but that's down the road.
 

Nonimouse

Cynical old bastard
Fit a manual 'kill switch' in lin on the positive side, make sure it's rated over 500amps. Then use that as a security device as well as a safety device
 

rayra

Expedition Leader
There are a variety of extended / modified terminal connectors for side post batteries which can aid in your install. This one, for example.

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The short end bolts your factory cable to the battery, the long threaded end is for stacking your other connection(s)


Put the main winch leads directly to the battery terminals. It's more about the amperage draw than it is about a 'clean' install.

Be aware that factory vehicle alternators typically put out less than half of their rated output at idle. If you are winching someone else out, give your own vehicle more gas to hold a higher RPM and increase your alternator's output.
 

wmg

New member
winch power

just a side not my Warn XD9000 pulls over 400 amps at full draw..you need to take that into consideration with any wiring
 

MuckSavage

Adventurer
My advice from experience is to try to avoid connecting your winch to side terminals if possible. Some years ago during a winch pull, my winch (Superwinch S9000) stopped working. Found that the side-positive terminal had melted out of the battery case. Exide did not warranty the battery.
 

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