Anyone have a Ramsey 15k winch? Please help.

[KeyserSoSay]

I had a guy give me a Ramsey 15k, it was pretty ruff when I got it, and I have repaired or replaced just about everything on it.

It looked like this when I got it.... much of the wiring was disconnected or just missing.

I've built a front bumper around it and am working to put it back together, which includes divorcing the solenoids from the winch.

So my question to those who have one of these winches, is Where does the negative cable from the battery attach? There is a vacant post on the backside of the motor, I'm pretty sure it attaches (directly) there, but do not know if it routes through the solenoid though. The more I think on it the more I realize this is a newbie dumb question, but I'm just hoping someone who owns one of these winches can help me confirm what I suspect before I build out my ought-gauge cables, that stuff is not cheap and neither would a new motor be.


Just to help make sure we are speaking the same language.....

Thanks in advance.

 

[KeyserSoSay]

No one? Bueller? Bueller?

That's ok, the answer seems more and more obvious as time goes on, and I feel stupid for even asking now. I was just hoping someone with this winch would confirm the ground wire from the battery bypasses the solenoid box directly to the winch motor (before I start chopping up and soldering cables).

 

[rickc]

I'd advise you to go Google "WARN winch schematics"; I'm sure that the WARN and Ramsey electrics are very similar. There are probably not many people with Ramsey 15k winches so perhaps the title of the query put people off. I like your work.

 

[KeyserSoSay]

Thanks, yeah, I've found manuals for other winches that have been a little helpful. I've come to think it's much worry over nothing. Positive wire and negative wire go to motor to run it- solenoid box simply routes positive telling motor which way to turn or to stay off. It does not make sense that the negative would have to route through the solenoids, and the manual would cover that if that was the case.
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I've also had a Homer Simpson "DOH!" moment when I realized that there the 8 solenoid posts are connected by straps down into 4 connection points- which are all occupied, and also my brain has caught up with what's going on in the 4 solenoids to convert my remote control into "stop", "go in", and "go out".
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It's just so much nicer approaching an electrical wiring job when you have confidence in what you're wires are doing and why they go where they go, especially if they were missing when you started. Electricity is a skillset I just have never gotten comfortable with, but I endeavor to keep up the good fight.
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Thanks so much for responding. I keep posting stuff to my build thread without much response, and it often feels like I'm just writing in a private diary. Helps to be able to show my dad and uncles what I'm up to though.
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We've had monsoon rain every night keeping me from working on this after work, but I'll post some resolution when I'm done with this install for the next guy Googling this down the road.

 

[plainjaneFJC]

Those Ramseys are real popular with wreckers/tow trucks. Maybe they have some forums that can help?

 

[KeyserSoSay]

Thanks, but I think I solved the problem by just pulling my head out for my butt. :ugh: gonna wire it up this weekend so we'll see.

I like the Ramsey's and have another 8000# that I got in similarly used ugly condition and for the same price (free-ninety-free). We use them a bunch in the oilfield, and the fact that wreckers/tow truckers like them should say something about them. I'd rather have an old tired has-been Ramsey than a shiney new cheaper facsimile.

 

[KG4NEL]

Love the Pelican case idea. Should be a beast when it's running.

 

[KeyserSoSay]

Got it wired up. Works great. I had purchased triple-ought (000) wire, but that stuff is just rediculously huge, went with 2 guage. pelican box worked out great in my opinion, especially with the rubber firewall grommets. FWIW, the two guage wire is about 1/2" diameter, and those are 1/2" grommets, about 7/8" OD holes. I used brown heat-shrink on the exterior cables. There is really no reason to except for aesthetics, but the stuff is really cheap on E-bay and I have a ton of it in different colors up to some 4", lots of fun stuff you can do with heatshrink.

You'll notice, in answer to my own OP, I run the ground cable through the solenoid box, and back out to the winch motor in a straight shot. This just allow me a single double cable from the box to the battery, and then 4 cables from the box to the winch- basically for organization's sake.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to respond to this thread.