24V to 12V winch motor conversion

[cumminscruiser]

I have a 18,000 Warn winch with a 24V motor, I would rather run a 12V motor since that all I have availible. So far it's not practicle to put in another battery. S I would rather just replace the motor. I removed the 12V motor from an older 8,000 lb Warn winch and it fit perfectly in the 18,000lb winch. It also seemed to work just fine but I did not pull anything. So I would like to know if there is a larger HP motor availible the motor shaft has 20 splines and about 5/8" diameter.

 

[I Leak Oil]

Have you talked to Warn yet? I'd start there.

I don't think the 12V motor will produce enough power to maximize your 18K lb winch capacity.

 

[Warn Industries]

Give our Customer Service team a call at 800-543-9276; they should be able to help you out.

- Andy

 

[Nonimouse]

It's usually a 4.6 or 4.2 HP motor on the WARN 18K commercial winch (at 24volts). A similar HP 12 volt winch will have the torque to run the winch and at the same speeds but will draw a much greater ampage. The gear set of these WARN big boys (like all other high pull rating winches) is way low, IIRC over 300:1 so the ampage drawer won't be as massive as say an XP motored 8274 but it will still be chunky and not ideal for a single battery set up. If you step away form the WARN motors and look at a low RPM Iskra (2800rpm) that would draw lower ampage but it would be soooo slow

To be honest it's best to ignore HP ratings on winches as the HP figure is measured using the electrical power going in, generally tested at 18v or 36 volts - not the 12v or 24volts it is actually used on.

However you have free and easy access to the nice people from WARN who excel in marketing and customer support so whatever the real world figures are for their motors will no what a) works and b) what won't get them sued

If it was me I would sell the 18k big boy to a recovery truck owner and use the pennies to but a better 12 volt winch. I take it from your name you have a Landcruiser, I will assume it's an 80 as that's a heavy old barge - so working on that a 9000lb winch is going to be fine (ignore the cr&p about 10's and 12's). WARN make two very good winches; the M8000 and the XD90000 - the latter will do fine (throw an X50 motor on if you can). Alternatively a Superwinch X9 is a good bet - lower geared than the XD9000 and vastly stronger, it'll pull your bus around like a trout on a fly rod....

By the way Mr Warn, if I give you a serial number of an 8274 motor can you identify it for me please?

 

[cumminscruiser]

24V to 12V conversion

Thanks for the info. I already built the bumper around the 18K winch plus it looks cool. I doubt I'll ever pull the whole 18K or even half of it. I'll give the fellows at Warn a call, see if they can help. Since I do have a Landcruiser FJ60 (best one) I should not need it anyway. kidding.

 

[cumminscruiser]

245 to 12 volt conversion

Here is the bumper.

 

[frgtwn]

How much winch to have is an interesting problem, and there are many views on this subject. My thought is that you are dictating what kind of problem you can solve by the capacity of your winch. An 8000 or 9000 lb winch will get you out of that much trouble cleanly and efficiently. What if your problem is bigger than that? I know, double it. But clearly, a higher capacity winch will get you out of trouble that will leave the other winches begging for mercy. You will likely know what kind of trouble you are likely to get into, but what the future (stuck) holds is determined by the circumstances of the event.

So, if you can afford the bulk, the weight, and the amps, I find it a wonderful solution. Though, admittedly perhaps, looking for a problem. (Something about 36,000 lbs sounds so cool!)

Just for a little perspective, I walked much of the Dusy-Ershim trail, watching a 4BT-60, and do not recall him hooking up at all. I've also seen a 12,000lb winch all but stall on that trail trying to bump an 80 over a rock. Lotsa possibilities.

Dale

 

[Nonimouse]

It's a good point.

A couple of years back we did a test that never got published (not good for advertising) on winch motors, pull capacities, loadings etc - used a lot of very expensive kit and some of the nice folk at Superwinch here in the UK. Needless to say what is 10k in some people's eyes isn't.

I like to work on a nice simple calc picked up from the US Military - the 100/200/300 percent rule - it's simpler than than the UK Military book of calculations for recovery of vehicles, with it's varying percentages per degree of slope and it's percentages for different soil types.

So I work on stuck to the hubs needs 100% of the vehicles weight to pull, stuck to the top of the wheels is 200% and to the door handles is 300% - that's proper stuck not your easy to pull out of peat or gloop. Now I'm going to try not to be stupid enough to go beyond the first stuck - it's hard anyway becuase you've lost traction by them to the resistanceof the axle casings etc. My old bus is never going to be loaded up to her max of 3 tonnes - there's no need if practice sensible packing. So a 9k winch with a genuine 9k + stall is is fine for me as I use snatch blocks and common sense.

Part of common sense is to use the best bit of recovery kit you own - the shovel to clear restrictions; another part is to back off and look for another line that's the least path of resisitance

Mind you here in the UK our Winch Challenges take it a different path entirely, with the winches often costing more than the vehicle! Not my idea of fun...

Mr Cruiser - I do like the bumper; I also like the truck. Why not just fit another couple of batteries?

The 60 series diesel runs 24volt starting and 12 volt main electrics - so the standard alternator is more than up for the job as a second dedicated charger

 

[bjowett]

I need to update the linked thread... same thing, though. There may be more efficient motors than the XP.

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/34770-Warn-Series-12-Deep-Fording-Winch-Project


Nonimouse.... I owe you some photos!

 

[cumminscruiser]

24 v to 12 v

Two batteries was my first choice but where the second battery should go is my airfilter.

 

[Nonimouse]

External filter box, snorkel and cyclone filter top... You know it makes sense because this is a 60 series

Bjowett - as and when old chap now rush. By the way did you find yours was quite noisy with the Bowmotor

 

[cumminscruiser]

24v to 12v

Yes, You are so correct. One baby step at a time.

BTW when getting a rental car don't ask for a snorkle.

 

[Tennmogger]

Looking at the big picture in your situation, you wanted ultimate capacity in a winch but didn't plan on powering it?? But it looks good. Planning for worst situation is a good thing. Seems like best plan now is to convert to 12v as you said, but use most efficient motor you can get (not going for highest HP). Let the reduction of the winch gearing do the work to save your 12v system. You will still have the high capacity but it will just be slow. Not a bad thing.