First winch setup. Smitybilt XRC 9,500lbs

[youngPreacher]

Just bought the XRC last week after looking foe a good while, and now I finally get to wire it up, but need some help. I have 4xGuard matrix setup, which has a 2" receiver mount on the front, and my Commander has a Reese hitch on the rear, so I want to run power to both ends, and be able to

1: Turn off power to the winch all together, and

2: Switch which end has power when in use.

Plus, I'm no genius when it comes to electrical stuff, and I'm not sure what else might be required. like gauge of wire(2 gauge maybe?) amp/voltage rating of disconnects/bus or whatever else id need

The Commander is 188"(478cm) total, so the run of wire would be less than that.

Thx

 

[unseenone]

You might consider picking up the wiring kits that Warn sells if XRC does not carry them.

There is a long one for the rear, and you can combine a long and a short one for the rest. Then you would just plug in on whichever end you need it.

If you mention where you are, maybe someone close will volunteer to help you.

Here's a few items worth looking at as you plan your install. A couple of the last items listed include a power interrupt circuit.


WARN 32966 24' Quick Connect Power Cable

Warn 89990 ZEON Winch Carrier and Wiring

WARN 26405 Quick Connect Power Cable

WARN 70926 Battery Lead - 48 inches

WARN 69847 Quick Connect Plug Dust Covers

WARN 32963 20' Quick Connect Power Cable

 

[youngPreacher]

I'm in St Augustine FL, but I'm planning on at the wiring install in Spartanburg, SC at my bros shop over Christmas.

The winch has enough wiring for the front application, just not sure about the disconnect and "bus" to switch between front/rear. I've seen a lot about losing power over a certain distance of wire, just don't know if different gauge wire compensates for that or what.


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[youngPreacher]

You might consider picking up the wiring kits that Warn sells if XRC does not carry them.

There is a long one for the rear, and you can combine a long and a short one for the rest. Then you would just plug in on whichever end you need it.

If you mention where you are, maybe someone close will volunteer to help you.

Here's a few items worth looking at as you plan your install. A couple of the last items listed include a power interrupt circuit.


WARN 32966 24' Quick Connect Power Cable

Warn 89990 ZEON Winch Carrier and Wiring

WARN 26405 Quick Connect Power Cable

WARN 70926 Battery Lead - 48 inches

WARN 69847 Quick Connect Plug Dust Covers

WARN 32963 20' Quick Connect Power Cable

Thx for the links mate


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[patoz]

I just purchased this kit for the same setup you have, but for a Warn XD9000i winch. I have an F250, so I purchased the 24' version. You could use this for the rear connection and easily add another switch and solenoid for the front connection, which is probably what I'll do. That way you can turn either connection on or off.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00029XFG0?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00

The cables are 2 gauge and the manual says 175 Amp system rating, but to be safe you need to check your winch's specs to determine what size breaker to actually use.

 

[youngPreacher]

🏻 thx


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[youngPreacher]

wouldn't the wire of this set work ?


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[AndrewP]

View attachment 319845 wouldn't the wire of this set work ?


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No. It's only 4 gauge.

For the front, you can get away with 2 gauge, which is what most winch companies supply for the 4 or 5 feet they supply. It is the minimum acceptable wiring. Get familiar with an ampacity chart, and then pick your cabling accordingly. Your winch can draw 400+ amps, and you want that to work 20 feet away on your rear bumper. Unfortunately, that's going to take serious cabling.

For the rear, you're going to need 1/0 or better to limit voltage drop at the load. And, you're going to need a way to protect all that wire in the event of a short. And you;re going to need a way to hookit up and unhook it when done. Using large Anderson SB housings as disconnects would not be a bad plan, and keep all the wiring de-energized, except for those rare times you really need it. DC wiring in long runs of heavy gauge cable can burn down your truck with no effort. You really need to be familiar with how it works and how to apply it to your needs.

If I were you, I concentrate on a good front mount set-up, and worry about wiring for a rear winch later after you have some experience. You may find, you don't have a need.

Honestly, a Smittybuilt winch is a temporary winch anyway, don't spend much time sweating it's details. Not being a hater here, just a realist.

 

[youngPreacher]

Hmm, good info. Thx


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[NYresQ]

For a 20' run to the rear for a winch that can pull almost 400 amps at full load, you are looking at a minimum 2/0 wire, and if you really want the full performance of the winch, more likely its going to need 3/0 or 4/0 wire which for 20'. That won't be cheap... even 2/0 is going to be pricey. But don't cheap out on the cable, it can make the difference in getting unstuck or having your truck go up in flames.

Some people use the chassis rail as a ground return and just wire the rear ground cable to the rail and make sure there is a good solid connection from the chassis to the battery at the front... I am not a big fan of that as there are too many expensive items in my truck that are also wired to the body and chassis that could pick up interfierence when the winch is pulling hard.

My winch (warn M15000) has the + & - cables both wired directly to the battery with 1/0 wire on the battery clamps.

I have almost stalled my winch and I could still grab both cables with my bare hands and they didnt even feel warm. If I did that with 20' of 2ga cable, it would probably melt the cable.

 

[youngPreacher]

Well, it's pretty clear I need to do more research. It's not as cut and dry as o thought. I'll just setup the front as advised for now, and work out the rear hook up for next year


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[patoz]

I did the same thing and bought a set of cheap jumper cables similar to those you posted above, but for another purpose. What I got was copper plated aluminum wire and not solid copper wire. That's how they get the price down so cheap. Check the weight of that product as compared to the weight of a name brand, much more expensive set of the same length.

Also, that set is only 4 gauge which is way too small to start with, so the answer is 'No'. Wire size gets larger as the numbers get smaller, i.e. 2 gauge is larger than 4 gauge. Once the numbers get to ‘0’, they start going “00’, ‘000’, and ‘0000’. See this chart here.

Based on the information I found here, your winch draws 380 Amps @8,000 lbs. load. So, like everyone else is saying, you will need to go much larger to get the full potential out of your winch.

Like Warn, Smittybuilt sells a 24’ Kit which is only 2 gauge also. Warn says their kit is good for winches up to 9,000 lb. rating, but I don’t know how they are figuring that, unless it’s based on the first wrap of the cable on the drum, which gives it more power due to its smaller diameter. Since I’m about to install the same thing you’re wanting to do, I think I’ll give Warn a call first. If I don’t like their answer, the 2 gauge kit I bought will go back, or get used for something else.

 

[youngPreacher]

I did the same thing and bought a set of cheap jumper cables similar to those you posted above, but for another purpose. What I got was copper plated aluminum wire and not solid copper wire. That's how they get the price down so cheap. Check the weight of that product as compared to the weight of a name brand, much more expensive set of the same length.

Also, that set is only 4 gauge which is way too small to start with, so the answer is 'No'. Wire size gets larger as the numbers get smaller, i.e. 2 gauge is larger than 4 gauge. Once the numbers get to ‘0’, they start going “00’, ‘000’, and ‘0000’. See this chart here.

Based on the information I found here, your winch draws 380 Amps @8,000 lbs. load. So, like everyone else is saying, you will need to go much larger to get the full potential out of your winch.

Like Warn, Smittybuilt sells a 24’ Kit which is only 2 gauge also. Warn says their kit is good for winches up to 9,000 lb. rating, but I don’t know how they are figuring that, unless it’s based on the first wrap of the cable on the drum, which gives it more power due to its smaller diameter. Since I’m about to install the same thing you’re wanting to do, I think I’ll give Warn a call first. If I don’t like their answer, the 2 gauge kit I bought will go back, or get used for something else.

So what is 1/0 and 2/0 snd so forth? Those are larger than standard 2 gauge I assume?


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[patoz]

So what is 1/0 and 2/0 snd so forth? Those are larger than standard 2 gauge I assume?


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Correct! 1/0 = 0, 2/0 = 00, 3/0 = 000, 4/0 = 0000.

Sometime you will hear people refer to the different gauges as 'two ought' or 'four ought', also.

 

[NYresQ]

Common automotive wire size from smallest to largest

20-18-16-14-12-8-4-2-1/0-2/0-3/0-4/0

20ga wire is really tiny stuff, wires going to the computer etc.
8ga wire is an 1/8th of an inch in diameter, and will be most common for something like an after market car sterio unit or small amp.
When you get to 4/0 (or 0000) wire you are looking at monster power supply direct from the battery, prices around $5/ft and a wire size about the same diameter as a dime... major power over a longer distance.

if you increase the amps, the distance or both, you will have to increase the size of the wire to get the same voltage at the end.