Winch wiring suggestions with dual batts

[evldave]

Not really. The engine battery is going to be a starting battery, and regardless of what type they have for an aux it's still going to be pretty much wired the same way.

The only real wiring question is which battery to connect the winch to.

Actually, if you have a starting battery (high current, lower reserve) and a deep cycle (low current, higher reserve), running a winch off both is bad for the deep cycle - it's physical construction makes it more susceptible to high-current draw failure.

Ideally if you were using a winch often, or you wanted extreme redundancy, you would have a starting battery, a 2nd 'starter' battery (for the winch), and a deep cycle (for fridge and other stuff). That would allow you to run all your electronics, have a good high-current 2nd battery to run the winch when it was under full load, and also have a dedicated starting battery. Of course, getting all that to charge, isolate, combine, etc easily might get complicated

An ideal real-life situation (in my opinion) is to use your starting battery for starting + winching, and have an isolated deep-cycle battery for running your electronics. It won't unnecessarily hurt your deep cycle, and give you alternator+battery power for your winch if you need it. If you ever end up in a critical situation where you can't start your truck, the deep cycle will start it (assuming it's charged), you'll just likely reduce it's lifespan. An easy trade-off if you are in the middle of nowhere and need to start your truck

just my 12 cents

 

[dwh]

Actually, if you have a starting battery (high current, lower reserve) and a deep cycle (low current, higher reserve), running a winch off both is bad for the deep cycle - it's physical construction makes it more susceptible to high-current draw failure.

It's not quite that simple. Resistance is also a factor. If the winch were connected closer to, or directly to, the engine battery, and then the aux battery connected to that, say through a solenoid (split-charge, engine running), the winch will draw primarily from the least resistance - which is the starting battery.

The aux battery helps, but it's not providing the high-amp surge to the winch, that's coming from the engine battery which is not only electrically closer (shorter path), but also has a lower internal resistance (due to the thin plate construction).

Ideally if you were using a winch often, or you wanted extreme redundancy, you would have a starting battery, a 2nd 'starter' battery (for the winch), and a deep cycle (for fridge and other stuff). That would allow you to run all your electronics, have a good high-current 2nd battery to run the winch when it was under full load, and also have a dedicated starting battery. Of course, getting all that to charge, isolate, combine, etc easily might get complicated

Yea, a second engine battery is nice to have, especially when winching. Pretty much required for frequent winching.

Boat systems generally have several battery banks, and often several alternators as well - so various wiring methodologies have been worked out for pretty much any combination.

But two engine batteries with a split-charge hookup, and then another split-charge hookup for the aux battery isn't very complex.

An ideal real-life situation (in my opinion) is to use your starting battery for starting + winching, and have an isolated deep-cycle battery for running your electronics. It won't unnecessarily hurt your deep cycle, and give you alternator+battery power for your winch if you need it.

With a split-charge setup to the aux battery, and the engine running, it would actually give you alternator+battery+battery unless you rigged a switch to shut off the solenoid.

If you ever end up in a critical situation where you can't start your truck, the deep cycle will start it (assuming it's charged), you'll just likely reduce it's lifespan.

Um...not really (the reducing lifespan part).

http://www.windsun.com/Batteries/Battery_FAQ.htm#Using a deep cycle battery as a starting battery

"It will not hurt a deep cycle battery to be used as a starting battery, but for the same size battery they cannot supply as much cranking amps as a regular starting battery."

 

[evldave]

It's not quite that simple. Resistance is also a factor. If the winch were connected closer to, or directly to, the engine battery, and then the aux battery connected to that, say through a solenoid (split-charge, engine running), the winch will draw primarily from the least resistance - which is the starting battery.

The aux battery helps, but it's not providing the high-amp surge to the winch, that's coming from the engine battery which is not only electrically closer (shorter path), but also has a lower internal resistance (due to the thin plate construction).




Yea, a second engine battery is nice to have, especially when winching. Pretty much required for frequent winching.

Boat systems generally have several battery banks, and often several alternators as well - so various wiring methodologies have been worked out for pretty much any combination.

But two engine batteries with a split-charge hookup, and then another split-charge hookup for the aux battery isn't very complex.




With a split-charge setup to the aux battery, and the engine running, it would actually give you alternator+battery+battery unless you rigged a switch to shut off the solenoid.




Um...not really (the reducing lifespan part).

http://www.windsun.com/Batteries/Battery_FAQ.htm#Using a deep cycle battery as a starting battery

"It will not hurt a deep cycle battery to be used as a starting battery, but for the same size battery they cannot supply as much cranking amps as a regular starting battery."

I stand corrected/clarified/educated and agree with everything you say

 

[dwh]

I stand corrected/clarified/educated and agree with everything you say

Marry me. :friday: