Wiring a winch remotely...

[maktruk]

OK that doesn't describe what I need. So, I bought a Warn M8000 and a winch mount last year. Sold the mount (don't ask. Powdercoating issues, weight, etc) so now I have a winch I can't use, right?

That's where I was at, even to the point of trying to sell said winch. Then I said to myself, "self, you can get a carrier and winch from your trailer hitch" duh!

I have multiple snatch blocks and recovery ropes, any situation I get myself into I could most likely winch backwards as well as forward, the remote should reach the driver's seat (I hope, 100% have no idea yet) and I could power it from...

"Self, you have no high capacity 12v electrical source at the rear of your truck, capable of pulling the amperage required to run a winch in recovery situations."

"By the way self, you have no idea where to mount the gigantic Warn solenoid"

Issue #1, I was thinking possibly, Andersen power poles?

Issue #2, I am at a loss...

I'm sure I will think of more issues. I always do...

/R00

aka maktruk ;-)

 

[Tim]

I think WARN do a kit to do what you want. The hitch mount (sounds like you have this sorted) and a cable kit to run to the rear of the vehicle.

https://www.warn.com/truck/mounting-systems/multi_mount.shtml

Cable kit.
https://www.warn.com/truck/mounting-systems/quick_connect_kit.shtml

Looks like the wiring kit uses Anderson plugs.

Not sure which you mean by the solenoid? The one that controls the winch or the optional one that you can use to cut the power to the winch? Does the control one not fit to the motor casing of the winch. Think mine uses jubilee clips. The one to cut the power would probably be best near the battery.

Sounds like a very useful project.

 

[Mad Garden Gnome]

Yes to the power poles. Commonly used on QD jumper cable set ups. Very handy.

 

[Airmapper]

Getting power to a high draw device like a winch is not quite as simple as just using long leads. Don't forget to attempt to calculate voltage drop for the length of your cables and factor in amp draw.

Once you see those figures (ampasity charts and voltage drop calculators are pretty easy to find online.) I suspect you will understand why not many people without a rear battery want to attempt it, and how those who do are potentially setting themselves up for a failure. It's complicated to set up properly, you are dealing with a lot of power, and DC does not take well to spanning distance.

I remote mounted my solenoid under the hood, high and dry, but that added a lot of cable length. I'm using 2/0 welding cables, and all of that is on the nose end, not run to the rear. More or less what I ultimately decided on, with some recommendation from others, is to calculate based off max amp draw of the winch, and for anything under 50' that will be about right to help compensate for voltage drop as well, the lesser worry at that point.

Now understand if you do remote mount a winch, solenoid box, or both, it WILL work when connected even if the cables are too small. It has no load on it, and it will pull. Insufficiently sized cables at best limit the winch's pulling power. (8000lb winch will grind to a halt under 2000lb load for example.) At worst it will burn your rig to the ground by melting the cables once you really put a load on it.

Hope I don't scare you off the idea, I'm good at finding issues, but I think it can all be worked around if your aware going in. Good luck.

 

[maktruk]

You're not scaring me off, and I actually was looking at Warn's kit thinking it was drastically undersized.

I nearly burned down my popup when I installed my three-way fridge with undersized wiring. Learned a lot about amperage draw and voltage drop over distance that day...