What would cause a winch to do this?

redneckengineered · Feb 12, 2018

I have a Warn HS9500i that has to be every bit of 15 years old, maybe more. I love it dearly and it has never let me down. For the past year or so though it has been doing this quirky thing where it will only run if the engine is running. If the engine is turned off, the winch will make an audible "click" at the solenoids when you try to power it in/out but that's it. I've changed out all the solenoids to new ones, cleaned contacts, checked grounds, even swapped out batteries with no change. Any ideas?

BUG-E J · Feb 12, 2018

Your gonna have to check voltage drops to find it but im gonna say its not getting the proper voltage/amperage from the battery so the alternator is kicking it on. Turn the volt meter to dc and go in line from the hot on winch to hot battery POST not terminal. It should read 0 volts. Do the same on the ground circuit. That will narrow down if its ground or hot. Then you can work back towards the winch checking at each point till you find the bad connection. Having battery voltage at a load doesnt mean you dont have a bad connection not allowing the correct amperage.

ranger11 · Feb 12, 2018

Have you checked the brushes on the winch motor? Also is it hard wired or on a controller? If controller try another one.

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tonybolton · Feb 12, 2018

ranger11 said:
Have you checked the brushes on the winch motor?

This is what I'm thinking it is. Built up varnish / wear / tear. Works with 14 volts when vehicle running, just enough to be finicky with 11-12 volts when vehicle off. Kinda like old points in a dee-strib-u-tator.

TBItoy · Feb 12, 2018

tonybolton said:
This is what I'm thinking it is. Built up varnish / wear / tear. Works with 14 volts when vehicle running, just enough to be finicky with 11-12 volts when vehicle off. Kinda like old points in a dee-strib-u-tator.

X2

I assume the battery is rear mounted too. Voltage drop.

Are the winch leads hooked straight to the battery?

tonybolton · Feb 12, 2018

TBItoy said:
I assume the battery is rear mounted too. Voltage drop.

No joke on that. I tried to be cheap on my 02 GT and pieced together a rear mount battery kit. I used some offbrand power cable I found on eBay that's realistically like 4 or maybe even 6 gauge and I immediately noticed issues. I didn't want to run new wire so I just band aided it by removing underdrive pulley on alternator and replaced with stock.

Still gets finicky in upper RPM's. Ever since then I've used 1/0 or better quality welding cable. No problems.

redneckengineered · Feb 12, 2018

ranger11 said:
Have you checked the brushes on the winch motor? Also is it hard wired or on a controller? If controller try another one.

No I haven't. Good thinking.

TBItoy said:
X2

I assume the battery is rear mounted too. Voltage drop.

Are the winch leads hooked straight to the battery?

Battery is mounted up under the dash so it is a short run to the winch.

CHASMAN9 · Feb 12, 2018

Are you using the corded remote control or are you dash mounted switch?

ADMINISTRATOR

redneckengineered · Feb 12, 2018

CHASMAN9 said:
Are you using the corded remote control or are you dash mounted switch?

ADMINISTRATOR

Both? I deconstructed the remote and wired it to a switch in the dash but it still plugs into the winch remote port on the winch side.

CHASMAN9 · Feb 12, 2018

redneckengineered said:
Both? I deconstructed the remote and wired it to a switch in the dash but it still plugs into the winch remote port on the winch side.

I was thinking that if it was dash mounted, you might have a hot wire from the "start side of the ignition" that is hot only after the ignition is running. :dunno:

ADMINISTRATOR

bgredjeep · Feb 13, 2018

Does it work with ignition on, or only with the motor running?

redneckengineered · Feb 14, 2018

bgredjeep said:
Does it work with ignition on, or only with the motor running?

Only motor running. Ignition on/off doesn't make a difference.

bgredjeep · Feb 14, 2018

I'm not familiar with the 4 solenoid setup on the Warn. All I can really guess looking at a wiring diagram is that somehow you are losing a ground connection when your engine isn't running. :dunno:

It looks like only 1 power lead into the winch, and the solenoid clicking means there's power.

It might be interesting to know a voltage reading on the power line when the motor is running vs. off. Besides that, doing a bunch of continuity checks in the solenoid box to see where you aren't getting a connection that you should be. I'm definitely not an electrical guy.

redneckengineered · Feb 14, 2018

bgredjeep said:
I'm not familiar with the 4 solenoid setup on the Warn. All I can really guess looking at a wiring diagram is that somehow you are losing a ground connection when your engine isn't running. It looks like only 1 power lead into the winch, and the solenoid clicking means there's power.

It might be interesting to know a voltage reading on the power line when the motor is running vs. off. Besides that, doing a bunch of continuity checks in the solenoid box to see where you aren't getting a connection that you should be. I'm definitely not an electrical guy.

The 4 solenoid setup if a cluster ****. If I never have to look at those things again it will be too soon.

Bebop · Feb 14, 2018

This is what I would do :

Unplug the motor from the solenoids.
Using jumper cables from your battery to the winch motor posts, check if the winch works without the engine running (12.1V).
If it does, the motor is out of cause.

Now open your solenoid box and wire the command system directly to the battery without going through the remote.
Try to move the winch forward and reverse without the engine running. If this fails, it's the solenoids. If it works, your remote system is the problem.

IMO the solenoids are ****. Replace with some Albrights and wire them properly (without going through the plug and the warn box).