winch overheating?

skinny_pedal · Dec 28, 2009

So I just installed my winch in my truck today. Its a Ramsey Rep 8000. I did a temporary install of the solenoids and mounted them above the smog pump on my engine(79 Toy 20r). So I went and did some wheeling today and had to use my winch. I did a straight pull about 30 yards or so up a straight hill. The winch pulled my truck up it just fine. I then had to re rig to another tree. It was at this point my winch would not pull my truck? I would rev it up to try and help it with the draw but just did not want to pull in. So I popped my hood and my battery was steaming.

So I didn't have a meter with me, and my charge light never came on. Im just curious why this happened. I just had the winch rebuilt. Did having my solenoids right next to the engine overheat them? Do the early Toy alternators just not have the power to run a winch? Im gonna dig into some this week, just wanting to get some ideas

pokey · Dec 28, 2009

How big is your battery ? and in how good of shape ? A alternator will NOT keep up with a winch. Most winches draw around 300 amps at pull and 90 feet is a long pull so you probably just drew your battery way down. Make real sure you have a good ground and your cables are big enogh and as short as possible.

skinny_pedal · Dec 28, 2009

4month old Costco group 27 marine battery. I has new 4 gauge battery cables I made. My winch cables are only 8 or 6 gauge. From my solenoids to the battery my leads are only a foot. From winch to solenoids my leads are 2 feet. I had already planned on making new 4gauge cables for the winch this week when I get to work.

Its just weird. In highschool I used this winch on my 87 4runner. It had an old group 24 battery with stock battery cables. This winch never had a problem on that rig.

86tuning · Dec 28, 2009

My winch runs 2/0 (double-zero) cables from the battery to the solenoids and then to my old m8000. Upgraded body and winch grounds to the same 2/0 and running military type battery terminals.

Solenoids mounted to right-side inner fender, just behind the battery and fusebox of my 84 pickup.

My starter wire is the stock skinny one, didn't warrant an upgrade.

If your battery was smoking, it's working way too hard. Get a cheapie voltmeter and install it, watch your battery voltage as you winch along.

The only time my winch quit working was after several 80' pulls, when the battery was drawn almost flat. Running the engine at fast-idle isn't enough when doing continuous hard pulls.

Moneypit1 · Dec 28, 2009

skinny_pedal said:
4month old Costco group 27 marine battery. I has new 4 gauge battery cables I made. My winch cables are only 8 or 6 gauge. From my solenoids to the battery my leads are only a foot. From winch to solenoids my leads are 2 feet. I had already planned on making new 4gauge cables for the winch this week when I get to work.

Its just weird. In highschool I used this winch on my 87 4runner. It had an old group 24 battery with stock battery cables. This winch never had a problem on that rig.

Your cables are too small. Run 0 or 00 guage wires to the winch, and from the winch back to the ground. Make sure you've got good, clean, connections, and make sure they're soldered, not crimped.

Alan · Dec 29, 2009

Hi All:

Lots of good responses in this thread! :awesomework:

I have had trouble with my winch in the past pooping-out after a good pull. Permanent magnet electric winches like the Ramsey REP8000 use lots of juice and stock alternators and single batteries cannot keep-up with that sort of demand during long, hard pulls.

Having too small of gauge of cables, improper grounding, poor connections, etc. will impact how efficient the winch utilizes its power supply. I have used most/all of these various suggestions about grounding, cable size, etc. to good effect to improve the efficiency and reliability of my winch.

Oh, and make sure your hand controller (remote) is working correctly! :redneck:

Good luck!

Alan

Spinnaker · Dec 30, 2009

skinny_pedal said:
4month old Costco group 27 marine battery. ....

When you say marine battery are you talking about a Deep Cycle battery? If so, DC batteries are not what you usually want to run with a winch. It is my understanding that DC can be drained to near flat and recover... But at only moderate to low draw. They get damaged from the HUGE draw that a winch under load will require.

Everything that I have read recommends using a regular crancking battery as they are designed for the heavy draw.

Tim

Freeride · Dec 31, 2009

Optima yellow tops are labeled "combination deep cycle / starting". Best of both worlds I guess.

Odysseys are trick too. Have PC1500s in the the Rubicon right now.:awesomework: