Topic: Finally Got a Winch: Wiring Question

[KDXSR5]

I finally got a winch! It is a Superwinch EPI9.0. I have a problem though. My battery is in the bed in a box I made to do dual batteries. The winch leads are only 6 feet long. I used jumper cables on the winch leads to do the respool to get the winch line tight on the drum. Now I am trying to think up ways to permanently mount the winch. So:

1. I can make all new lines that go from the battery box to the winch out of 2 or 0 guage welding cable

2. I can put quick connects on the winch leads and build the other end out of welding cable, very similar to 1 but with a disconnect

3. I can shorten the ground lead to about a foot and a half long or so and ground it to the frame so I only have to make a new positive cable. I would then make my foot long 4 guage ground an 0 guage ground.

Is there any reason why I can't wire the negative to the frame? Will it make the winch work poorly even with the larger guage wires? If I can't do 3 I will probably go with 2, but I would really like to only have to make one cable if at all possible.

Thanks for the info!

[yotatough]

option 1 sounds good to me.........

[KDXSR5 [OP]]

option 1 sounds good to me.........

$$. I am poor and this was a gift. I need to get it working as cheep as possible, haha.

[79coyotefrg]

I suggest #2 with an optional hookup later on in the rear.

[4RunnerChevy]

Though ground is ground I go with #1 or #2, because the shortest route to ground will be nice copper wire, rather than frame and anything mounted to it.

[yota4x4sc]

ur gonna loose a lotta power with those long cables

[KDXSR5 [OP]]

ur gonna loose a lotta power with those long cables

Well i don't exactly have a choice, and the welding cable has what appears to be twice the copper strands in it as automotive cable, so I think they will be the best option as far as cables go.

[Noahrob]

In my opinion, your best bet is #1 with welding cable. It will not be super cheap, but you will get the most power to the winch.

[79coyotefrg]

Todd, is it possible to put a battery back up front JUST for the winch??  like a marine battery??

[joshcraig09]

yeah i would run new #1 welding lead... just watch out when u buy it lot of places try to stick it to ya... i always buy it in bulk cost around 1.85 a foot and u can get quick connect like lenco and rig it up where u can move it from front to rear whenever u get the money... if u were closer to me i got some old lead thats got a few bare spots....

[KDXSR5 [OP]]

Todd, is it possible to put a battery back up front JUST for the winch??  like a marine battery??

I could but that would make the box I built and the dual battery setup I have planned not effective anymore. I am actually planning on running a setup I was shown by a boat electrician who helped me out greatly with setting up what I would call basically a fool proof, fail safe dual battery setup.

I really REALLY don't want to have to run a ground all the way from the back of the truck to the front if I do not have to. I can run a power cable in the same conduit I have my fuse block and starter cables in and that would work out fine. I would have to revamp the whole setup if I want to run the ground cable too. That is a lot of money I do not have. I did it right the first time I set it up, but it is not big enough for two more cables, only one.

This is frustrating. I think I will try running a power cable and grounding the winch to the frame and upgrading my ground cable to a larger size. If I lose performance I will try something else. I tell you what, that winch sucks some serious power from my battery.

[KDXSR5 [OP]]

yeah i would run new #1 welding lead... just watch out when u buy it lot of places try to stick it to ya... i always buy it in bulk cost around 1.85 a foot and u can get quick connect like lenco and rig it up where u can move it from front to rear whenever u get the money... if u were closer to me i got some old lead thats got a few bare spots....

Last time i bought the stuff I got about 50 feet for a pretty good price, but that was a few years ago and the ranch store I got it from has been taken over by a national one, so I don't know what it will run me anymore. I might just go to the local welding supply store and getting it, but last time i looked they were more expensive.

[toe]

You should be ok with  ground wires running to the SAME frame rail with a good connection on the winch and battery grounds on both ends of the cable.

I'd also use a disconnect or a starter relay for the winch power cable at the battery for the safety.

[joshcraig09]

yeah shop around 1.85 a foot is what it runs down here....

[KDXSR5 [OP]]

You should be ok with  ground wires running to the SAME frame rail with a good connection on the winch and battery grounds on both ends of the cable.

I'd also use a disconnect or a starter relay for the winch power cable at the battery for the safety.

Yeah it is all on the same framerail. I am thinking I will get a two cable disconnect and put it under the hood at the end of the winch leads. This way if I ever have to take the winch off it will be easy.