Electric Winch - Current Draw & how long can u winch for?

[rob_macca67 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close rob_macca67]

Guys....

Finally tested the Electric Winch out and I was watching the in-car Voltmeter drop down well below the "normal" charging rate..... Got me thinking as to how long can u winch for (with engine running) b4 u start running into troubles with draining your main battery too far ???

[winniliss Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close winniliss]

My Mako Avenger winch draws 338amps at a line pull of 9500lbs or 4300kg. Your battery will be flat in like 1 or 2 min. Look how quickly a battery goes flat when cranking an engine. Then you have duty cycle which basically is how long you should winch for. Your winch will get hot very quick depending on the load and outside temp. Thats why using a block / pulley doubles your line pull but reduces your load on the winch etc.

Winston

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

Yep winching draws heaps out of your battery. There's no real rule of thumb for how long you can winch it really depends on the situation, length of rope out, how stuck you are etc.. I try and go for the shortest winch possible, even if it means multiple winches, leting the winch and battery recover between winches. Idling higher can get more Amps into your battery albeit a bit harder to do in newer vehicles, I had a hand throttle in the GQ I could wind up the revs. This is also why I fitted an Optima battery, they can take every Amp the alternator can put out and recover heaps quicker.

[rob_macca67 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close rob_macca67]

My Mako Avenger winch draws 338amps at a line pull of 9500lbs or 4300kg. Your battery will be flat in like 1 or 2 min. Look how quickly a battery goes flat when cranking an engine. Then you have duty cycle which basically is how long you should winch for. Your winch will get hot very quick depending on the load and outside temp. Thats why using a block / pulley doubles your line pull but reduces your load on the winch etc.

Winston

Yeah, I realize that... I only tested my winch via winching the car up the hill in the backyard. Its not very steep, guessing 20 degrees or so and the car was in Neutral, so no real load on the winch. Would hate to see it when its heavily loaded.

Yep winching draws heaps out of your battery. There's no real rule of thumb for how long you can winch it really depends on the situation, length of rope out, how stuck you are etc.. I try and go for the shortest winch possible, even if it means multiple winches, leting the winch and battery recover between winches. Idling higher can get more Amps into your battery albeit a bit harder to do in newer vehicles, I had a hand throttle in the GQ I could wind up the revs. This is also why I fitted an Optima battery, they can take every Amp the alternator can put out and recover heaps quicker.

This is what I'm thinking of installing as my 2nd Battery... a Optima D34. Quick recovery and can handle being fully discharged (10.5v) and then be fully charged within a very short time compared to other Deep Cycle L/A batteries...... Have u ever had any troubles with your Optima + how old is it ??

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

This is what I'm thinking of installing as my 2nd Battery... a Optima D34. Quick recovery and can handle being fully discharged (10.5v) and then be fully charged within a very short time compared to other Deep Cycle L/A batteries...... Have u ever had any troubles with your Optima + how old is it ??

Typically you use your cranking battery as a winch battery. I fitted a D27F 830 CCA, straight swap cabling wise for the OE battery, you just need to find the best spot for the clamp. I've only had it for a month and haven't run the winch off it yet.

If you're going to use your aux battery, I'd prefer the D34M over the D34 as it gives you a few more connection options, same battery different case. If you're using an ARB tray on the firewall, that's a very long cable run for your winch.

[rob_macca67 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close rob_macca67]

Thanks for that and the winch is run off the main battery. Good to know about the D34M. Will look into it

rob

Typically you use your cranking battery as a winch battery. I fitted a D27F 830 CCA, straight swap cabling wise for the OE battery, you just need to find the best spot for the clamp. I've only had it for a month and haven't run the winch off it yet.

If you're going to use your aux battery, I'd prefer the D34M over the D34 as it gives you a few more connection options, same battery different case. If you're using an ARB tray on the firewall, that's a very long cable run for your winch.