I want to install a 12,000 pound badlands winch on my 77 fj40. I think the amp draw is around 400 amps. Is anyone running anything like this with the stock 45 amp alternator?
Alternator upgrade for 12,000 pound winch (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter 77ToyFJ40
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
JohnnyC
Long ago TLCA# 2231
i have a 12500 pierce winch.... have the stock alternator... AND dual batteries
Last edited:
+1 for big duel batteries with isolators. Electric winches are great short term use items - you want to be winching all day then PTO or hydraulic
- Thread starter
- #4
Are you using a isolator?
JohnnyC
Long ago TLCA# 2231
I’m somewhat stupid… so take my no with a grain of salt
Right or not just never did one… 27 years ago I don’t even think it was a thought to put one in … running dual optima’s …. One optima has been going for 20+ years
2 batts lets the system run longer but it is usually the components that have a much less duty cycle. meaning even if you have great winch, good batts, good alt, and proper wires/connections the loads winching will exploit the weakest link in the system. I would build your system then winch something fairly heavy, time it and check for heat, rope issues, batt temps & volts, connection/wire temps, find out how your set up reacts. this way you have a baseline that you can say " the winch should handle this without stress" and when you exceed the known operating parameters then stop and check system more often you will also find out if you need improvements pretty quick. If your test reveals batts are not recovering within a time frame suitable to you or the task you want to perform then upgrade alt.
1911
chupacabra
The big amp draw on an electric winch is all for a few seconds at startup, then it falls way off once it is running. My 8274 will pull up to 525 amps at startup, but quickly settles down to 200 or less running.
I put a 200 amp Mean Green alternator in my 40, upgraded all of the battery/alternator/starter/ground cables, and rewired the winch with heavier gauge cables than Warn used. I only have one battery, but it’s a good one and the biggest that would fit in the stock tray. I have done some very heavy pulls and some long pulls with that setup, and never had a problem and never drained my battery, FWIW.
I put a 200 amp Mean Green alternator in my 40, upgraded all of the battery/alternator/starter/ground cables, and rewired the winch with heavier gauge cables than Warn used. I only have one battery, but it’s a good one and the biggest that would fit in the stock tray. I have done some very heavy pulls and some long pulls with that setup, and never had a problem and never drained my battery, FWIW.
I have a dual battery system with isolator. I currently have the stock 45 amp alternator but plan on swapping in a larger alternator (100+amp) with associated wiring upgrade.
I used to run an isolator, then I read that it will eventually fail. I hate that so I removed it and just wired the two batteries together
I’ve only run mine off a 31p battery from the Western Star truck shop. 1050 CCA and 210 minute reserve capacity.
That said, when I swapped engines, I have a 120 amp alternator. My older winch ran fine when I was still running a stock 40 alternator. When I had that alternator tested at NAPA they told me it was putting out 45 amps on top of what the engine was drawing.
I’d recommend either a mechanical switch to isolate a second battery… or an automatic charge relay (ACR). I have two vehicles with Blue Sea ACRs and they work great and are extremely reliable.
Don’t use diode isolators. They will shorten your battery lifespan and the batteries will not get fully charged. Since I ditched the diode isolators my batteries are lasting way longer.
That said, when I swapped engines, I have a 120 amp alternator. My older winch ran fine when I was still running a stock 40 alternator. When I had that alternator tested at NAPA they told me it was putting out 45 amps on top of what the engine was drawing.
I’d recommend either a mechanical switch to isolate a second battery… or an automatic charge relay (ACR). I have two vehicles with Blue Sea ACRs and they work great and are extremely reliable.
Don’t use diode isolators. They will shorten your battery lifespan and the batteries will not get fully charged. Since I ditched the diode isolators my batteries are lasting way longer.
The first time I used my winch (aircraft landing gear motor) I only had an average size battery and the stock 1.5F. I decided to drive through the mud hole that was in the middle of the road. The mud and water weren’t the problem… it was the log sunk in the middle of it that I got hung up on.
I used the manual throttle to increase the RPMs, and started pulling it out. It was working great. Got me off the log it was high centred on no problem. Just as the front wheels were about to reach the solid road again… the engine died.
I had a couple passengers in my 40, but only one truck. Which is better than the solo wheeling I often did back then, but it was still stuck. When I turned the key to start it the starter solenoid clicked, but the engine wouldn’t turn. Since it was back in ‘92, we probably didn’t have a cellphone and the area we were in still doesn’t have good reception to this day.
We were discussing walking out to get another vehicle to jump start it. By now I don’t remember if we had decided on packing in another battery or if we had another vehicle that could get in there. Back then, I don’t think any of the tow trucks around were 4x4… if the did exist, I’d never seen one.
So… before we started walking, I hopped into the driver’s seat, threw it in neutral and turned the key…
It started. Before I tried anything, I set it to a high idle and let it run for 10-15 minutes. After which, I was able to put it in gear and drive out of the hole. I then turned the truck around and drove back through the mud hole… this time keeping one side of the truck out of the hole, and the other side in as shallow mud as possible.
The big lessons I learned…
1) Don’t drive into something you know you’ll need a winch to get out of… especially when traveling without another truck to rescue you.
2) Don’t take the more risky route when there’s a way your truck can get through. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.
3) Mud and water are unpredictable… don’t drive through the middle unless you know what is in the middle.
I used the manual throttle to increase the RPMs, and started pulling it out. It was working great. Got me off the log it was high centred on no problem. Just as the front wheels were about to reach the solid road again… the engine died.
I had a couple passengers in my 40, but only one truck. Which is better than the solo wheeling I often did back then, but it was still stuck. When I turned the key to start it the starter solenoid clicked, but the engine wouldn’t turn. Since it was back in ‘92, we probably didn’t have a cellphone and the area we were in still doesn’t have good reception to this day.
We were discussing walking out to get another vehicle to jump start it. By now I don’t remember if we had decided on packing in another battery or if we had another vehicle that could get in there. Back then, I don’t think any of the tow trucks around were 4x4… if the did exist, I’d never seen one.
So… before we started walking, I hopped into the driver’s seat, threw it in neutral and turned the key…
It started. Before I tried anything, I set it to a high idle and let it run for 10-15 minutes. After which, I was able to put it in gear and drive out of the hole. I then turned the truck around and drove back through the mud hole… this time keeping one side of the truck out of the hole, and the other side in as shallow mud as possible.
The big lessons I learned…
1) Don’t drive into something you know you’ll need a winch to get out of… especially when traveling without another truck to rescue you.
2) Don’t take the more risky route when there’s a way your truck can get through. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.
3) Mud and water are unpredictable… don’t drive through the middle unless you know what is in the middle.
