best place to ground the winch? (1 Viewer)

[Atoyot1031]

Mine was poorly grounded to the frame rail when I bought it. I cleaned up the area, and it works well, but now I need to check my other grounds (block to frame, etc.) to ensure I'm not getting unacceptable resistance.

Good thread.

 

[flintknapper]

napa. they are in their beldon catalog.

Yup,

Napa carries them. The neg. and pos. are different sizes (of course) so be certain to check them when the sales dude hands them to you. They are marked as well.

 

[e9999]

um, i believe that is not recommended. those secondary screw posts will melt with the ampage from a winch

I doubt that. It's one big lead block together with the main post and the ring connector would be flat against the main block.

 

[semlin]

i was wrong about needing to ground to something other than the battery so i could be wrong here too, but i just googled "winch install side posts" and this is an email from optima quoted in the very first link that came up. my understanding is that battery sideposts can't carry the same loads as top posts.

<<Stu,

Thank you for your interest in OPTIMA Batteries. The information you heard is correct. You don't want to hook a winch up to the side terminals because the high current would short out the terminals causing your battery to fail. If you need any other information you can contact me at the above address.

Best Regards, Shana Holland>>

Warn Winch Installation

 

[Miescha]

along this same topic, I noticed that the factory ground from the factory DS battery to the engine block is not currently connected (though I can't figure how this bolt fell out).

The system is still grounded as I followed George's dual battery setup (the original version) so my second optima has a ground cable from the neg terminal to the engine block on the PS.

So . . . will the disconnected ground wire on the DS make any difference if I reconnect it?

 

[sandcruiser]

more grounds shouldn't cause any additional problems.

side posts on most batteries aren't built for high-amperage loads, according to the battery mfr.

 

[TrickyT]

The marine batteries with screw studs and a wing nut on top, next to or in place of the automotive-style posts, and batteries with auxiliary threaded connectors on the side are two different animals. In marine applications it's frequently the case that cables terminate in lugs that you attach to the studs on top. These screw studs are perfectly capable of high current applications. Just don't confuse these batteries with the ones that have connectors on the side.

 

[e9999]

The marine batteries with screw studs and a wing nut on top, next to or in place of the automotive-style posts, and batteries with auxiliary threaded connectors on the side are two different animals. In marine applications it's frequently the case that cables terminate in lugs that you attach to the studs on top. These screw studs are perfectly capable of high current applications. Just don't confuse these batteries with the ones that have connectors on the side.

yes. as i mentioned above, mine has the threaded studs as part of the big top connector blocks. It's one and the same, no way it could not stand the same amperage as the big fat post if the cable ring end is flat against the block.

 

[semlin]

yes. as i mentioned above, mine has the threaded studs as part of the big top connector blocks. It's one and the same, no way it could not stand the same amperage as the big fat post if the cable ring end is flat against the block.

gotcha. i understood you to have sideposts.

 

[e9999]

the thing that's good is that the little stud is great to connect the winch easily when needed since it's not occupied by anything else. You could do the same of course if you have a free stud off a connector that fits on the big fat post, like some of these military style clamps that have 2 bolts sticking out.

 

[alia176]

The beauty of having a 3/8" stud on top of the battery or using battery terms with 3/8" studs, is that you can simply disconnect the positive winch cable and lay it aside. This is a simpler way to disconnect power to the complete winch and solenoid box to guard against front end vandalism and collision. Sure, you can use fancier disconnects and such but this works very well.

 

[corsair23]

i was wrong about needing to ground to something other than the battery so i could be wrong here too, but i just googled "winch install side posts" and this is an email from optima quoted in the very first link that came up. my understanding is that battery sideposts can't carry the same loads as top posts.

That is TRUE of the Optimas...However, not true for all batteries. The Exide Select Orbital for instance. I spoke with their tech folks and they had NO qualms or concerns about a person hooking up a winch to the front/side post terminals. You can guess what battery I chose to go with

 

[robmir]

That is TRUE of the Optimas...However, not true for all batteries. The Exide Select Orbital for instance. I spoke with their tech folks and they had NO qualms or concerns about a person hooking up a winch to the front/side post terminals. You can guess what battery I chose to go with

I don't know but many people say the Odissey is better.

 

[corsair23]

I don't know but many people say the Odissey is better.

I've heard that Odyssey is a great battery but also a LOT of $$...I couldn't afford an Odyssey so I went with the Orbital...A year + so far and no problems.

 

[robmir]

I've heard that Odyssey is a great battery but also a LOT of $$...I couldn't afford an Odyssey so I went with the Orbital...A year + so far and no problems.

Good for you and I hope it last a lot more unlike the yellow top Optimas, which for me were a waste of money. If things get better here, I will replace mines with Odyssey's

 

[96r50]

Good for you and I hope it last a lot more unlike the yellow top Optimas, which for me were a waste of money. If things get better here, I will replace mines with Odyssey's

Or Sears' Diehard Platinum series. According to another thread here, they are the same thing. But possibly cheaper.

 

[robmir]

Or Sears' Diehard Platinum series. According to another thread here, they are the same thing. But possibly cheaper.

Diehard Platinum are made by Odissey but I have not found absolutely any fact that certify their insides are the same, besides quality.

Any Diehard spec match from Oddisey weights 3 or 4 pounds more and that should mean something. Okay I agree a $100 difference is a lot to balance the equation but until somebody provides me the proof that they are the same I will stick with the Odissey.

One thing is branding and another is manufacture an item for a customer under the customer own spec meaning "give me the best for less" , somewhere there must be a compromise.

It's clear that Sears has the marketing network to sell many, many more batteries than Odissey by itself so any one could say that Odissey made a deal with Sears to provide them with a mass produced item which could lower the manufacture cost but again it's hard to me to believe they are exactly the same, there is a corner to cut some where.