Does a rig with 1 battery and a winch need a battery disconnect?

[offrd63]

I've been running my 8274-50 for years with just 1 battery, a yellow top and no disconnect. I have always felt that I should have a disconnect, if nothing else for water crossings. Is there any other reason to have one? I looked up some specs and the 8274 could use up to 450 amps. A disconnect with that amperage isn't cheep. Switching to a dual battery isn't either.

Thoughts, ideas?

thanks

 

[Southeast Overland]

I'd run what you have. How deep of water crossings do you typically go through?

 

[Jetboy]

What's the concern? Water causing a short? The motor is no different than your starter. You wouldn't disconnect the starter for water crossings. I don't see any reason to disconnect the winch. I've USED my 8274 completely submerged. Water was up to the bottom of the windshield. Engine flooded. I used the winch to pull the whole truck out from underwater. Worked like a charm.

I wouldn't worry about it. If you need to disconnect, just take the battery cable off.

If you want the lowest cost disconnect, probably go with a cable plug. Like these:

I've bought them for about $10 each, can't remember website now. Search for them. Don't pay $50 a set at your car parts store. Then solder them on to your wires. I have them for the winch on my 4runner that is a hitch mount. Works well. Super easy to disconnect if you want to do that. One other nice thing is to set up jumper cables to plug in to the same connection. Now I don't even have to open the hood to jump a car or get a jump myself. I could also use the plug for other stuff like running 12v power tools etc. (I don't but I've seen them modified to use a cord to a car battery and it seemed like a nice idea for trail work - I only have this set up on my daily driver 4runner and don't really need them with that car).

 

[offrd63]

What's the concern? Water causing a short? The motor is no different than your starter. You wouldn't disconnect the starter for water crossings. I don't see any reason to disconnect the winch. I've USED my 8274 completely submerged. Water was up to the bottom of the windshield. Engine flooded. I used the winch to pull the whole truck out from underwater. Worked like a charm.

I wouldn't worry about it. If you need to disconnect, just take the battery cable off.

Wow, that's nice to here. Ive had my winch under water a couple of times, but I never considered using it. Thats really nice to no. I never thought about the starter motor being under water at times. I think I will just leave it alone.

Thank you gentlemen.

 

[Douglas S]

I've ordered up a Blue Sea Systems 600A continuous (overkill, I know) switch to put between my batteries and winch. Mostly just so that no one can fool around with it when I'm not there, but there are definitely other advantages too.

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

What's the concern? Water causing a short? The motor is no different than your starter. You wouldn't disconnect the starter for water crossings. I don't see any reason to disconnect the winch.

True, water won't cause an issue, however, a short from a front end collision can easily start a fire

Not to mention vandals can easily cause serious damage with a paperclip in the controller port



I took extensive safety measures with my setup starting with an HD solenoid that kills main power to both of my winches

It also cuts power to a rear mounted Anderson connector for booster cables

And when switched on, both winch control circuits require a key in place before the controller plugs see any power

(old stock bumper)

(new BIOR bumper)

 

[offrd63]

That's a pretty clean looking setup.

 

[Jetboy]

That looks like a slick set up snake eater. I like it!

My daily driver is a multi mount set up with a front receiver. I don't leave the winch on it unless I'm using it, so vandals aren't a problem. Plus I have a garage at home and gated garage parking at work. Not much of an issue with vandals. The crash could be an issue.

It looks like a great idea for a winch permanently mounted on a daily driver. Possibly a key switch with a small solenoid on just the control wires to the winch remote plug should be standard procedure on permanent mounted winches.

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

It looks like a great idea for a winch permanently mounted on a daily driver. Possibly a key switch with a small solenoid on just the control wires to the winch remote plug should be standard procedure on permanent mounted winches.

Yeah, I never liked the idea of an open plug that can easily be jumped

Thing is, I don't use the hand controller as I have interior controls (seat heater switches)

And just like the hand controller plugs, the interior controls also require the red keys be turned before they see any power

The switch for the main cut-off solenoid is mounted under the dash with an LED

And a backlit winch cover lets me know when main solenoid is turned on

 

[landyNZ]

That is a beautiful install

 

[motorcoach123]

AKA 'Anderson Plug'/connector.....

What's the concern? Water causing a short? The motor is no different than your starter. You wouldn't disconnect the starter for water crossings. I don't see any reason to disconnect the winch. I've USED my 8274 completely submerged. Water was up to the bottom of the windshield. Engine flooded. I used the winch to pull the whole truck out from underwater. Worked like a charm.

I wouldn't worry about it. If you need to disconnect, just take the battery cable off.

If you want the lowest cost disconnect, probably go with a cable plug. Like these:


I've bought them for about $10 each, can't remember website now. Search for them. Don't pay $50 a set at your car parts store. Then solder them on to your wires. I have them for the winch on my 4runner that is a hitch mount. Works well. Super easy to disconnect if you want to do that. One other nice thing is to set up jumper cables to plug in to the same connection. Now I don't even have to open the hood to jump a car or get a jump myself. I could also use the plug for other stuff like running 12v power tools etc. (I don't but I've seen them modified to use a cord to a car battery and it seemed like a nice idea for trail work - I only have this set up on my daily driver 4runner and don't really need them with that car).

 

[Zhenya]

Want to bump this thread seeing it's full of killswitch experts.

I am installing one for 2 purposes:
Long term parking (2 weeks at a time)
Security when I park in the city.

I found this wiring diagram online, what do you guys think?

http://www.marphis.com/batterycutoff1.htm