Winch connectors getting really hot (1 Viewer)

[thebeedeegee]

My wife's new FJ cruiser came with an older looking Warn MX8000 . The connectors would spark when I used it and after getting wet wouldn't work. I cleaned the corrosion and they stopped sparking, but now both the connections on the winch motor get super hot when the winch is on. I checked my ground cable connections and cleaned the rust off but it's still very hot. Got so hot the wires melted the grill plastic behind the control box mounted to the bumper. The 2 posts are lose as well. they wont come out of the winch but I can rotate them even though the cable is on there tight.

What could be the issue here?

 

[PAToyota]

What are the size of the wires and how is it wired up? Often the issue is undersized components.

 

[thebeedeegee]

What are the size of the wires and how is it wired up? Often the issue is undersized components.

They are pretty large, a little thicker than the cars battery cables.

 

[PAToyota]

Undersized wiring is a common culprit, but that sounds fairly decent.

Next I'd pull back the insulation a bit to see if the actual wires are corroded. Depending on how the ends are terminated, moisture can get back into the wire and cause problems. The sparking and corrosion mentioned implies to me that it saw little maintenance before you bought it.

 

[cruiserpilot]

Heat generated in the solenoid pack is huge. Connections need to be spotless, and short as possible. How far is the
solenoid pack from the winch? The ground just bolts through to the casing, and it is the weak link in my experience
of WARN winches. I don't fault them for that; still use them, just have to be careful and do the maintenance.
Is it older solenoids or newer Albright electronic contactor?
Might sound stupid, but is it wired correctly??

 

[thebeedeegee]

Heat generated in the solenoid pack is huge. Connections need to be spotless, and short as possible. How far is the
solenoid pack from the winch? The ground just bolts through to the casing, and it is the weak link in my experience
of WARN winches. I don't fault them for that; still use them, just have to be careful and do the maintenance.
Is it older solenoids or newer Albright electronic contactor?
Might sound stupid, but is it wired correctly??

Solenoid pack is mounted to the bumper right beside the winch. PO ran extra wiring to a dash switch from the controller so it can be operated inside the cab as well as outside. This seems to be an older model, doesn't look like the contactor shown on the warn site. I can see some corrosion inside the cables so I'm thinking about just ordering the new contactor and wiring from Warn, even though it's like $200

I assume it's wired correctly, I couldnt find a good diagram.

Positive from battery to one side of solenoid pack
Negative from battery to bottom of winch motor
1 red wire from solenoid to f1 post
1 red wire from solenoid to f2
1 black ( i think) wire to what I think is the A post

 

[woodsman 44]

Heat is most likely caused from corroded cables/connectors.. resistance makes heat

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

Is your ground cable connected directly to the battery or the frame?

 

[thebeedeegee]

Is your ground cable connected directly to the battery or the frame?

battery.

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

battery.

Wire gauge, length and type of connectors?

I'm using 1 Ga. Welding cable for both of my winches with silver soldered connections all around