Winch power / ground questions (1 Viewer)

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I have searched and I am still trying to get a definitive answer on grounding to the battery vs frame. Its all split from what I have seen.

I know the recommended method is directly to the battery, however my battery is located in the cab and I need roughly 10-12 feet of cable to reach it. The winch will be used when needed for the “weekend warrior”.

With the cables provided with the winch I could use the distribution block in the engine bay for power and ground to the frame to avoid the long cables to the battery.

Anyone ground to the frame and have no issues? I do not mind getting the longer cables but if I am overthinking this I would prefer to save the money and ground to the frame.

Warn vr evo 10 on 1990 pickup if that matters.
 
Because of the amp load, the cables need to match.
In theory, if your actual ground strap is appropriate, it should be fine.
I personally recommend running dedicated cables .

Your factory ground is generally designed to be suitable for your starter load, not several hundred amps.
 
The proper size cable from winch to frame and matching size cable from battery to frame is good to go in my opinion. Make sure you have good clean contact at all points.

I run my winch direct to battery as suggested by gnob but, I don't know if I would run a fat ground cable from the rear of the truck when I can use the frame.

I'm going to be putting my battery in the bed on my current build. I think I'm going to use the frame as ground. I'll change to a full length ground cable IF I have any problems with it. And I'll be sure to tell gnob he was right....................AGAIN, if a ground cable direct to battery is necessary. ( gnob knows his stuff) JMHO from a guy also on a budget.
 
I have winches FR and RR. Both run 2/0 cables to a common ground point but that is directly attached to battery.
I'm not an electrician, but research direction of flow of power. I'd suggest not grounding the winch to the frame.
Certainly weekend warrior indicates a mount it and forget it. Experience has taught me that almost the most of
electrical issues have some cause in bad grounds. Spend the money, buy the cable and be sure it's gonna
work when you need it.
 
@aztoyman whats you plan for the battery in the bed? I thinkni am gonna be doing that as well to remove it from the cab.
 
@drenmaster I have no definite plans yet. I have to move it out of the engine bay for sure. I have no room for a battery or stock air box now that I modified my fender wells for tire clearance.

I'm still waiting for my rear 4 link parts that I ordered Black Friday. I have to see how all that fits before I fit a fuel tank and my battery. Coilovers will be sticking up through the bed.

Probably just behind the cab and as low as possible.
 
I am thinking about buying a bolt on bucket for the battery and just add it to the front of the bed. I have a toolbox that i will probably cut a hole in so there is room for the battery and box. Was going to put it in the box completely but i want to be able to remove the box as well.
 
After seeing friends roll their rigs and me flopping on my driver side once, I'm making sure that wherever I put the battery, it's secure. That's a big hunk to be swinging off battery cables and flying who knows where if something bad happens.

If it's a street driven truck, we have to protect from theft as well. Post up whatever you do in case I want to steal your idea. I'm sure you'll be done before me. :rofl:
 
@aztoyman theft is always a concern for me as well. The truck sits outside and the land cruiser takes the garage.

Ill get a plan started soon. Don't forget i am ready to help you out with your build whenever
 
I didn't forget. I get surgery next week and a cardiac procedure the end of the month. Plus a ton of other $hit, I mean life going on.

I hope to get back on my build soon.
 
Damn man, hope all goes well! That offer goes for anything you need some help with, not just build related!
 
I have searched and I am still trying to get a definitive answer on grounding to the battery vs frame. Its all split from what I have seen.

I know the recommended method is directly to the battery, however my battery is located in the cab and I need roughly 10-12 feet of cable to reach it. The winch will be used when needed for the “weekend warrior”.

With the cables provided with the winch I could use the distribution block in the engine bay for power and ground to the frame to avoid the long cables to the battery.

Anyone ground to the frame and have no issues? I do not mind getting the longer cables but if I am overthinking this I would prefer to save the money and ground to the frame.

Warn vr evo 10 on 1990 pickup if that matters.
If your battery has a ground to the frame member you are planning to ground the winch to that will work. Most grounds go to the engine block full size and a smaller #10 wire to the body. If you add a battery ground cable (#2) with eye terminals on both tends, one end under the bolt on the motor where the battery is grounded for the engine and the other to the frame member. You will have what you need without voltage drop and or resistance heating the smaller wire to the body or frame. The wire size (for amperage/current draw) from the winch needs to be sized to the continous duty load. The formula is "2LRI /1000 (2 x length x resistance of the wire used x amperage draw applied to the wire then devided by 1000) which equals the volts dropped. The voltage (12V) devided by the volts dropped gives you the percentage which you should stay between 3 & 5 % voltage drop max.

Example : You run a #10 or a #2 copper wire from the winch controller to the winch that is 15' long and the winch pulls 30 Amps.

(#10 CU resistance is 1.29 ohm kft) 2 x 15 x 1.29 x 30 = 1161 / 1000 = 1.161 volts / 12V = .097 % or 9.7 % VD

(#2 CU resistance is .201 ohm kft) 2 x 15 x .201 x 30 = 180.9 / 1000 = .1809 volts / 12V = .015 % or 1.5 % VD

Hope that helps, that is the correct way. (Master electrician)
 
I have searched and I am still trying to get a definitive answer on grounding to the battery vs frame. Its all split from what I have seen.

I know the recommended method is directly to the battery, however my battery is located in the cab and I need roughly 10-12 feet of cable to reach it. The winch will be used when needed for the “weekend warrior”.

With the cables provided with the winch I could use the distribution block in the engine bay for power and ground to the frame to avoid the long cables to the battery.

Anyone ground to the frame and have no issues? I do not mind getting the longer cables but if I am overthinking this I would prefer to save the money and ground to the frame.

Warn vr evo 10 on 1990 pickup if that matters.
I have a Warn 15K winch on my FJ40 and the negative goes from the battery to the engine and then to the frame rail where the winch is mounted, my winch controller in mounted under the hood up high to avoid water issues on the relays. I have remote control and dashboard switch control for the winch. The setup works great, never had a problem. This is an old picture of the retro being done.

IMG_0996.jpg
 
@69FJ40HILIX damn man thanks for the info! My battery is set up the same way as you. I think i might try the ground to frame with the supplied wires and see how it goes before i dive into the longer cables to the battery.

What 15k winch is that? I have a m15000 that i need to rebuild that will go in a land cruiser some day. Those are some big bastards.
 
M15000 it is. I saw the movie a long time ago, "The gods must be crazy" where the Land Rover winched utself up into a tree, started with that thought in mind. Lol
 
@69FJ40HILIX damn man thanks for the info! My battery is set up the same way as you. I think i might try the ground to frame with the supplied wires and see how it goes before i dive into the longer cables to the battery.

What 15k winch is that? I have a m15000 that i need to rebuild that will go in a land cruiser some day. Those are some big bastards.
Also make sure the area you bolt to is bare metal so you make a good connection and use some penetrox anti oxidation grease on it too. What size cable did they give with the winch ? In the picture you can see my controller on the firewall left of center past the battery.
 
its all 2 gauge. The ground and power cables will be small in length so should not have a need to go bigger. I’ll definitely get some penetrox as well.
 
M15000 it is. I saw the movie a long time ago, "The gods must be crazy" where the Land Rover winched utself up into a tree, started with that thought in mind. Lol
That was a GREAT movie that our family watched when I was kid. That scene where the rover went up the tree had us all in stitches and I think about it often whenever I start thinking about what size winch I need for my truck: "Do I need one that will pull itself up a tree?".
 

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