So the solenoid might be waterproof, but what about the contacts that are directly on the winch?
If they are submerged, I can't see things working well if you kick on that solenoid
You can't get a winch wet?
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If they are submerged, I can't see things working well if you kick on that solenoid
Meanwhile, at Harbor Freight...
For the record, my point isn't that Harbor Freight is amazing - that waterproof rating is worth exactly as much as the faith you put in Harbor Freight - but that Warn is completely out of touch and overly reliant on brand recognition.
For the record, my point isn't that Harbor Freight is amazing - that waterproof rating is worth exactly as much as the faith you put in Harbor Freight - but that Warn is completely out of touch and overly reliant on brand recognition.
Good luck finding parts in a few years when HF has moved on to the next cheap winch...
When my Warn M12K was new in the late 1990s, I had an unfortunate incident when the ice broke under the truck and my 91 FJ80 sunk in very cold water up to the windshield. I had to leave it overnight until a wrecker could pull me out. While I'd rather not go into details regarding this, suffice it to say that the same M12K with the same motor/gear housing is on my LX450 and has always worked without issue.
I'm not sure how or why this thread was started, but I call bullsh1t.
Oh, and the 91 FJ80 has over 300K miles on it and still running strong on the original motor/transmission/transfer case.
I'm not sure how or why this thread was started, but I call bullsh1t.
Oh, and the 91 FJ80 has over 300K miles on it and still running strong on the original motor/transmission/transfer case.
We play in water here. A lot. Sometimes too much (see my avatar LOL). We don't baby our rigs or our winches. Sometimes one that has been badly neglected will succumb. It's part of the game.
This thread is silly. Don't think you can't get your winch wet. You can.
Mark...
This thread is silly. Don't think you can't get your winch wet. You can.
Mark...
I doubt you can get parts for it NOW. I'll say it again, in case you missed it the first time: "For the record, my point isn't that Harbor Freight is amazing." I'm also not saying you can't get a Warn wet, they're made in the Pacific Northwest for eff's sake. My point is that if the bargain basement outfit can get theirs IP** rated for water and dust proofing, why isn't the industry leader? It just seems like weasel language to be able to deny warranty claims.
You can get winches wet, despite them having electronics. This may sound counter intuitive, but it's down to voltages. Your car is operating a 12v system, and to use the flawed water pipes analogy, voltage is like water pressure, it determines how easily the electricity will push through resistance. Water is not a conductor, not a good one anyway. If you stick two 12v wires in a glass of water, they'll have to be basically touching for more than a tiny stray current to move across the gap. If you were dealing with microcircuitry or devices with very low tolerances it might matter, but you're not. This is a massive DC motor with huge solenoids that have massive contacts, with significant distances between everything. As long as things don't physically rust/corrode, the water won't be a problem.
Yep, the concern is not short circuiting. It is corrosion and deterioration/damage due to water intrusion. This is a valid concern. Just not one that need to be obsessed over or one that should alter how you use the rig. It should affect long term maintenance, but not how you use the rig.
Mark...