On the subject of warn winches

Boxa,
I think the maximum current drain from a Warn is around 450 amps, I purchased a 500 amp constant drain marine switch from a firm in Gladesville N.S.W it cost around $90.00 and I mounted it under the bonnet of my Troopy, it completely cuts all power to the winch.

Dick.

Good idea - to answer your question, the XD9000 draws 460 Amps.

see www.total4x4.com.au/Info_Sheets/Warn.PDF

A hella battery isolator switch switch from

http://www.hella.com.au/catalogue/cat_frset.html

should be rated at 500+ amps.

3 options as I see it ... option 2 or 3 would be better.

1. Isolate the whole winch by inserting a high current switch in the +ve battery lead. Routing the cable into the cab will lead to losses in the cable so the whole circuit looses efficiency. Plus fire risk of unfused cables running through the firewall.

2. Same as above - but put the isolator switch in the engine bay just behind the grille and close to the winch. You only have to switch on at the beginning of a trip and off at the end.

3. Isolate the control lead - not the main mattery feed. For this you would need only a small switch - e.g. 5A which could be fused at the battery end. Much easier and no electrical loss.

Have fun!

Rob

Yes I actually saw the result of that little "prank" Was on an early mod. patrol. I wasbleepright off, it wasnt mine but if I caught the culprit the smile or whatever he had at the time would be gone forever. But what I immediately did was to weld a tab on the bullbar of my truck and bolt a piece of 3/16 metal over the control plug. I reckoned on vandals ok carrying a bit of wire or paperclip whatever, but not spanners to get the plate off. Sure, if I need to use the winch its a few minutes to get it organised, but then again if I need the winch I usually need a beer (or 2) also! I told you we wouldnt get through that creeeeek, she said!!
cheers haze

Dick, Rob and Haze,
Thanx for the valuable input. I think I will look into Rob's Solution number 3. Sounds the cheapest and probably most economical way of doing it, should of thought of it myself, must of been the few coldies playing on my mind at the time.

TA.

Happy trails,
Box

Extend the cables and mount the control box in the engine bay... Mate has done it on his GQ and it looks and works well.

Then have a control switch on the dash board to control the winch.

Boxa

Approx 18 months ago I had my warn 9000 winch serviced by ARB at their Head Office complex in Kilsyth, Melbourne.

When booking it in, the guy on the phone asked if I had a 3 pin or 5 pin controller.

I told him it was a 3 pin controller and he then informed me that they would install a FREE (yes free) 5 pin controller upgrade when carrying out the service.

I further queried him about an isolator switch which he said was no problem.

They placed it in the dash and it looks 'mickey mouse' and works well. I don't know the tech side of it, however it is relatively thin cable that does the trick.

Interestingly, the answer given for the free upgrade was ' to beat the wire/hairpin crush trick'.

This may give you something to think about.

Ken Robinson

Boxa
Another solution which I think is pretty neat and costs next to nothing is to reconfigure your winch control box power supply (low current side) so that power comes from an existing switchable low amp circuit - one which is only ON when you're driving the truck and otherwise OFF so there is no power to the socket on the winch control box unless you first turn this switch ON. Make sure you pick a circuit that doesn't draw much current. In my 80 Series I would pick the Center Diff Lock circuit because if I need my winch then my centre diff would be locked already. Other options: parking lights, interior light switch. This solution doesn't require yet another switch & fuse but gives you all the protection you need for the cost of a bit of wire.

All i have done is probably too simple but i have put an extension on my +terminal with a wingnut..... So my winch stays disconnected all the time and if i need it i just grab the loose lead next to the battery and put it on the terminal and hand wind on the wingnut... It make great connection as i have recovered myself 3 times over an average of 20metres each time and a couple of stuck friends vehicles....
Regards,,,,,,,............._____________________________________________

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