Powering a winch on a car trailer?

D

DZG

Active member
So hopefully this afternoon im going to pick up a new (to me) 10000gvw 82 wide by 18ft equipment trailer. Ive needed a bigger trailer for a while and im tired of borrowing my buddies lol.

At some point id like to mount a 12,000lb winch on it (better to much then not enough), ive done some research and the winch im looking at pulls 369amps@full load.

Im not good with electric but my question is whats the best way to power this thing? Would a deep cycle marine give me enough ass for a big job? Or would a big regular car battery suffice?

Ive also thought about buying some zero gauge wire and running from my truck battery to the back of the truck with a plug that i can plug the winch into, but im worried about amp drop going through 20+ feet of wire (F250 long bed/extended cab), and i wonder if my charging system would be overtaxed anyways (its a 97 HD with a 460, i think its a 90 or 110 amp alt).

Can anyone point me in a direction here? Lol Thank you.
 
We use a heavy duty/large wire size jumper cables, about 25 feet long, standard automotive battery, engine running.

Plenty of available amps. Over 600 cold cranking amps from the battery plus the amps from the alternator.

There is a limited run time for the winch, so the battery and trucks charging system are not a problem. It probably takes a bit under the 369 amps for the winch to crank over the trucks engine.

Edit: Some other uses for the winch. We have used our winch several times to recover a skid steer. Chain the winch to a large tree and the cable end to the skid steer. Used the skid steer battery and jumper cables to power the winch.

Going to use the winch to pull two each 4" diameter steel clothes line poles.
 
You have several options
1-Mount a battery box on the trailer and charge it off the trucks electrical system using an in line charger ( have this set up on my open Trailer)
2-Purchase a Heavy Duty Jump box
3-Run the Heavy gauge cables back from the battery

If you purchase a winch with a free spool option. You will not be using up the battery capacity when spooling out the line to hook up

This Jump box a 500Amp CCA reasonably priced. Might be more cost effective than running the cables.And you could use it around the shop.

https://www.centurytool.net/1000_QuickCable_12_Volt_1000_Amp_Booster_Pack_p/604052-001.htm
 
Remember electric winches have a duty cycle!

X minutes of work

Xx minutes of rest

Chances are the manufacture will have instructions on their recomended hook-up!
 
Steve Butram":j3m121zz said:
1-Mount a battery box on the trailer and charge it off the trucks electrical system using an in line charger ( have this set up on my open Trailer)
Click to expand...
That is what I plan to do with my newest trailer. I will remove the little battery that came on it with a much heavier version to power my winch and power trailer jack I hope to get soon.
 
I have a tool box mounted on the front frame of my trailer with the 10 K winch inside to keep it out of the weather along with a group 31 battery and wired into the truck charging system to keep it up to snuff as I use it a lot, also serves as battery backup for trailer brakes, run it this way for years NP, has remote control for winch
 
Thanks for the advice guys. Sounds like i was overthinking things like usual. I do that cause i worry about spendin a bunch of time and money then not having it work lol.

i didnt think about the duty cycle...so i guess if i got somr big thick cables overloading/heating up/fire shouldnt be an issue. I like the idea best of tying it right into the truck system then i dont have to worry about running out of juice or getting somewhere and realizing i forgot to charge the damn thing (that would be what id do) lol.

thanks!
 
Maintaining a battery that is mounted is a pain during the winter. I prefer to bring my RV deep cycle battery inside for the winter.

What about using a jump pack? They are easy to recharge and maybe you could find a couple of different ways to use it.
I'm not sure how many amp hours a winch would require, but recharging a battery is definitely not fun.
https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/BK_JS10 ... bk+js1000a
 
Suggest waiting until you have recieved your purchased winch to make decisions on how to power it.

We have a receiver hitch permanently mounted on the trailer and a removable matching tube on the winch.

Not often do we use the winch with the trailer. Winch is stored inside the shop.

Next question. Will the same truck be towing the trailer every time. We currently have two trucks to tow our trailer.
 
outdoors4evr":re0mjb6c said:
Maintaining a battery that is mounted is a pain during the winter. I prefer to bring my RV deep cycle battery inside for the winter.

What about using a jump pack? They are easy to recharge and maybe you could find a couple of different ways to use it.
I'm not sure how many amp hours a winch would require, but recharging a battery is definitely not fun.
https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/BK_JS10 ... bk+js1000a
Click to expand...

I thought about a jump pack but ive never really had good luck with any ive ever owned.
 
Eugene":27audjzc said:
Suggest waiting until you have recieved your purchased winch to make decisions on how to power it.

We have a receiver hitch permanently mounted on the trailer and a removable matching tube on the winch.

Not often do we use the winch with the trailer. Winch is stored inside the shop.

Next question. Will the same truck be towing the trailer every time. We currently have two trucks to tow our trailer.
Click to expand...


Yes, same truck. My 87 Ranger would barely be able to tow it empty much less with anything on it and my 77 F250 isnt plated lol. So yes it would always be my 97 untill i buy a newer truck (pry another couple years.)

I already found the winch i wanna get...its a ZFX (or R) 12k from harbor freight. Brings me to my next question....harbor freight winches are decent arnt they? I know they are no warn but warns are pricy pricy.

One other thing....id like to mount a 2 inch reciever hitch to the trailer as well so i can buy one of those loading cranes yhat fit into a hitch. Any advice on that?
 
I use the HF 10 K winch, I had to in the end take most of the nuts and screws and locktite them, as they were all falling off from the vibration, other than that it has been ok
 
Maybe just install a 2" receiver for the winch and put a battery box on the front of the trailer where you could set a battery in it?
Make it easy to remove - possibly just rubber bungee strapped?
 
outdoors4evr":2rzqbfcy said:
Maybe just install a 2" receiver for the winch and put a battery box on the front of the trailer where you could set a battery in it?
Make it easy to remove - possibly just rubber bungee strapped?
Click to expand...

I was actually wondering if i coujd come up with a way to mount it (and make it removable) into my pickups 5th wheel rails in the bed....then i could use it with or without the trailer
 
For the time it sits idle In my jeep tractor I use a larger 12 v solar charger It sits all summer starts up every fall.
 
I put my battery and all the wiring in an old weatherproof electrical panel and bolted it to the front deck of the trailer. I don't use the winch that much so I don't worry about hooking it in to the charging system and I use the same battery for the logging winch. True earlier that the winches are supposed to run and then rest....I am always careful to throw a coat or a blanket over the cable somewhere so that if it snaps you don't get a face full.
 
electric winches are a joke!!! --- IF you want a real setup, get a gear drive unit and power it with a gas motor. Neighbor junked his electric winch cause the 12,000 pound tag wouldnt pull an H up on his trailer! They are all over rated and for the most part really useless.
 
I knowing a little late in the game but there are connectors available for electric boat winches you could buy from a marine store or is your tow vehicle already wired for electric brakes with a 7 pin hitch ? If so there is a pin which I believe is the center that is a constant 12v Power source. That should be wired thru a breaker. You can get yourself a plug and just use the pos & neg connections in it.
 
Do the receiver mount so you can get it out of the weather and use it on the truck receiver as well. I had it that way and changed it and regret it. I always use a waterproof cover that I bought at TSC...It is a traveler that I bungie secure and it keeps it dry.
 
Lt.Mike":1gw9i4ed said:
. . . is your tow vehicle already wired for electric brakes with a 7 pin hitch ? If so there is a pin which I believe is the center that is a constant 12v Power source. . . .
Click to expand...
I doubt that wire would be heavy enough for the current draw of a winch, even a fairly small one.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top