Winch Wiring

B

Brent

501 Club
:? :? :?

I have a remote control winch on my Cub trailer and the remote unit took a dive. I disconnected the remote box and ran positive and negative wires directly from the motor to a batery and the motor does run. With positive to positive from battery to motor the winch unwinds, winds in when negative is connected to the positive battery terminal. What I want to do is eliminate the remote and run the winch with one or two switches to wind and unwind. Problem is I don't know how to wire it. Any help will be appreciated. To replace the remote box costs almost as much as a new winch.
 
Search the internet for "reverse polarity switch and/or solenoids".

Really can't be of help. I would need to know the current wiring diagram, wire sizes or motor amp draw. If you knew the motor amp load you may be able to find an inexpensive 12 volt polarity reversing switch. Most switches have a wiring diagram - or you can use a multimeter to figure out the switche's routine.

Next issue is that there are probably several dozen possible solutions, just depends on appliances used and how configured.
 
:oops: :oops: :oops:

I never thought of looking for a switch on the internet. That was too simple. I guess I wanted to make things harder. Thanks for the info.
 
Would a simple double pole toggle switch work? Any hardware, electrical supply or big box store would have them. The switch has three positions with four posts on back. The middle position is "off", two posts on one end is "on" when toggled to that end and the other two posts are "on" when toggled to that end. Positive to positive to two posts on one end and positive to negative to two posts on other end.
 
It requires a double pole double throw switch. You wire it as shown at the other end of this link. Center is off, the other 2 positions power it one way or the other. The catch is that you are dealing with quite a bit of current. A light weight switch will not handle it. I doubt that the 30 amp eBay switch referenced above is even heavy enough to do the job. You can also handle the current by using relays, which complicates the wiring a bit. You probably would want a momentary contact switch so the winch only runs while you hold the switch.
http://www.nmra.org/beginner/images/reverse.gif
 
BIGHOSS":3079x8xu said:
Would a simple double pole toggle switch work? Any hardware, electrical supply or big box store would have them.
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Probably not if the switch is directly connected in to the battery cables. Most common switches found in hardware stores, etc., are rated at 15 amps and a few at 20 amps.

Checked Northern Tool's ads for winches. Some winches list the motor horse power. 1 electric motor horse power = 750 (746) watts. Divide the motor watts by 12 (nominal volts) to get amps. 62.16 amps per rated motor horse power.

First thing is to find out the start up amperage draw under load for the DC motor. Then select switch, switches, switching mechanism, and fusing, capable of handling more than the start up amp draw.
 
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