12V powerloss?

[bandit86]

I have an electric motor on a winch that draws 450Amps at full load, running at 12 volts, what's the wire size that's supposed to go for it?

 

[JB]

Re: 12V powerloss?

A lot depends on how long the leads need to be, bandit. My personal choice would be to use at least as large wire as I would use for a car starter, 0 or 1-0.

 

[JustJason]

Re: 12V powerloss?

you sure on the 450 amps????

who cares about the wire size.... whatcha gonna power it with??? not a battery.... not for more than 30 seconds.....

Even at a couple of feet, 450 amps would require 000 OT gauge. And even that would heat up like a bxtch...

could it possibly be... 45 amps? that would sound more reasonable.

 

[beerfilter]

Re: 12V powerloss?

The determining factor is going to be the length of the wire run from the battery to the winch .
2-0 MINIMUM if under 8' , up to 0-0 if longer .
Check out your welding supply store for the wire and terminal lugs .

BTW , you should consider a high output alternator and a dual battery setup if you are going to do any prolonged winching .
Also , invest in an accesory kit for that winch , including a "snatch block"(doubles the pulling power and reduces the load on the winch , 2:1 mechanical advantage) and winch line blanket (helps keep the cable down if it snaps..) .

Some winching advice :
Put the hood up to help prevent the line/hook going through your cab if the line breaks .

Set your ebrake .

Chock your wheels .

Keep your engine running , high idle if possible .

NEVER hook to steering or suspension parts , frame members or tow points ONLY .

Do not use chains .

Stand to the side of the winch line , as far as possible .

Keep bystanders out of the area .

Steel cable can cut you in half if it breaks under tension .

 

[beerfilter]

Re: 12V powerloss?

you sure on the 450 amps????

who cares about the wire size.... whatcha gonna power it with??? not a battery.... not for more than 30 seconds.....

Even at a couple of feet, 450 amps would require 000 OT gauge. And even that would heat up like a bxtch...

could it possibly be... 45 amps? that would sound more reasonable.

Quality 12v winches with series wound motors EASILY draw that much current at or near thier rated load .
Under that they will draw much less .

FWIW , you should be running the vehicle while winching , winch a little , rest a little , etc ...
Slow and CAREFULL is the best method .

LOL , a winch that draws only 45 amps MIGHT pull an ATV out of your yard , but , would be near worthless to extricate a fullsize truck from a parking lot , much less a mudhole or deep sand .

 

[bandit86]

Re: 12V powerloss?

it is a 450Amp 12V motor, 189:1 gearing rated at 12,000 #s. total wire needed is about 10 feet. (5plus 5 neg)

I'm upgrading to the bigges baddest battery that will fit under the hood, excide orbitals are a dual purpose starting / deep cycle battery

 

[bjcsc]

Re: 12V powerloss?

who cares about the wire size.... whatcha gonna power it with??? not a battery.... not for more than 30 seconds.....

Even at a couple of feet, 450 amps would require 000 OT gauge. And even that would heat up like a bxtch...

Yep, that's the major downside of electric winches. If the vehicle is not running, they don't work very long and they get very hot under full load. That's why I went with a hydraulic.

bandit86: Have you considered a dual battery setup? I am assuming you're running this for off-road recovery? Most electric winch setups include dual batteries (and Optima is a common choice)...

 

[puddle jumper]

Re: 12V powerloss?

One more safety thing when using your winch. Put an coat or a blanket on the winch line in the middle. If the line brakes the coat/blanket will absorb most of the energy. This make it much safer,

 

[JustJason]

Re: 12V powerloss?

holy crapoly... shows how much i know about winches.


if full load is 450 and runs are 5 feet then your going to want at least 1 OT (pronounced "ought") gauge.
Personally i'd use high quality wire... such as the stuff used in high end car stereo.

 

[bandit86]

Re: 12V powerloss?

it's a jeep, not a lot of room for a second battery. since I plan to not winch very often I'll try with one good big battery and see how it works. I only wanted it because I have a habit of wheeling by myself and sometimes getting stuck

I thought about the hydraulic winch, but the price on this was too good to pass up

 

[bjcsc]

Re: 12V powerloss?

What kind of Jeep? Got a pic? There are dual battery trays made for nearly all Jeeps that fit in the same location as the original tray. Especially if by Jeep you mean CJ, YJ, or TJ. Both 4wheeldrive hardware and Quadratec sell them.

I also wheel by myself and that was my reason for getting a winch, too. I am also wheeling a Jeep and a huge Jeep fan. There's nothing wrong with an electric winch (esp. one you get a good deal on) but, just like everything, you have to plan for their limitations...My CJ below...

 

[bandit86]

Re: 12V powerloss?

it needs lots of work, needs a lift and some mud tires. winch was first, was a good deal, slowly working on the rest.

 

[bjcsc]

Re: 12V powerloss?

That's a great looking Jeep, esp. the colors. Have fun "personalizing" it. BTW, it never ends. It's a similar disease to boating

Just Empty Every Pocket

 

[bandit86]

Re: 12V powerloss?

sometimes I combine my hobbies. this is my old tracker, on 33x12.5s, referred to as Titanic

http://my.break.com/content/view.aspx?ContentID=211279