winch battery draw?
- Thread starter LGR
- Start date
1068508
I have an optima deep cycle battery and it's come in handy a couple of times. I don't have a winch yet but I got the yellow optima with the intention of attaching a winch to it at some point.
In the meantime, I have 3 pairs of off road lights and an audio amp that it powers. I've also connected a battery controller so you can switch between the main and the optima while in the Jeep. This recently came in handy when I accicentally left my lights on and drained my main battery. I just flipped the switch and viola!!! ...or should I say, vrooom!!!.
If you have a winch, I'd recommend a second battery...especially since it comes in handy for other accessories and purposes as well. At the same time, I know a lot of people who only use a single battery.[addsig]
I have an optima deep cycle battery and it's come in handy a couple of times. I don't have a winch yet but I got the yellow optima with the intention of attaching a winch to it at some point.
In the meantime, I have 3 pairs of off road lights and an audio amp that it powers. I've also connected a battery controller so you can switch between the main and the optima while in the Jeep. This recently came in handy when I accicentally left my lights on and drained my main battery. I just flipped the switch and viola!!! ...or should I say, vrooom!!!.
If you have a winch, I'd recommend a second battery...especially since it comes in handy for other accessories and purposes as well. At the same time, I know a lot of people who only use a single battery.[addsig]
1068509
so with that second do i hook it up in series? so the yellow top always has a trickle and the winch draws from just that and not from the main. so doesn't mess with my electric system too from the stress of the winch...or just jeep it in there for say just the winch and then recharge when needed? [addsig]
so with that second do i hook it up in series? so the yellow top always has a trickle and the winch draws from just that and not from the main. so doesn't mess with my electric system too from the stress of the winch...or just jeep it in there for say just the winch and then recharge when needed? [addsig]
Tug-n-pull
New member
1068525
My 2 cents on this is before you get the big ol new battery get a new big ol alternator 1st. When I bought my Jeep and the 1st thing I did was to add a high amp alternator. Later I added a 600 cold cranking amps dual post Die Hard Gold. I run the jeeps factory wireing on the main top post and allthe extra stuff is off of the side post through a seprate wireing block both direct hot and neg. Get an alternator that can keep up with the drain on the battery useing all the great stuff you have and want. A battery is just a storage what you need is something that will keep the storage full as the equipment pulls it out. also it is a good idea to go and add yourself a hand throttle to your jeep so you can ramp up the RPMs when you are winching. This will give a bit more constant replinish to the battery as you are pulling the juice so hard. Hope this helps and hope I have an idea about what I am talking about here. hehehehe Tug
edited by: Tug-n-pull, May 21, 2003 - 06:45 PM[addsig]
My 2 cents on this is before you get the big ol new battery get a new big ol alternator 1st. When I bought my Jeep and the 1st thing I did was to add a high amp alternator. Later I added a 600 cold cranking amps dual post Die Hard Gold. I run the jeeps factory wireing on the main top post and allthe extra stuff is off of the side post through a seprate wireing block both direct hot and neg. Get an alternator that can keep up with the drain on the battery useing all the great stuff you have and want. A battery is just a storage what you need is something that will keep the storage full as the equipment pulls it out. also it is a good idea to go and add yourself a hand throttle to your jeep so you can ramp up the RPMs when you are winching. This will give a bit more constant replinish to the battery as you are pulling the juice so hard. Hope this helps and hope I have an idea about what I am talking about here. hehehehe Tug
edited by: Tug-n-pull, May 21, 2003 - 06:45 PM[addsig]
Alaskan_Jeeper
New member
1068553
Ya but just think of all the fun you are going to have once your done.. And your going to have a really nice Jeep too.
OlllllO
P.S. How about some pictures to let us see this baby..
[addsig]
Ya but just think of all the fun you are going to have once your done.. And your going to have a really nice Jeep too.
OlllllO
P.S. How about some pictures to let us see this baby..
[addsig]1068556
i'd rather wait until the lift is installed....just got my new TJ, the dealer got the old jeep. the new lift is collecting dust in the basement..waiting for granny to go down the shore so i can steal her driveway for the weekend. it just looks funny with all the stuff on minus the lift.[addsig]
i'd rather wait until the lift is installed....just got my new TJ, the dealer got the old jeep. the new lift is collecting dust in the basement..waiting for granny to go down the shore so i can steal her driveway for the weekend. it just looks funny with all the stuff on minus the lift.[addsig]
1068593
Just in case ou do want to run duel batteries, I would not recomend just running them in series, then your rig will suffer from "dueling battery syndrom" You will either need to use a bunch of relays and Isolate the batteries to feed a single charge seperatly, You you could do the best thing which is to contact painless wiring, and get the dual battery kit which includes the proper wiring, switch and selenoid.
Johnny[addsig]
Just in case ou do want to run duel batteries, I would not recomend just running them in series, then your rig will suffer from "dueling battery syndrom" You will either need to use a bunch of relays and Isolate the batteries to feed a single charge seperatly, You you could do the best thing which is to contact painless wiring, and get the dual battery kit which includes the proper wiring, switch and selenoid.
Johnny[addsig]
1068735
To answere your question, no, there is no current draw until you operate the winch. Now, under full load pulls, the winch can draw up to 400amps! and on level pulls, (say getting you over a small obstacle) as little as 100amps or less. Most winch pulls are under 10 feet, just enough to get you going again. Unless your stuck 100' in mud and need all the cable to free yourself.
Having 2 batteries is a nice feature, but there not wires in series. that'd give your system 24Vdc, which it wouldn't like too long. They'd be wired in parelell (?) or positive to positive and negetive to negetive.
They can be wired right to the alternator, but the weaker of the 2 batteries will recieve more charge than the other battery, and eventually, cause failure of both batteries.
The better way to connect a dual battery is thru a dual battery system like what Painless wiring offers for about $100 bucks. It offers you the ability to "jump start" from in the cab via a 3 pos switch. You can run dual batteries all the time, or leave the 2nd battery out of the circuit till needed.
Having a more powerfull alternator will help the batteries recover faster after heavy winching.
What size/kind of winch did you get? Are you familuar with winching technique's and safety?
[addsig]
To answere your question, no, there is no current draw until you operate the winch. Now, under full load pulls, the winch can draw up to 400amps! and on level pulls, (say getting you over a small obstacle) as little as 100amps or less. Most winch pulls are under 10 feet, just enough to get you going again. Unless your stuck 100' in mud and need all the cable to free yourself.
Having 2 batteries is a nice feature, but there not wires in series. that'd give your system 24Vdc, which it wouldn't like too long. They'd be wired in parelell (?) or positive to positive and negetive to negetive.
They can be wired right to the alternator, but the weaker of the 2 batteries will recieve more charge than the other battery, and eventually, cause failure of both batteries.
The better way to connect a dual battery is thru a dual battery system like what Painless wiring offers for about $100 bucks. It offers you the ability to "jump start" from in the cab via a 3 pos switch. You can run dual batteries all the time, or leave the 2nd battery out of the circuit till needed.
Having a more powerfull alternator will help the batteries recover faster after heavy winching.
What size/kind of winch did you get? Are you familuar with winching technique's and safety?
[addsig]
