Powering a electric winch

[Slownsy]

My 2015 F350 diesel comes with 2 batteries, not sure how they are connected, so to connect winch to only 1 or run cable to both? Max draw about 400A.What says the gurus.
Frank.

[Slownsy]

Thanks PastorCharlie. But my setup is a mobile which in a cradle for using on front or in rear tow bar, A Sherpa Stead rated at 17500l lbit only weighs in at a bout 60-70lb and will live in toolbox in rear of truck until I may have to use, I also have snatch blocks sand boards etc, the boards will be first go to , the the winch if this is not sufficient, as we travel alone and sometimes in som remote places, and has been bogged from time to time in sand or slippery mud, rather fit which on rear if best way to get out.
Frank.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

It takes a full 20 minutes of rest for a standard winch motor to cool-down. Between 70F and 300F the motor will lose 30% of its pulling power.

A snatch block can easily double line pull speed when a straight pull overloads the winch motor. With little load a snatch block will halve line pull FPM. But be careful with overloading.

[PastorCharlie]

If the wench is properly mounted to the front frame there is no need to move it to rear for a rear pull.. Use snatch blocks and if the needed pull is directly the vehicle with the wench use a snatch block out to front of vehicle and thread wench cable through it and pull it under vehicle to rear for pulling. If the need pull is off to the rear side of the vehicle with the wench use a snatch off to the front side of the vehicle with the wench thread the wench cable through it to the vehicle needing to be towed at rear side. Snatch blacks are very helpful in maximizing pulling options, each snatch block used multiples the force of the pull.

My wench is very heavy constructed and weigh between 100-200 lbs. Lot of weigh to be moving around and requires lots of secure mounting. 12,000 LB. WARN WENCH

[Slownsy]

Thanks Josh yes I know that Mex knows his stuff with electric, and he suggested to upgrade the negative cables and run 00 to the rear, and that is what I intend to do and also run a oo cable between the positives with a 300A fuse at each battery before cutout switch to winch.
Frank.

[jodeb720]

Frank,

Mex really knows his stuff.
I have a 2019 350 Diesel.
There are two batteries, 12 volts in parallel. the Negatives are to the frame and the positives are cross connected together forming one larger 12volt battery.

I've been looking into replacing both of my grounds because they appear to be undersized for the load I'm placing on the cables (number of amps observed when cranking is right at the upper limit for the size of the cables).

if you want to use the ground of the chassis - make sure both of your existing cables are in excellent shape - are clean, and there's no corrosion. Slather them with silicone grease to insure no corrosion.

You'll need to run 1 00 cable to the location of the winch with an inline fuse rated at 430amps (or as close to it you can get).

You'll probably get better performance if you run both a positive and negative cable - but it'll work using the frame as a ground.

josh

[Slownsy]

I am setting op winch so can be used front and rear. Has been advised to use 00 cable to run to rear of truck, so either I run to cables +and- or I use chassis to run from rear to front and only run + to rear and short cable from chassis, I have also been told to upgrade. the - to chassis of both batteries, I also planned on connecting the 2 + together with a oo cable, only plan on connecting winch to one battery true the 500A breaker supplied with the winch. By the way my truck is a 2015
Frank.

[ajriding]

Its been said.

Connect to the "other" battery. The wire connecting the two 12 volt batteries is plenty big to carry current.
Ground? For what? connect to pos and neg terminals, and use a circuit breaker, which should have come with winch.

Diesels have two batteries, yes for cranking power, but also for glo-plugs if it has that, which draw a lot of power. I have forgotten what year truck you have by now.

Do not try to connect a pos to one battery and a neg to the other battery, it will work, but you will be a laughing stock at the mud bog.

[Slownsy]

Getting ready to do the wiring as hoping to have winch next week. My Ford workshop recommended that I only run the 02 active to rear and use chassis as ground , while also adding larger ground from each battery to chassis, what do you think.
Thanks Frank.

[whjco]

Bill.Satellite wrote:
2 6V batteries configured for 12V or 2 12V setup for 12V?
If 2 6's you MUST use both to power the 12V winch (an assumption). If 2 12V you "could" wire to only one battery but that would still not be the recommended setup.

He stated that it was a diesel. It will have two 12vdc batteries connected in a parallel configuration.

Bill J., Lexington, KY

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Some premium grade group 65 batteries have almost 900 CCA. That and a custom mount 200 amp alternator can drag a vehicle a long way through sand or snow. Winch manufacturers could use a 15 HP ND gear reduction big rig motors on their largest winches I wonder if that's not the case here?

[time2roll]

I would not be that worried about the ground because I would connect the power cables direct to both positive and negative terminals.
Possibly look for space to add some additional battery.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Ford OEM used garbage grade cables so replacements are a good idea. Running negative ground 2/0 cables directly from negative battery post to winch motor itself is also a good idea because stuff bolted together is not guaranteed excellent like stuff welded together.

In the last 25 years I have made 20+ sets of DLO 2/0 cable with lead coated cast copper fittings for Ford diesels. Soldered terminals, and cable negatives from both batteries to engine cylinder head then from there to a SOLDERED cast lug on the frame rail with bolt and nut. This is a forever fix. I kept track of many for over a decade. DLO insulation does not rot like the original. I used Red heat shrink on the positive lugs. Group 65 batteries are notorious fume spewers.
With Ford's adopting the ND gear reduction starter back peddling to 1/0 cable is fine. A stackable single ½" diameter stud is fine for cable junctions. Use stainless steel nut lock and flat washer and keep the nut tight as hell. Gobbing silicone grease all over exposed terminals is an excellent idea. One again to make it clear I use pure lead coated cast copper lugs. Not tin coated. Pure lead. Crimped then soldered. Cables like this must be purchased in components then assembled yourself.

[Slownsy]

Ok did a bit of research re op grating wire on som older F trucks, not really clued on electric, when said to op grade earth what exactly should be done, heavier cable from batteries to frame ? Or batteries to alternator? Or both. What size cable, I read that people use one size smaller than positive? Why. If running 2/0 to winch I am also considering running a extra 2/0 cable between batteries positives, god idea or not, and also do I want to include fuses on cable, if so what size considering the load could be op to 430A and I think cable rating about 500A?
Thanks Frank.

[PastorCharlie]

I have a 12,000 lb. WARN winch on my F350 diesel dually and I connect both cables ( Positive and Negative ) from the winch to the Positive and Negative battery on driver side.

I leave the Positive cable attached and attach the Negative cable when I use the winch. Plans are to install a battery disconnect.

I also have 3, 12,000 lb. snatch blocks and an extra 65 ft. cable for complicated pulls.