Winch wiring problem

ridgerunner · Oct 26, 2013

Got my 2" receiver on the back, sent power wire to rear, grounded the other end on the frame. Using large Anderson connectors, plugged it in and nothing. The wiring for the front receiver is directly to the battery's + & - and the winch works great up there. I know I have a good ground since it's bolted through the frame. Am I missing something??? What gives? :icon_confused:

kimcrwbr1 · Oct 27, 2013

What guage wire are you using? You do have a fuse at the battery correct? It wouldnt hurt to run a separate ground wire to the rear connector also with a heavy guage wire.

ridgerunner · Oct 27, 2013

No problem with the gauge size for sure ($2.48/ft). I would rather not run two cables to the rear. My 2500 Dodge has the same set up and it works fine.

RangerSVT · Oct 27, 2013

You really should run separate power and ground wires to the Anderson. Using the frame for a high amperage connection isn't a good idea. If you have a set of heavy duty jumper cables, connect both positive and negative to the negative battery, and run them to the winch for your temporary ground. If it works, and it should, you'll have to run a ground lead to the Anderson...

SVT

RonD · Oct 27, 2013

Not sure I agree with RangerSVT on this, running two wires would be OK but I don't think it would be "better".
Current stock setups run 90-200amp alternators via engine ground, not separate ground wire to alternator, same with the starter motor, it is not a separate ground wire hooked up inside the starter, just a case ground, but cable size/gauge will matter.

The frame is only a "good" ground if the battery "-" is connected directly to the frame with a larger gauge wire.
Usually the battery "-" goes to the engine for the starter motor, highest draw, and engine is isolated from the frame.
It will have smaller ground straps/wires to the rad support and engine to firewall but nothing very large.

So get another short large gauge cable to run from that engine ground to the frame, nice clean point on the frame, and engine moves a bit so not a tight cable hook up

And the Frame is only a good ground if it is metal that you are connecting to, not paint, undercoating or...rust, so clean it, bolt it on, then paint it to prevent rusting.

kimcrwbr1 · Oct 27, 2013

You can never have too many grounds those military type battery clamps make it easy to add grounds and accessories directly to the battery.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Quick-Cable-Military-Battery-Terminal-add-on-Post-clamp-lug-USA-5349N-5350P-/360717840916?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53fc757214.
Good for upgrading battery cables as well.

RangerSVT · Oct 27, 2013

I didn't quite explain myself, but RonD was reading my mind. The large gauge wire goes to the motor, not the frame. This is why front mounted winches run both a positive and ground to the battery, instead of relying on the case ground to complete the circuit...

SVT

ridgerunner · Oct 27, 2013

I did install a new Optima Yellow top which has 2 pos and 2 neg posts. I hooked the rear winch wire to the pos terminal on the side of the battery and grounded the neg to the frame. The neg frame wire is bolted through the frame which I wire brushed the undercoating off of to get a good connection. The front winch hook up is directly to each top terminal. Should I ground the Neg side terminal via a large wire to the engine? This pic is before the install attempt.

Here is what it looks like now

Here is the ground

RonD · Oct 27, 2013

Looks like it is bolted to black paint to me but could just be the picture.

Yes, on the large ground wire to engine, that is actually where the power is when engine is running, the alternator, so to get the best available amperage large wire to engine and frame, and battery

ridgerunner · Oct 27, 2013

RonD said:
Looks like it is bolted to black paint to me but could just be the picture.

Yes, on the large ground wire to engine, that is actually where the power is when engine is running, the alternator, so to get the best available amperage large wire to engine and frame, and battery

The frame is bare under the eyelet. Also both the ground wire eyelet and frame are actually threaded so contact is great. Any suggestions on where and how to ground everything under the hood area?

4x4junkie · Oct 27, 2013

That doesn't look like you did a real good job cleaning all the coating off the frame... You have to get that thing bare all the way around it.

Additionally, you really should be using a copper plate (14-ga. or thicker) w/three or more bolts to spread the massive current a winch draws into the frame's steel better so you don't end up with a hot spot where your (single-bolt) connection is due to the frame's lower conductivity.
Same thing of course has to be repeated up under the hood too (run a cable from the neg battery post to the frame mounted on a copper plate).

Last, I'd use 2/0 AWG wire for your power lead just because of the length involved here. Otherwise the winch's motor is going to be working a lot harder (and running hotter) if there's not enough power getting to it.

RonD · Oct 27, 2013

Battery "-" ---------------(engine)Block------------Frame
Same size wire on both, large
Block to frame wire on same bolt as battery to block, many use one of the starter bolts.
The block to frame wire is the added wire for the winch

Smaller wire from battery "-" to Rad support, head light ground
Smaller wire from Head to firewall, computer and instrument ground

4.0B2 · Oct 27, 2013

when I ran heavy power to the rear of the B2, I did a 0 gauge power wire all the way back to for this reason exactly.
My Big inverter didn't want to run right before I did a full ground wire all the way back.
then I got smart and bought a new inverter that wasn't such a hog.

ridgerunner · Oct 30, 2013

Well got er done today. I hit the rear frame with a dremel to grind into the metal for a good contact for the ground wire. I also ran another ground from the neg. battery terminal to the frame under the battery. Tried the winch.... and....nothing. :icon_confused:

About ready to give up I grabbed the Anderson connector and twisted it a little, BINGO! The damn connector wasn't making contact with itself. Works now. At least I have another good ground. Thanks for the help fellas. :icon_thumby:

Winch wiring problem

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