Winch install fused or not?

[badmts]

Is there a consensus here on putting a fuse on a winch power cable. I can't imagine I will winch much as it has been on the back of my truck for a year now and has only served to look cool (Look at me I have 2 winches, YOU HAVE NONE!). iT IS AN XRC8 mounted to rear custom bumper and also if you have ideas on full length ground cable or frame. As for power I was thinking 34/78 yellow top Optima (we sell them so the warranty will be AWESOME).

 

[martin]

The last winch I installed came with breakers. Better idea than fuses as if they pop out they will eventually go back on. Carrying spare fuses would be a pain in the ass.

 

[RangerSVT]

Agreed. Get a 200 amp manual resetting circuit breaker. This way you can manually "trip" it, or turn the power off to the winch, so if someone decides they want your winch more than you do, they won't set your truck on fire by cutting the cables and shorting your system out... And FYI, Optima's went downhill Fast, They're arent as reliable as they used to be (ever since they were bought out) I run Deka AGM's same technology as the previous Optima's, but in a better case...
SVT

 

[doorgunner]

witch is cheeper......a good circuit braker witch you may need only once....or a good fire extinguisher---witch you may need only once...

but the circuit braker resets itself.......

 

[70roadrunner]

agreed! ALWAYS protect any electrical circuit! the fuse/circuit breaker doesn't protect the device, it protects the wire from melting/shorting. and find a chart to determine CORRECT wire size! you may only need 1ga wire for the front winch, but may need 2/0 for the same winch on the rear. and remember, wire size is calculated ROUND TRIP, meaning the length of the positive cable PLUS the length of the neg cable.

 

[02RangerXLT]

The last winch I installed came with breakers. Better idea than fuses as if they pop out they will eventually go back on. Carrying spare fuses would be a pain in the ass.

You don't carry spare fuses for your normal auto fuses?