Winch battery disconnect switch, to install it, or not to install it...

[JAsh1967]

Presuming (and from another post here it sounds like it will) the 25% Harbor Freight coupon I got in my email today is good for the Apex winch, tomorrow I'll be getting a winch to go with my new bumper (when it gets here.) My question is, and I did some research on this, to install it with the battery disconnect switch under the hood, or to just go straight to the battery and be done with it, which is the general consensus?

The guy at the shop who's going to install my bumper for me (and his comment about not paying twice for labor is the driving force behind getting a winch now, too) stated he doesn't like the switch that comes with the Badland winches, says it feels "cheap," and even with other winches, he doesn't bother.

Now, it sounds like the main reason for the disconnect is the potential for a short to ground or stuck switches / relays in the winch causing a battery drain, and some people have concerns about that if one of the wires runs past a corner, vibration could eventually wear through the insulation, causing a short. So, again, what're your thoughts? If you have a winch, did you install the disconnect?

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[Zachanadandy]

Every winch I've ever installed was wired straight to the battery. Every jeep I've ever owned gets wheeled hard and driven for tens of thousands of miles. No shorts, no chaffed wires, no stuck solenoids. Nothing wrong with a disconnect if you want one, but most winch manufacturers recommend straight to the battery.

 

[Idlethunder]

I am in the process of installing a new bumper and winch now. Actually started this afternoon and will get back to it in the morning. The badlands winch I went with came with a battery disconnect but rather that use it I am going with a solenoid kit and switch inside the cab. The one I’m using is the WARN 62132 Power Interrupt Kit. It was $84 and with it I don’t have to open the hood. If I ever have a problem with the switch or solenoid in a recovery situation, I can always move the hot wire to the battery. To me it is worth it just in case I ever have a problem with the wiring

 

[KevinM60]

I went with the solenoid connected to an aux switch which basically does the same as the disconnect so that I don't have to open the hood to use it.

 

[Weldit]

My TJ came with a winch and was wired neatly with a nice disconnect switch mounted close to the battery, which is probably the “right” way to do it, but I hate having to raise the hood to use it,or potentially get to it to turn off if there was a short or something. I would prefer the disconnect was mounted on the bumper or something, but that exposes it to the elements more. So a marine grade disconnect would be preferred in that situation. If cables are ran carefully and secured and shielded property they should never rub enough to find a ground.

Do not use a cheaply made disconnect because they are prone to fail when you need it most. Had that situation on my side by side.

 

[kevman65]

Completely personal preference.

If you see no need, don't do it.

If you want a measure of safety just in case, then do it.

I put one in my system.

 

[Rusty PW]

Tossing this out there. The factory winch on a Power Wagon is wired straight from the winch to the battery. But the wires are protected in the way they run.

 

[JAsh1967]

So I'm thinking it might be best to have the installer put in the disconnect, although depending on how "good" the switch feels to me, I'll plan on replacing it with a better switch (marine grade battery disconnect) down the line.

 

[Free2roam]

I went with the solenoid connected to an aux switch which basically does the same as the disconnect so that I don't have to open the hood to use it.

Which aux switch did you use?

 

[KevinM60]

Which aux switch did you use?

I have the factory installed auxiliary switches

 

[Free2roam]

I have the factory installed auxiliary switches

So do I. Sorry didn't specify that.

 

[KevinM60]

So do I. Sorry didn't specify that.

I have 3 and 4 in use so I went with #2 but 3 or 4 would work.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

So I'm thinking it might be best to have the installer put in the disconnect, although depending on how "good" the switch feels to me, I'll plan on replacing it with a better switch (marine grade battery disconnect) down the line.

There's many threads and probably hundreds of posts on this - most here will run a switch or solenoid or some other form of disconnect.
You should see the talk when someone posts a picture of a Jeep burning along the side of the road or after an accident - "wonder if they ran battery power to the winch" sorts of talk.

There's always reasons to make something safer, never reasons to not make it safer.

My 2020 ->

My 2022 ->

Been in the business a long time, seen a few things burned. I'll never run pure battery power to the front of any of my vehicles. Some idiot will smack me just wrong blowing a light or stop sign or whatever and make what could be a simple accident and total burn-down.
A teacher demonstrated the power of a fully charged vehicle battery (and that's without the added power of the alternator) by putting a wire across the terminals and watching things burn (with a fire extinguisher close, of course).

 

[JAsh1967]

There's many threads and probably hundreds of posts on this - most here will run a switch or solenoid or some other form of disconnect.
You should see the talk when someone posts a picture of a Jeep burning along the side of the road or after an accident - "wonder if they ran battery power to the winch" sorts of talk.

There's always reasons to make something safer, never reasons to not make it safer.

Been in the business a long time, seen a few things burned. I'll never run pure battery power to the front of any of my vehicles. Some idiot will smack me just wrong blowing a light or stop sign or whatever and make what could be a simple accident and total burn-down.
A teacher demonstrated the power of a fully charged vehicle battery (and that's without the added power of the alternator) by putting a wire across the terminals and watching things burn (with a fire extinguisher close, of course).

I'd rather play it safe than not (I'm one of those people that tends to over-engineer stuff I do) so I'm going to request the guy use the disconnect.

I wouldn't MIND going the solenoid / aux switch route...
If I *HAD* aux switches!! LoL
Downside to a Sport, no extra switches inside.

 

[cranbiz]

Pick up a VOSwitch and now you have aux switches to control a solenoid. I have a 500A continuous duty solenoid/Battery isolator that controls power to my winch.

I used to just go to the battery until I watched a Jeep burn up on the trail because he slid into a tree and shorted out the winch wiring. That convinced me to change my thought process.

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