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

[willys 41]

A good reason and the reason I installed a main switch is because my winch has a wireless control and it is possible for the winch turn on by an outside sources or defective controller wile driving down the road. And that would not be good

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[Boeing720]

On my previous Jk , I ran my winch straight to the battery. After a few weeks, I went out to start it, and had a dead battery. I bought a new battery thinking it was just time to replace it since it was a few years old. A couple of days later, my new battery died. Now figuring I had a real problem, I started checking my battery amp draw, and found a 12 amp drain with everything off. Unhooked my winch (easiest, and last thing installed) and the drain went away. I figured that the Bluetooth remote had malfunctioned, but the winch still worked fine. I installed a solenoid, and an aux switch in the console and all problems went away.
Now with my Gladiator and new winch, I'm not even taking chances. A solenoid goes in with it. Plus, Like ShadowsPapa said ,
"There's always reasons to make something safer, never reasons to not make it safer."
I totally agree.

 

[JAsh1967]

A good reason and the reason I installed a main switch is because my winch has a wireless control and it is possible for the winch turn on by an outside sources or defective controller wile driving down the road. And that would not be good

I'm going out to pickup the Badlands Apex shortly, and it comes with a wired / wireless remote. With everything posted here, yeah, I'm going to tell the guy doing the install to use the switch.

Eventually I might get one of the switch panels for inside that @cranbiz suggested, worst case I'll get a better quality disconnect switch if the stock one feels "cheap" enough to me.

 

[Captain803]

So, maybe I have a bit of another perspective on this one with WHY I did mine the way it is. First, I have a good bit of experience in DC wiring and high amp draw from marine and RV diesel work- as well as more sensitive electronic harness design etc. I actually own the Warn kit and think it is great quality, and I have an available circuit on my OEM aux switches to activate it... But I am wired straight to the battery. Why? The OEM install instructions shows it what way, and is the official process approved by them- in the event of any problems while I am under warranty for the vehicle is not a factor in their dispute of warranty claims. I did however put an additional shield over the Warn cables with aircraft fire sleeve to ensure it would never chafe or get pinched in an accident. Pretty easy to do and inexpensive. Aircraftspruce.com But- once my warranty is up, I may install a disconnect or a high amp marine breaker.

-Happy New Year!

 

[JAsh1967]

Small update for those following along, I bought the Badlands Apex w/synthetic line and after handling and switching the disconnect switch that comes with it, I think I'm going to go shopping before (or shortly after) my bumper install for a better switch.

Something more akin to the one in the camper the wife and I own (same style of switch, just has a MUCH more "positive switching" feel to it,) which I ought to be able to pick up at our local West Marine store (presuming battery disconnects intended for boating, will also work for winches.)

 

[Jaxmax]

Another option with less failure points is relocating the winch control box to next to battery. It’s how a I did and have two winch control outlets on control box one for a wired remote and one for a plug in wireless remote. Yes I have to open the hood for either, but when wheeling I can plug in the wireless and close the hood, same time I disconnect sway bar links. Control box is in the heat if under hood but out of salt and water zone, jeeps is fine if control box goes underwater…..Jack

 

[coryjoon]

For simplicity and to avoid potential issues, connect the winch directly to the battery without a disconnect switch. Many users find it reliable, and concerns about insulation wear or battery drain are minimal with proper installation.

 

[djthumper]

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.


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).

I have this setup in mine. A long time ago someone burned up one of our shop trucks when I was in the Air Forse because they didn't run a solenoid.

 

[Reddog]

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.

And use one rated for the amp load of the winch. Blue Sea makes a very good one.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

concerns about insulation wear or battery drain are minimal with proper installation.

No concerns about insulation wear or battery drain. As long as the cables are secured, like the factory does, there can't be wear. And there's no drain unless you have a wireless remote and have the winch activated to work with a wireless remote. In the case of the Badland Apex - you have to hit a switch on the winch to make it work wireless - so there's no drain unless you do that.

I have this setup in mine. A long time ago someone burned up one of our shop trucks when I was in the Air Forse because they didn't run a solenoid.

Yeah, the concern is fire, from having full battery voltage and amperage available up at the bumper.
Also like another mentioned - things can go funky with wireless controllers.

I just prefer the peace of mind, the safety, of having no power up there. Too many Jeeps have burned as it is, and in event of an accident, unless you have a cable in steel, the forces making things go crunch, jam against each other, the edges of steel bumpers and other things, some of the stuff that got towed into the shop where I worked, and the vehicles where I had to repair burned wiring, and the fact Warn sells solenoids......... and then there's this tidbit I found for a truck winch -

 

[Weldit]

Mine has a disconnect AND circuit breaker. With a circuit breaker close to the battery you could put the disconnect on the bumper I would think.

 

[whiteglad]

I power a 500 amp solenoid with Aux switch #4 as a power disconnect for the winch.

 

[Hootbro]

Mine has a disconnect AND circuit breaker. With a circuit breaker close to the battery you could put the disconnect on the bumper I would think.

Nice, what are the specs on the circuit breaker and any links to it?

Thanks,

Hootbro

 

[bgott]

Manual disconnect. I was pulling a gooseneck dump trailer full of shavings down Hwy. 90 in Lafayette,LA. . outside of the airport when I heard somebody’s horn going off. Damn trailer was up all the way in the air. It could have been that way all the way from Broussard for all I know, the trailer was new so the underside was shiney black as the front so glancing at the mirror really didn’t show much. We had a remote to raise the bed and it must have shorted out. I couldn’t find out how it had lifted but the battery was disconnected before I left the shoulder of the road. It had a marine disconnect before it left the shed the next day. I’m sure glad there wasn’t any overhead wires down that stretch of highway. Or overpasses!

 

[PsyRN]

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.

Did the same.

Which aux switch did you use?

I connected it to Aux 1. It was the first thing I connected to the Aux switches, so I chose it because it was easy to remember.

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