My first WARN product... garbage!

[da_jokker]

He bought direct from WARN he says,
f*ck WARN he says
I'm quitting WARN he says

I'M BUYING FROM AMAZON he says,

I do say... If I can't rely on buying directly from the manufacturer for quality, I might as well buy it from Amazon....same gamble and I get back 5%

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[da_jokker]

gotta ask, are you sure you wired the relay properly?

Honest question....yes I believe so but it didnt come with instructions And there were no markings for polarity so I just wired it like Ive done other relays in the past.

If polarity had to be done in a specific direction, then that is possible I had the power going through the wrong way.

 

[da_jokker]

So I ended up ordering what is supposed to be a 500 amp relay that supports continuous draw and spikes up to 700 amps.

Now I don't believe for a second it can take that much.. But since my winch maxes out around 360 amps I'm hoping I'm good.

 

[da_jokker]

Not familiar with that particular relay. There are times when a spike is produced by the relay coil which requires a diode across the coil terminals. This spike could cause of fuse failure. You can Google this issue yourself. Might be a 50 cent fix. Or just a bad relay.

So I was reading up on this. I wasn't able to spend a lot of time, but from what I saw, they're saying the spike happens when you flip the switch on and off ... Eg engage the relay.

In my case, the winch is pulling power while I'm winching. It's on and off, but the relay itself stays connected.

At the point that I'm done wenching, I reach in and flip off the upfitter switch and that's what would break the relay connection. At that point there's really no current draw.

So Im thinking...this may not be an issue because I'm not actually pulling any power through the relay when it's being turned on and off??

 

[Riverjeep]

In looking at the specs for other relays, 1 amp should be sufficient to engage the relay.

Either it was that feedback that people are talking about, or the internals of the relay shorted and that's what caused the fuse to blow.

Hope you get it sorted out, I can tell you are doing a very professional install.

 

[Area51BS]

So I was reading up on this. I wasn't able to spend a lot of time, but from what I saw, they're saying the spike happens when you flip the switch on and off ... Eg engage the relay.

In my case, the winch is pulling power while I'm winching. It's on and off, but the relay itself stays connected.

At the point that I'm done wenching, I reach in and flip off the upfitter switch and that's what would break the relay connection. At that point there's really no current draw.

So Im thinking...this may not be an issue because I'm not actually pulling any power through the relay when it's being turned on and off??

Ok. So the relay stays active and winch is operated on/off after the relay. Makes sense. When does the fuse blow? Just randomly? Not when turning up fitter switch on or off correct? I have to read your first post again.

 

[tobyw]

When I wired up my winch, I wanted to do it right.

... here's to hoping for better reliability!

I'm not an electrical guy, like not at all, but I do understand the intent behind trying to do things the right way for the sake of reliability. With that being said, can someone explain how adding multiple failure points to a system (switch, fuse, relay, and all associated connections) is in any way adding reliability to what should be a brick simple installation of winch cables to a battery?

 

[HoosierDaddy]

I'm not an electrical guy, like not at all, but I do understand the intent behind trying to do things the right way for the sake of reliability. With that being said, can someone explain how adding multiple failure points to a system (switch, fuse, relay, and all associated connections) is in any way adding reliability to what should be a brick simple installation of winch cables to a battery?

He is isolating that big heavy cable that leads directly from the battery to the winch so that it is not "HOT" all the time.

Scenarios that come to mind....
If that cable were damaged and shorted out, many levels of badness and the magic electrical smoke would be let out.

.... if the winches relays were to close (energize) for some reason, the winch would turn on, maybe cause some damage.

.... if the winch relays weld together in the closed (ON) position, you couldn't stop the winch.
That used to happen fairly often with the older Ford starter relays and your starter would grind itself to death or just keep turning that motor over.
Trick was to keep the battery cable just loose enough so , in a panic, you could throw open the hood and pull that cable off the post, but in normal mode, it would start the car every time.

 

[da_jokker]

Ok. So the relay stays active and winch is operated on/off after the relay. Makes sense. When does the fuse blow? Just randomly? Not when turning up fitter switch on or off correct? I have to read your first post again.

So it was very odd. My winch line is longer than my driveway. So to start, I had the winch line double back using a snatch block. I winched in the Bronco all at the end of my driveway (on and off the trigger multiple times). Stopped to remove the snatch block and back down the driveway to get the last half of road and when I went to winch again...nothing.

So when it blew, it didn't even blow while I was using anything (well unless it blew the last time I let up the trigger, or soon as I pulled the trigger after adjusting the winch line)

 

[da_jokker]

I'm not an electrical guy, like not at all, but I do understand the intent behind trying to do things the right way for the sake of reliability. With that being said, can someone explain how adding multiple failure points to a system (switch, fuse, relay, and all associated connections) is in any way adding reliability to what should be a brick simple installation of winch cables to a battery?

I believe the proper way would be to purchase a 400 amp inline fuse (or a breaker) and install it as close to the battery as possible. At least in your battery would be protected if anything happens.

I just thought a relay would be a nice touch and also make use of an upfitter switch. Personally I just didn't want that large of a power cable that is threaded up through the bumper and front area to be energized at all times.

 

[da_jokker]

So wired up the new "relay" yesterday. This is not a winch relay like the Warn was, but a battery isolator relay....others have done it so I need to do another pull and see.

You can see the size difference. This one came with a wire diagram to make sure I have the polarity the way they designed it. My only complaint is it there is no isolator between the battery power and the ground of the switch. So I happen to have some liquid electrical tape that I coated the two in case somehow it moves and makes contact. It's ugly (wish I had black instead of green), but I can fix that later.

 

[Area51BS]

So wired up the new "relay" yesterday. This is not a winch relay like the Warn was, but a battery isolator relay....others have done it so I need to do another pull and see.

You can see the size difference. This one came with a wire diagram to make sure I have the polarity the way they designed it. My only complaint is it there is no isolator between the battery power and the ground of the switch. So I happen to have some liquid electrical tape that I coated the two in case somehow it moves and makes contact. It's ugly (wish I had black instead of green), but I can fix that later.

If hole in terminal matches post then nothing should move. Liquid tape can’t hurt.

 

[da_jokker]

Jaust a side note...Project Farm just did a winch comparison test. Of course my winch wasn't included (ingo) but the warn vr and badlands were.

When he monitor the amps well pulling the pickup truck, both of those were like -200 amps. No obviously they can pull more depending on how hard they are working but I was surprised that they were nowhere close to the 400 amps I was expecting.

I will say one thing....if I ever buy cable again, I'm going thinner... Don't care what the calculator say.... Those 1/0 wires are to damn hard to bend around things!

 

[RHeinz]

Keep in mind that winches are drawing well in excess of 400A near their rated pull. Most solenoids, battery isolators, and marine switches are not rated for that kind of amperage continuously. On my 87 Bronco I had dual batteries with 300A ANL fuses and marine switches in line. The XD9000i on the front of the truck would easily pop the 300A fuse if only one battery was switched on, it needed both to draw half of the 450 amps from each. The marine switches were rated for 300A continuous, 500A intermittent (5 minute), so they were (barely) adequate.

Blue Sea now makes a single throw 600A continuous switch, that is what I would use if I wanted to disconnect the winch from the battery. The switch could be mounted right on the bumper or under the hood.

https://www.bluesea.com/products/category/11/35/Manual_Battery_Switches/HD-Series

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Systems-Battery-Switch/dp/B000MMDLB6/ref=sr_1_1?crid=6G5MR8WEVHXV&keywords=blue+sea+3000+heavy+duty+on/off+battery+switch+600a/900a&qid=1678030984&sprefix=Blue+sea+3000,aps,94&sr=8-1

There is no harm in having a winch wired directly to the battery. There shouldn’t be any draw unless the winch is in use.

I own an “in the water” sail boat. BLUE SEA SYSTEMS electrical equipment and parts are about the best you can buy. First class but somewhat pricy however.

 

[RHeinz]

Ok. So the relay stays active and winch is operated on/off after the relay. Makes sense. When does the fuse blow? Just randomly? Not when turning up fitter switch on or off correct? I have to read your first post again.

Perhaps it failed because it was a $38 relay made in China??. I have a battery isolation relay installed on my 50 Willys CJ (switch off, no DC anywhere). The first one burned up (another $38 relay?). The second one I bought from either Summit or Jegs. If I recall correctly it was well over $100.

Also, a battery isolation relay needs to be rated for “continuous duty”.

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