My first WARN product... garbage!

[Arokcrwlr]

I used a Stinger 500A relay/isolator for my winch install triggered by an upfitter switch. No issues.

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[da_jokker]

I used a Stinger 500A relay/isolator for my winch install triggered by an upfitter switch. No issues.

I was eye balling the stinger...got a knock off this round. Did you get yours on Amazon or somewhere else (because some of the stinger reviews on Amazon claimed they were fake and too cheap to be original)

 

[Arokcrwlr]

I was eye balling the stinger...got a knock off this round. Did you get yours on Amazon or somewhere else (because some of the stinger reviews on Amazon claimed they were fake and too cheap to be original)

I did buy it from Amazon. I'm pretty sure it's legit - if not they did a hell of a job copying, down to packaging, etc. Everything was identical to the one at my local stereo shop ($20 more than Amazon at $110). It works great so far - we'll see...

 

[Squatch]

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.

Can you post a link or specs for this one?

I have that Warn solenoid ready to install (blow a fuse?) next week and want to know a backup solution.

 

[da_jokker]

Can you post a link or specs for this one?

I have that Warn solenoid ready to install (blow a fuse?) next week and want to know a backup solution.

Yeah I wouldn't bother with the Warn relay...but who knows.

The knock off I bought was...

500 Amp Battery Isolator for... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B082HMDMLG?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

But here's the deal... By the time I burned up my Warn Relay and bought this knock off, I could have just bought the stinger.

If I were you, I'd send the Warn back for a refund and just spend the 100 now

In that knockoff, there were a few verified posters that said they used it for a winch so that's what I'm crossing my fingers on.

 

[NOVA Bronco]

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

I got a good laugh out of that. I've let the "magic electrical smoke" out a few times when working with electronics. Once the smoke is out you can't put it back! lol

 

[Roofus]

I used a Stinger 500A relay/isolator for my winch install triggered by an upfitter switch. No issues.

This one? https://stingerelectronics.com/products/500-amp-relay-and-isolator

I've been researching how to run this to the upfitter switches. So you went winch to relay to battery? And then, upfitter switch to relay?

 

[Arokcrwlr]

This one? https://stingerelectronics.com/products/500-amp-relay-and-isolator

I've been researching how to run this to the upfitter switches. So you went winch to relay to battery? And then, upfitter switch to relay?

That's the one and that is how I have it wired. Basically, all the upfitter switch does, is energize the relay - no possible way to get power to the winch otherwise.

 

[Roofus]

That's the one and that is how I have it wired. Basically, all the upfitter switch does, is energize the relay - no possible way to get power to the winch otherwise.

Excellent! Would you be willing to snap a pic of your wiring? Also, which upfitter switch did you end up using? Thanks!

 

[Jdyount]

So a few things, all winches have solenoids, they're just built into the control box. So option 1, move the control box closer to your battery.

Second, use a battery disconnect on the positive cable. Just pop the hood before you go wheeling and turn it on. Simple.

KISS = Keep it simple stupid

 

[Arokcrwlr]

Excellent! Would you be willing to snap a pic of your wiring? Also, which upfitter switch did you end up using? Thanks!

I used upfitter 6. I'll post a pic when I get home tonight.

 

[Arokcrwlr]

So a few things, all winches have solenoids, they're just built into the control box. So option 1, move the control box closer to your battery.

Second, use a battery disconnect on the positive cable. Just pop the hood before you go wheeling and turn it on. Simple.

KISS = Keep it simple stupid

I had no desire to relocate the solenoid. I did consider the battery cutoff, but didn't go that route for some reason -I've slept a few times since then and can't remember why I didn't go with a disconnect. The relay is pretty simple and Ford did us a solid on the upfitter wiring...

 

[Jdyount]

I had no desire to relocate the solenoid. I did consider the battery cutoff, but didn't go that route for some reason -I've slept a few times since then and can't remember why I didn't go with a disconnect. The relay is pretty simple and Ford did us a solid on the upfitter wiring...

I'm guessing it was probably because you wanted an excuse to use an uplifter.

 

[Strizzo]

This may come across rough, but I'm pretty pissed right now.

When I wired up my winch, I wanted to do it right. One of the features was I wanted a relay in between the winch and the battery so that the big thick power cable running through the engine compartment and out to the front wasn't energized unless I needed it to be.

To make it even cooler, I wired up the relay to an upfitter switch (10a).

Anyway, after doing some research I had stumbled across the Warn winch relay...

https://www.warn.com/warn-industries-72631-winch-solenoid

This sounded perfect and after reading some reviews on Amazon about people getting non-genuine Warn relays, I decided to order my directly from Warn and take no chances.

Yesterday, I decided to test the winch (You know, test it before you need it!) So I pulled the full lenght of my winch line out and started to pre tension....

Now I didn't just hold the "IN" button, but was off and on it. Within 5 minutes, my winch stopped working. Took me a bit with a test light but found out the relay wasn't getting the power signal from the Upfitter. Checked the fuse and it was blown.

I was kind of like WTF ford..this relay should not have blown that 10a fuse but at this point I just need to get my winch line back in so I can drive. I replaced the fuse and my winch still didn't work.

Then I tested across the primary post on the relay...dead as can be.

So apparently, my Warn Winch Relay, which they claim is for their 10,000 lb winch...is total ggarbage. Glad I don't own any other Warn products.

i was able to move one of the cables over to the other post to bypass the relay and finished the job.

off to buy something better on Amazon..found a 500amp battery isolator that more than one person said they are using it for their winch... here's to hoping for better reliability!

yeah thats pretty much just a ford starter solenoid that Warn sells.

 

[BroncoAZ]

So a few things, all winches have solenoids, they're just built into the control box. So option 1, move the control box closer to your battery.

Second, use a battery disconnect on the positive cable. Just pop the hood before you go wheeling and turn it on. Simple.

KISS = Keep it simple stupid

I like these switches, but beware of the amp rating. Winches draw upwards of 450 amps for a long duration on a pull. On my 87 Bronco I ran one switch per battery (interior mounted batteries) to kill power to the entire truck. I had a 300 amp ANL fuse on each one. The continuous duty rating of the switch was something like 250 amps. I figured running two in parallel would be ok and it was for 20 years.

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