Winch (Ford Performance) Safety and Initial Setup

[jahwild]

Howdy everyone,
Apologies in advance as I know this topic has been covered several times but am hoping to get some more consolidated answers.

I recently purchased the ford performance winch and have it mostly installed (with capable bumper nonetheless courtesy of this thread). I was looking at hooking up the winch to an aux switch and stumbled across this thread which details a lot of safety concerns with wiring winches. The takeaway I got from that thread was to DEFINITELY have some sort of protection whether it is a switch, huge fuse, or just not connecting until needed.

Several in the comments mentioned using a solenoid (stinger or warn) to connect to an aux switch and many chose switch 3/4 (10 amp). I am curious why one would go with the 10a switch instead of a larger one like switch 1/2?

Also am curious if anyone has recommendations on what to do when first setting up winch? Conduct some sort of pull test? Do anything to protect cable? Anything extra thats really nice to do that the install guide doesn’t cover?

Thanks in advance!

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[KyTruckPlant]

I've got AUX 6 pulling in a Warn solenoid to supply power to the winch. I bought a cheaper solenoid and cooked it the first time I tried it out, and then got the one suggested by Warn and haven't had a hiccup since.

Planning on making AUX 6 a dual function switch by mounting an Anderson power pole connector under the winch plate that's jumped from the winch as a quick connect for my compressor. That way I can sit in the truck and kill power as I watch the psi readout.

 

[jahwild]

Planning to use this warn solenoid at the moment: Warn interrupt any bracket recommendations?

 

[CalvinT]

Several in the comments mentioned using a solenoid (stinger or warn) to connect to an aux switch and many chose switch 3/4 (10 amp). I am curious why one would go with the 10a switch instead of a larger one like switch 1/2

A solenoid doesn't take much current to activate. I'd be surprised if one drew much more than one amp. Make sure you use a solenoid rated for continuous duty. Don't use a starter solenoid.

Get an ohm meter and measure the coil resistance. Divide that number into 13.5 Volts. The result is how many amps the coil will draw.

 

[RagnarKon]

A solenoid doesn't take much current to activate. I'd be surprised if one drew much more than one amp. Make sure you use a solenoid rated for continuous duty. Don't use a starter solenoid.

Yeah this is reason why.

Solenoids and relays take very little power, so most people don't want to "use up" the higher-amp circuits on something that takes so little power.

But realistically you can use whatever Aux switch you want.

 

[NC_Oak]

You've already seen the potential ways to prevent an overcurrent condition with winch use OR a short due to wire contact / degradation. So it's really your choice if you want to and how. In terms of solenoid use, @CalvinT has provided you the ever popular V=IR. A solenoid is nothing more than a coil that when energized magnetically pulls in the load contacts. When sized correctly, it will give you a switching means using low power to allow the full load power needed for the winch. If you're concerned about overcurrent, then install your fuse.

Once you're set up, I'd highly recommend playing around with it so you have some basic experience prior to actually needing it. Find a flat area and a tree or something and do a flat pull. Test out your gear, et cetera. The synthetic line needs to be wound under load so if you run it out, make sure it's loaded via vehicle weight when rewound. Lots of videos out there on winch use and recovery.

 

[SierraBronco]

As far as setup, most people skip a necessary step which is spooling the winch under load. If you just spool your line by hand, keeping a little tension on the line to get perfect wraps, when you actually go to use your winch you risk pulling the tensioned line down in between the loose wraps. It can cause issues freespooling the line next time you need it as the rope will be so tightly packed in to place you won’t be able to pull it out by hand.

 

[Q1svt]

+1 on info posted…

Like you I’m in Cali so sun can bake a winch synthetic line… Warn has nice filler piece for the front, sorry don’t still have the part number.
It’s held in by tabs on cover to pockets in the winch.

I’m just using a 500amp switch, but also moving the controller under the hood.

covers top is one to replace controller box, bottom is front cover for synthetic cable.

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