Need Help - Dual Battery and Winch Wiring Questions (1 Viewer)

[Tredwards]

Hey yall. So I need some help with some wiring questions. I have been reading post after post and was up to 230AM last night trying to figure this out. I have a couple questions for the wiring experts.

Here's what I am planning on doing. I have a warn M12K winch that I plan on moving the solenoid under the hood just in front of the driver side battery. I have been reading about putting a solenoid like the PAC-500 in line as well to be able to shut off power to the winch. I am also planning on installing a dual battery system and have ordered SLEE's Intelligent Battery System setup as well. Heres the questions?

1)Winch wiring - So my understanding is if I move the winch solenoid under the hood I will have to extend the cables going to the winch for pos/neg. My main question is wiring in the 500/700 solenoid to cut off power to the winch.

a)Do I also need a 500 amp fuse in line as well between the battery and solenoid - and then run a wire from PAC-500 solenoid to winch solenoid. I know snake did not do this due to short distance of wire and low likelihood of a short.
b)Also do i need to run a fuse in the line that is controlling the solenoid from the switch and what amp fuse do I run.
c)Do you guys replace the factory battery clamps or what do you do to set this up. I am considering Fourrunners new cable setup with military battery clamps

Here's the parts list:
1) http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001YIPXR2/?tag=ihco-20
2) http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002BBNQGQ/?tag=ihco-20

2)Dual Battery Wiring - I will be using the IBS setup from Slee. Heres the diagram. It appears the kit comes with everything needed for this setup just need to wire it up. The question is do you need any other in-line fuses. It appears the instructions may mention doing a 6A in-line fuse on the positive wires run to the controller from each battery. Also where do people put the controller - any mount suggestions?

3)Any Ideas on full electrical kill switch. where to you put this in line. Is it done through a solenoid?

Any help is greatly appreciated as I am super confused and working on learning this wiring thing. Thanks for the help in advance.

Also - from my understanding - place fuse as close to battery or solenoid as possible. My biggest concerns is possible causing a problem that leads to a fire. Thanks alot.

 

[Chris FJ80]

I installed the IBS system. Can't answer all of your questions, but can tell you what I did.

I used only what came with the IBS kit. I wired the winch to the auxiliary battery, not the main battery, so did not need to worry about the terminals on the main battery -- had plenty of room on the aux battery. No solenoids or fuses unless it came with the IBS kit

As for installation of the control unit, I put it on the center console

 

[Chris FJ80]

Here is the aux battery with terminals

 

[Tredwards]

That looks nice and clean. I imagine that your 200A relay is behind the secondary battery. Did you link the negative cables on batteries, for some reason I believe the instructions said to do that for better winching ability? Are there any significant negatives to running winch off secondary battery, is yours a deep cycle or combo, or what for the 2nd battery. Thanks for the pics.

 

[Tredwards]

Not sure how easy this to view but here is a possible schematic. Any ideas? Do you need all the fuses?

 

[Skrewball]

Don't bother with a solenoid inline on the winch power wires. Its unnecessary! The simpler the system the better!

When you relocate the winch solenoid box, plan to extend 3 heavy cables. The motor has 3 terminals.

Don't put your winch on the aux battery. Having the alt to help while winching is a must.

Ground your aux battery to the engine block.

Don't bother with an inline fuse for the winch. A 500 amp fuse is worthless in an 80 series. (Most welders can do some serious damage at 200 amps. Just for comparison)

Its easy to drink the "koolaid" online and feel like you need all kinds of things to "better" your install.

...just my opinion and experience..

 

[Tredwards]

That's helpful, I agree simpler is preferable. I was just worried about accidentally having winch turn on in accident or similar, I guess I could put a blue sea switch or similar next to the winch to turn on only in using.

 

[Skrewball]

It would be pretty hard for the winch to turn on without 2 of the 4 solenoids being triggered in an accident.

To help you understand how the solenoids work to make the winch work..

The winch controller is required to complete either the ground or the power side of the solenoids.

For the motor to turn, A1 and F have to be connected and power put to A2. That gives you one direction. To turn the other way, A2 and F are connected and power is put to A1.

So... Not likely the winch will do anything in an accident. Now the cables could short, but with 500 amps of capacity they would just melt through the truck as if they weren't fused.

 

[Chris FJ80]

That looks nice and clean. I imagine that your 200A relay is behind the secondary battery. Did you link the negative cables on batteries, for some reason I believe the instructions said to do that for better winching ability? Are there any significant negatives to running winch off secondary battery, is yours a deep cycle or combo, or what for the 2nd battery. Thanks for the pics.

Relay is behind the second battery.

I only run the winch with the IBS relay connecting the aux battery to the alternator. Both batteries area Sears Die Hard Platinums

 

[Pin_Head]

You don't really need a second battery either if you only use your winch for emergencies.

 

[Tredwards]

Sounds like general consensus is keep it simple, don't do a switch or fuse on winch setup, just hook winch straight up to battery. How do y'all feel about moving winch solenoid pack in front of battery to keep protected? Is everyone still thinking fuse on positive winch line is not of much benefit?

 

[Tredwards]

Hopefully will be setting up this coming weekend if wife allows. Well I guess as soon as southeast overland box of goodies get sent out, plus the dual battery stuff from slee. Thanks for everyone's help. Much appreciated. I love the KISS principle, but like said above - this site can make it difficult to stick to it.

 

[misko903]

Heslo, i have the same system. In the manual stands - link the second battery manually, when winching - With the control display.

 

[sleeoffroad]

Keep it simple. Connect winch to main battery. Install IBS system as per instructions. Old winches could be made to run with a paper clip when they had three wire remotes. Now it is five wires and you would have to know exactly how you need to connect those to make it run. Don't fuse or breaker the winch connections. Straight to the battery. If you really want to located the solenoid box under the hood, extend the 3 large motor cables.

 

[Tredwards]

Sweet thanks