In cab winch control/relay question...

[IronwoodOverland]

I am following this video on YouTube for wiring winch controls in my cab. The switches I am using (from CH 4x4) say that they must be used with a relay so they don't melt. For this application, would the winch solenoid be acting as the relay? I added an inline fuse to the positive wire coming from the winch controller to the switch. Or do I still need to add a relay in between the switch and the winch controller?

Thanks!

 

[clydeps]

You'll need to know how much current the winch solenoid draws via the switch line. If it's less than the rating of the switch, no relay is needed.

Regarding fusing, remember that the fuse is to protect the wiring - if there is a short circuit the fuse blows before the wiring overheats. There should be a fuse as close as possible to the power source, which will blow before the the current rating of the wiring (including switches) is exceeded.

If you split a power feed you may need additional fuses if the wiring after the split has a lower rating than the earlier fuse. Any fuse (and the protected wiring) must have a higher rating than the maximum normal operation current drawn via the circuit it is protecting.

 

[4000lbsOfGoat]

If the switch documentation says they need a relay for this application then you should probably use a relay for this application....

 

[itllgrowback]

Think of it this way: the switch you're adding inside the cabin is meant to make the winch circuit available, NOT to operate the winch. The winch has its own switch for that, whether manually at the device, or using a remote. The switch leg to the cabin is simply to tell the solenoid to energize the high-current circuit and make it available to the operator of the winch. You turn the switch on to make the winch available, and then operate the winch using its own included controls.

So the solenoid passes the high-current through it only when the low-current switch leg is "on". In that sense it's just like a relay, and acts as one.

But the responses above are correct that you need to see what the solenoid's switch leg current is, and make sure your switch is rated for at least that - it should be, but you should check.

Another reason to use a solenoid is that if you don't, that winch is available all the time, from outside the truck. A malicious actor with a paperclip could trigger the controls and turn your winch on. Using the solenoid and the in-cab switch leaves it completely disengaged unless that switch is on.

 

[4000lbsOfGoat]

Using the solenoid and the in-cab switch leaves it completely disengaged unless that switch is on.

This kind of depends on what OP means by "winch controls in my cab".

Does it have the meaning you give here or do they actually expect to be able to *operate* the winch (in\out) from inside the cab?

The scenario you describe is much simpler (and I think more common) but I have seen examples where the winch was operated from switches in the cab, which is a very different scenario.

If it is the simple "activate the solenoid" from a switch in the cab, the easier solution is just a circuit breaker on the winch power leg. As long as the breaker is off, there is no chance of the winch being activated.

 

[billiebob]

Pretty sure my winch has a relay built in. The hand held controller does not not flow the winch current.



The winch controller "box" contains the relays mounted remote or on top of the the winch. If you want something custom dash mounted tie into the same plug on the winch controller the hand controller uses.

Personally I considered the dash mounted controller but I'm happier with the flexability of the factory winch controller on a 10' cable which lets me run the winch from anywhere. Winching a log off the trail or rescuing yer buddy the outside controller is far better than jumping in and out of the cab.

 

[itllgrowback]

This kind of depends on what OP means by "winch controls in my cab".

Does it have the meaning you give here or do they actually expect to be able to *operate* the winch (in\out) from inside the cab?

Yeah, that's a very good point, and I did make the assumption that the interior switch was simply to activate the relay/solenoid.

It was caught in my blind spot, I suppose, because I can't imagine wanting to be able to operate the winch only from inside the cab. The remote (even a corded one) is the only thing that occurs to me as the actual trigger, but yeah for some, having the switch mounted on the dash might be desirable.

 

[jpgolf14]

I wired my winch control in parallel to be operated from either the interior switch or the provided controller. I haven't touched the controller since. I'm always in the drivers seat anyway.

The control switch is just to activate the high current side. Any normal 12V switch should be ok, but it would be good to know the switching current first. I have no relay in my setup but my switch is 15A max.