24v winch wiring

I'm working with Crash on this topic and thought it would be good to post in these section.

I want to wire the 12k winch for 24v while keeping the rest of my system as 12v.

Currently we have both power feeds from the batteries going to a marine switch with a single power output. My winch power supply comes off this output.

It's been a while since my eletrical shop courses in high school.

Forgetting the rest of the system for now. To get a 24v system for my winch, would I hook up a connection to the positive to each of my batteries to get 24v or would this double my amperage instead of the voltage?

Gibby said:

I'm working with Crash on this topic and thought it would be good to post in these section.

I want to wire the 12k winch for 24v while keeping the rest of my system as 12v.

Currently we have both power feeds from the batteries going to a marine switch with a single power output. My winch power supply comes off this output.

It's been a while since my eletrical shop courses in high school.

Forgetting the rest of the system for now. To get a 24v system for my winch, would I hook up a connection to the positive to each of my batteries to get 24v or would this double my amperage instead of the voltage?

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Wire the batteries in series. This will multiply the voltage. Wiring in parallel multiplies the amperage.

Current is common in series
Voltage is common in parallel.

I spoke with Premier Power Welder (I got my alternator from them). They basically told me that I need two battery banks, exactly as Crash said, but they do have a top charger that allows the alternator to charge both banks of batteries separately.

I also checked with WARN. The 12k Winch can be 12v or 24v but it's a different motor. Not worth the money.

Premier power welder does have a very unique feature when you use their system. You can flip a high charge switch which bumps it up to a 16v circuit and at about 2500 rpm it will fully charge a completely dead battery in 3-4minutes, but you have to be careful to turn the switch off otherwise you'll recharge the battery. It's very useful when winching as it won't burn up the electronics but will provide extra charging power.

Crash did tell me that the inside of the positive electrode was melted. PPW told me that this can happen with the postive cable is not tight enough OR if you tighten the cable without holding the bottom nut. The electrode can turn on the inside and either touch up against the body of the alternator or arc to it under high load. I think this happened because every since my last winch fest, I'm not holding a charge and draining my dual optima blue tops if I leave it sit for a week or so with the battery switch on. I must have had a grounding issue at this burnt electrode.

So for now, I'll leave everything as is and just try that hi charge switch on the welder unit under heavy winch conditions.

Heavy winch conditions shouldn't even phase an optima.

I have dual red tops and when I get into heavy winching conditions, I filp a switch and it completely isolates one of may batteries for winching. No alternator going to it, nothing. Then when I am done winching, I flip the swich back and the alternator charges both batteries again.

This system works great cause I can use both batteries for either function. (ie starting or winching)

I know you aren't supposed to bitch-slap your batteries like that. But with Autozone's 3 year warranty it sure is fun. I've done two full HARD pulls on my winch and the battery still had room for more.

The 12k winch pulls 440 amp at full pulls. That will simply drain any battery. My alternator is 160amps but that's still short of the 440 that the winch can draw.

In my last winch fest I pulled Jaydog probably 10 minutes through the snow, plus all the spooling in and out as we repositioned. Then I had to pull me for a short pull and that was about it...

I did get some good advice that I'd not heard before about winching techniques. According to the guy at Premier Power Welder, he said that you should pull 10-15 seconds, stop for 40-45 seconds and pull again. Especially in situations where frequent winching or extending winching is going to be required. The keeps the stress on the winch and battery down to prevent overheating of the winch and charging system. I was doing pretty much full cable pulls, 100+ feet at a time, reposition and do it again...

We were about 300' or more from the sharp left turn near the end of lower 311. The next obstacle was the rocky ledges, and we had a foot or more of fresh snow. Jaydog is open and got stopped, he couldn't get moving again so I hauled him all the way up around the corner (snatched blocked to a tree in front of him and pulled him up while I was behind him). Then up to and through the rocky ledges. Then I had to haul my heavy butt up one small section. I got into position to use the rear winch to haul the next guy up, I could hardly spool out...

I now know about the secret switch though.

KarlVP said:

Heavy winch conditions shouldn't even phase an optima.

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yOU DON'T know gibby

Gibby said:

The 12k winch pulls 440 amp at full pulls. That will simply drain any battery. My alternator is 160amps but that's still short of the 440 that the winch can draw.

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In theory, two batteries should roughly double your winching time (battery life), whether you wire in series for 24V or in paralell for 12V.

In other words, all a 24V setup will buy you is a shiat load of complexity...

CrustyJeep said:

In other words, all a 24V setup will buy you is a shiat load of complexity...

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A ton. it can be done but I have yet to see a voltage switching device that is desinged for a 12v system that can handle a **** load of amps for exteneded times and the complexity would be nuts. To switch from 12v to 24v and keep the system isolated from the vehicle(24v that is)..

One thing gibby needs to do is dump the excide 750CC batteries for some good 1000CC red tops..

crash said:

A ton. it can be done but I have yet to see a voltage switching device that is desinged for a 12v system that can handle a **** load of amps for exteneded times and the complexity would be nuts. To switch from 12v to 24v and keep the system isolated from the vehicle(24v that is)..

One thing gibby needs to do is dump the excide 750CC batteries for some good 1000CC red tops..

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Interstate now makes a battery with 2200+ CCA and a 250RC. It's about the size of a red top with two extra cans on it.

would this work. Just hook up your normal vehicle system to 1 battery and then wire the winch across two. In theory I see the voltage loop of the normal vehicle system not changing while you get a 24v potential for the winch.

Someone may want to chime in, i didn't do the best in electical theory

Bobbo3234 said:

would this work.

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That should work, but to be able to charge the second battery, you'd have to have a bunch of big ass switches. The 24V side of the system would have to work in two distinct modes; 12V parallel for charging, and 24V series for operating the winch. Hence, much complexity.

Well OK one big ass switch, but it has to be a double pole, and then another medium switch.

('Xcuse my while I butcher your drawing )

Premier Power Welder does have adaptor of sorts to make this 12/24v system work. They guy I spoke with said that he's had some articles published regarding this electrical setup. If I get a chance I'll call him back and see if I can find out where.

Hey Crash, if you're going to call to get the parts we need, see if you can find out. It would be an interesting read even if I'm not going in that direction.

I may need some batteries for my jet boat. If I do, I'll get the bigger batteries for the 4Runner and put this pair of batteries in the boat.