Alternate power source for DC winch mounted to skid steer forks

[RussMaGuss]

I mounted a DC winch onto the top of the forks of my skid steer and have been using a car battery with great success lately for unloading logs and am wondering if I can easily hardwire it to my machine. It's a Deere 328 (straight, no suffix) and has the automated "quick-tatch" so I know there's electric of some sort right in that area, just not sure if it's AC or DC and what the voltage is. I don't mind opening up my machine and adding a new relay/fuse/whatever in the body of the machine if it's relatively straightforward and cost effective vs always using the car battery (I'd likely chase the wires the same pathway the quick-tatch wires go). Anybody ever do anything similar? 

[mike_belben]

I put 2 bigrig batteries and old welder cables with an anderson 200amp connector at the end.  All my junk has these so the bobcat is a mobile jumper pack or charger.  I lightly welded an angle iron gutter up one boom to store the spare length of whip and dont regret it.  


There is a twist lock welding type buttconnector [this was all from a scrapyard] at the battery end of the hot wire for emergency disconnect since you cant really fuse this and a pinch can easy ignite the machine.  I used copper pipe to crush and solder up end connectors and my batteries are always 3/8 stud top. Rubber hose for chaffe points where you can fit it.  Firehose scraps where clearance is limited.


Works excellent, should be a factory option.



Beware, your winch has a holding brake inside that is only rated for half the pull rating.  If you drag your logs on the cable youll bust the brake.  I built a mechanical brake for my chicom 8k throw away. 


 Havent killed it yet, tons of winching.  It will hurt a single battery eventually.  When yours dies replace it with a deep cycle.  Theyre unharmed by full dishcharges.

[Sedgehammer]

I use these for connecting to 2/0 wire, nothing smaller
 https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B015CKKU6G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and this for a breaker
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B06Y454WHC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I don't recommend not having a breaker before your battery.

[hedgerow]

I sure like to run Hyd winches on skid steers not the cheapest but you have the hyd's right there. No batteries or cables to fool with. 

[Walnut Beast]

Hedgerow tell us a little more on your experience with winching with it and how big is it 👍

[Walnut Beast]

I put 2 bigrig batteries and old welder cables with an anderson 200amp connector at the end.  All my junk has these so the bobcat is a mobile jumper pack or charger.  I lightly welded an angle iron gutter up one boom to store the spare length of whip and dont regret it.  


There is a twist lock welding type buttconnector [this was all from a scrapyard] at the battery end of the hot wire for emergency disconnect since you cant really fuse this and a pinch can easy ignite the machine.  I used copper pipe to crush and solder up end connectors and my batteries are always 3/8 stud top. Rubber hose for chaffe points where you can fit it.  Firehose scraps where clearance is limited.


Works excellent, should be a factory option.



Beware, your winch has a holding brake inside that is only rated for half the pull rating.  If you drag your logs on the cable youll bust the brake.  I built a mechanical brake for my chicom 8k throw away.


Havent killed it yet, tons of winching.  It will hurt a single battery eventually.  When yours dies replace it with a deep cycle.  Theyre unharmed by full dishcharges.

What's the difference if your dragging a log or a Jeep up a slick rock. That's where a quality winch comes in. From all the reading I've done on batteries for winching they don't recommended a deep cycle battery for that application 

[Walnut Beast]

I use these for connecting to 2/0 wire, nothing smaller
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B015CKKU6G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and this for a breaker
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B06Y454WHC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I don't recommend not having a breaker before your battery.

That works perfect 👍

[Andries]

Dragging: all the weight is on the brake. 
Winching: all the weight is being moved by the motor and drive gears.
A 10,000 lb. winch has a brake rated for 5,000 lbs.
That's a big difference.

[Walnut Beast]

😂 ok I see Mike said dragging the logs. Thanks for clarifying 👍

[hedgerow]

Hedgerow tell us a little more on your experience with winching with it and how big is it 👍

It was a Ramsey 12,000 hyd winch that had came off a wrecked bucket truck. It was just set up on a homemade frame with forks on a skid steer mount. It worked well for winching trees, logs out of the small dry creeks and ditches we have around here. 

[Walnut Beast]

Sounds pretty awesome hedgerow. I'm looking forward to getting my hydraulic winch on my new machine for doing the same things you described. I've also got a new electric 16,500 super winch that I bought on Craigslist from a older guy that was never used for 450. The plan was and maybe still since I got it or sell and get hydraulic. Was to make a cage/box with a skid steer weld on attach plate. Then  the winch would be in the middle with a deep cycle battery( Mike). And a quick connect( Sedgehammer) to the main battery. Then there would be enough room for saws, chains and other stuff. I was going to make and use this setup on my wheel loader. On the heavy duty box some class 3 receivers can be welded on for some other ideas of stuff. I've got a 16.5 warn winch on my truck and when I used it it worked awesome. You can double pulling power and more with snatch blocks also. This deal on deep cycle batteries not being used was if you where draining the battery all the way and then charging it 😂. I thought that's what there for 

[RussMaGuss]

Awesome advice, thanks guys!  ;D

[mike_belben]

I put my winch ontop a grapple stump bucket so the one auxiliary hydraulic spool is needed for the grapple.   Ill post some pics later.

[mike_belben]

[Walnut Beast]

Looks pretty good Mike 👍