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What size wire to run to power my 8500# winch off my pick-up truck???

Started by LandfillLumber, June 28, 2010, 03:39:12 PM

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LandfillLumber

Hello, want to power my #8500 super winch off off my pick-up truck what size wire/cable should I run?Any information would be great,or just any tips you might have that may save me time/money.Thank You very much,Victor

Magicman

Welding lead wire works well.  I just go to my local welding supply.  They have a spool and will cut the exact length that I need and put lug terminals on the ends.
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scsmith42

+1 on Magicman's recommendation of welding cable.  I use 2/0 welding cable for both power leads to my 8000 lb Ramsey winch, and even a cable that large gets warm on the longer pulls.
Peterson 10" WPF with 65' of track
Smith - Gallagher dedicated slabber
Tom's 3638D Baker band mill
and a mix of log handling heavy equipment.

pineywoods

Depending on how far you need to run the cables, it may be cheaper and better to mount another battery close to the winch and run heavy short cables. Welding cable is $$$ expensive. Also lessens the chances of having the winch pull your pickup battery down so far it won't start. Been there, done that, right in the middle of a big mud hole.  >:(
1995 Wood Mizer LT 40, Liquid cooled kawasaki,homebuilt hydraulics. Homebuilt solar dry kiln.  Woodmaster 718 planner, Kubota M4700 with homemade forks and winch, stihl  028, 029, Ms390
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scsmith42

Quote from: pineywoods on June 28, 2010, 09:41:12 PM
Depending on how far you need to run the cables, it may be cheaper and better to mount another battery close to the winch and run heavy short cables. Welding cable is $$$ expensive. Also lessens the chances of having the winch pull your pickup battery down so far it won't start. Been there, done that, right in the middle of a big mud hole.  >:(

Very good advice.  I have two banks of batteries on my GMC with the winch.  Both banks are kept charged via a battery isolator, but the winch does not draw from the primary truck battery.  There are actually two batteries on the bank feeding the winch, and there have been times that I've run the winch bank almost totally dead.
Peterson 10" WPF with 65' of track
Smith - Gallagher dedicated slabber
Tom's 3638D Baker band mill
and a mix of log handling heavy equipment.

Ed

Go to your local heavy truck parts outlet, they will have battery cable "in bulk", cheaper than welding cable and you can get the size/length you need.
The manual or website for the winch mfgr should recommend the correct cable size.

Ed

Ironwood

The heavier the better and ditto on the extra batteries.

Ironwood
There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love to do, there is only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.- Wayne Dyer

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