Need feedback for a 12v winch setup

LTDan · Post by **LTDan** » Wed May 09, 2018 6:17 pm

Ok so here is what i have. 1954 m38a1 converted to 12v.

Alternator is a 63 amp,
It has a 50 amp 12v ammeter.

I am considering a dual battery setup with isolator, manual most likely.

The winch i am looking at is a 5000 lbs max pull.

Pull and amps
0 lbs 30 amps
1000 lbs 100 amps
2000 lbs 140 amps
3000 lbs 190 amps
4000 lbs 240 amps
5000 lbs 290 amps

I believe that this would destroy the ammeter due to it only being rated for 50 amps.

So I am considering bypassing the ammeter and having the winch connected to the second battery which can be isolated from the rest of the system for running the winch for a short amount of time. and then stop pulling the winch, allowing it to cool down and then i could recharge the battery back on the main system.

I know that i am going out of my way here by running a 63 amp alt and the 50 amp ammeter but i wanted to get your thoughts on the set up and as to if it would work or if not.

I would run 2 deep cycle batteries so that the alternator would not have trouble matching the 2 batteries.

Mike_B · Post by **Mike_B** » Wed May 09, 2018 7:33 pm

The winch connects directly to the battery, it is not connected to the Jeep wiring harness at all. The winch if new will come with an auto circuit breaker to protect it's wiring. It can be connected to either battery, just make sure whichever you use the charging system is on that battery while the winch is in use. The alternator will ramp up it's charging as you drain the battery using the winch with no ill effects to it or the meter.

Mike B

Post by **wesk** » Wed May 09, 2018 8:16 pm

Why are you using an amp meter with an alternator? You said you have a 12 V system so keeping things stock should not be an issue. The industry standard with an alternator installation is a volt meter.

mdainsd · Post by **mdainsd** » Wed May 09, 2018 9:10 pm

There is no problem using an ammeter with an alternator. You have to look no further than the Chrysler Corporation who introduced alternators to the motoring public in the sixties. All their cars and trucks were equipped with ammeters up to the eighties. But none of this has anything to do with the winch questions.

The isolated battery is a good idea. The high current lead to the winch motor is wired much like the starter is, it doesn't go through the ammeter, straight from the battery to the big + connection on most electric winches.

Hope this helps!

Post by **wesk** » Wed May 09, 2018 9:21 pm

I did not say there was a problem using amp meters with alternators. I said

The industry standard with an alternator installation is a volt meter.

Perhaps I should have further qualified that statement with the word Today.

As for Chrysler's use of the amp meter into the 80's that is about par for a company that introduced one of the two lousiest alternators produced. The Chrysler alternator and the other was the Motorola alternator both of which are simply junk. Those manufacturer's that continued the use of the amp meter beyond the introduction date of the alternator did not do so because they believed in the reliability or safety of the amp meter. It was because they felt people were accustomed for too many years to the presence of the amp meter and would have trouble adapting to and interpreting the volt meter. Eventually the smart folks won and now they all have volt meters and idiot lights.

Lt Dan has not enlightened us yet with how his custom 12V system is wired. For all we know his amp meter may be wired in such a way that all loads to and from his batteries pass thru it!

LTDan · Post by **LTDan** » Thu May 10, 2018 7:34 am

wesk wrote:Why are you using an amp meter with an alternator? You said you have a 12 V system so keeping things stock should not be an issue. The industry standard with an alternator installation is a volt meter.

The reason I am using an ammeter is that it came with the 12v gauges that i had ordered. I had just not wanted to buy another gauge but i might still do it.

wesk wrote:Lt Dan has not enlightened us yet with how his custom 12V system is wired. For all we know his amp meter may be wired in such a way that all loads to and from his batteries pass thru it!

My wiring is completely custom, I am building the entire harness from scratch myself. I have not run any wires to the gauges at this time. The only wires that are run currently are, main ground cable to engine and frame, positive main cable to starter terminal lug, alternator wire to battery, exciter wire to dummy light then to ignition switch, ignition switch to battery, coil, and starter solonoid, I have also wired in the headlights to the foot switch but have yet to supply it with power as I have not set up the military light switch yet.

Mike_B wrote:The winch connects directly to the battery to the battery, it is not connected to the Jeep wiring harness at all. The winch if new will come with an auto circuit breaker to protect it's wiring. It can be connected to either battery, just make sure whichever you use the charging system is on that battery while the winch is in use. The alternator will ramp up it's charging as you drain the battery using the winch with no ill effects to it or the meter.

Great thanks mike, I was not thinking clearly on the circiut being seperate from the rest.[/quote]

kenperkins · Post by **kenperkins** » Thu May 10, 2018 4:37 pm

I think a 5000 lb. ATV winch is a little inadequate for a jeep..

LTDan · Post by **LTDan** » Thu May 10, 2018 6:32 pm

kenperkins wrote:I think a 5000 lb. ATV winch is a little inadequate for a jeep..

Well typically for winching you want twice the capacity of your load. But yes I agree with you as to the 5000 being a bit small, I was looking at the amperage draw, I will probably look into a minimum 6000 lb winch. I'm going to stay under 9000, not going to need anything bigger than that.