Trailer Winch Wiring

[kenmac]

If it was new shinny copper all you had to do is rough it up with a brush and solder No flux needed. I have been soldering water pipe which is also copper this way for years.
Did you buy gold flux ? you should have asked for the cheap stuff. flux isn't that expensive

Shop Soldering Flux at Lowes.com

 

[kenmac]

Make sure you use electrical flux. I stupidly used plumbing flux on some wires and they corroded off in a couple of years.

I used this same stuff on mine and have use the same cable on 3 trucks so far no issues.

 

[N80]

Did you buy gold flux ?

No, I bought the stuff that said "Works even if you don't know what you're doing". I had to buy it.

you should have asked for the cheap stuff. flux isn't that expensive

It was all they had at a very small town Tractor Supply. I think they saw me coming. Live and learn.

I did not use any flux on the last few terminals.

 

[kenmac]

Well, at least you learned how to use a torch and solder. Now you know how !

 

[HHR]

I am wiring up a similar setup, but have installed winch and battery on skid steer attachment. I want to run small charging wires from the skid steer battery to the winch battery and have a circuit breaker to install on the positive side.
My question is: Should I install the circuit breaker near the winch battery, the skid steer battery or in the middle? I usually put them close to the battery when installing accessories, but I've no clue what to do when two batteries are involved.

 

[MossRoad]

I think if you run small charging wires between both batteries, and you operate the winch, it'll pull massive load from both batteries and fry the small wires if you don't use a battery isolator circuit.

 

[joefromga]

I am wiring up a similar setup, but have installed winch and battery on skid steer attachment. I want to run small charging wires from the skid steer battery to the winch battery and have a circuit breaker to install on the positive side.
My question is: Should I install the circuit breaker near the winch battery, the skid steer battery or in the middle? I usually put them close to the battery when installing accessories, but I've no clue what to do when two batteries are involved.

You should put circuit breakers or fuses on both batteries at the battery to protect the wiring.

You should have a disconnect between them when using the winch to protect the smaller charging wire.

If you're crafty you can make it automatic disconnect when you push the switch so you won't have to remember.

But if you forget you'll only forget once.

 

[HHR]

Wouldn't the circuit breakers act as the "switch"? What do people do with dump trailers?

 

[joefromga]

Yes but they would open everytime and you'd have to reset them.

The only dump trailers I've used have batteries that they recharge between uses.

 

[MossRoad]

This is a pretty decent basic explanation on wiring winches in several situations.

How to Wire an Electric Winch | etrailer.com

 

[Redneck in training]

Wouldn't the circuit breakers act as the "switch"? What do people do with dump trailers?

They will not last long.

 

[kenmac]

Wouldn't the circuit breakers act as the "switch"? What do people do with dump trailers?

my dump trailer has it's own battery. My truck only keeps the dump trailer battery charged when connect to the 7 pin plug

 

[HHR]

I think I'm just going to wire in a plug I can disconnect while winching and put one circuit breaker on the skid steer battery side.

 

[MossRoad]

A battery isolator is $15.

 

[N80]

Update: I had about 3 feet of leftover 2 AWG wire and some ring connectors so I cut the wire in half, put ring connectors on one end of each and another Anderson quick connector on the other end. This way I can use a spare battery if I need to or even a set of jumper cables attached to the ring terminals in a pinch.