Winch solenoid mounting question

Twopoint

Twopoint

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I am looking at the firewall as a possible mounting location for my winch isolater solenoid.
I noticed 2 divots above the AC lines, and wondered if anybody knew the clearance behind them?
as I want to install 2 riv nuts.

100890


this is what I am trying to install in that location

100891
 
Twopoint said:
I am looking at the firewall as a possible mounting location for my winch isolater solenoid.
I noticed 2 divots above the AC lines, and wondered if anybody knew the clearance behind them?
as I want to install 2 riv nuts.

View attachment 100890

this is what I am trying to install in that location

View attachment 100891
Click to expand...
Open glove box. Remove glove box door. Remove fuse panel and push over to the side. Peek at the firewall with a light source, locate those two dimples on the inside of the firewall and then you will know.
 
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Is that solenoid up to the significantly greater than 400 amperes load a winch can draw when under load? For that reason I'm no fan of using a solenoid in that circuit, not many are up to a sustained load >400 amps.
 
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so, it looks like about a quarter of an inch clearance around the diameter of the divot.
da-yum! it looks like it was designed for it!
 
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How are you going to wire it up or control it? There is a similar solenoid at the winch, just wondering what it really does. I get that it is extra protection but how does it get used during a recovery. Trying to learn and not criticize for what it's worth.
 
pagrey said:
How are you going to wire it up or control it? There is a similar solenoid at the winch, just wondering what it really does. I get that it is extra protection but how does it get used during a recovery. Trying to learn and not criticize for what it's worth.
Click to expand...
That solenoid's purpose is strictly to turn on or off all the power to the winch. Ostensibly it's an added safety benefit but to me it's an additional potential point of failure. I personally don't believe a winch needs an additional on-off switch any more than the starter motor does.
 
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Ya, I was just trying to work it out. You have the controller in your hand standing off to the side how do you operate it? Or does it tie in to the in cab control? Just interesting to see how it would be wired.
 
pagrey said:
Ya, I was just trying to work it out. You have the controller in your hand standing off to the side how do you operate it? Or does it tie in to the in cab control? Just interesting to see how it would be wired.
Click to expand...
That solenoid he's going to add has nothing to do with anything being done during a recovery. It's just an on-off switch to allow the winch to be disconnected from the battery if you're worried about vandalism or the solenoids inside the winch have locked up and the winch has gone out of control.
 
Jerry Bransford said:
That solenoid he's going to add has nothing to do with anything being done during a recovery. It's just an on-off switch to allow the winch to be disconnected from the battery if you're worried about vandalism or the solenoids inside the winch have locked up and the winch has gone out of control.
Click to expand...
So if the winch goes out of whack how do you control the solenoid? That's all I'm asking. Like I said, I get the purpose I'd just like to hear how it is going to be physically controlled.
 
pagrey said:
So if the winch goes out of whack how do you control the solenoid? That's all I'm asking. Like I said, I get the purpose I'd just like to hear how it is going to be physically controlled.
Click to expand...
By a simple small on-off switch that can be mounted anywhere.
 
Last edited:
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after being a motor electrician for over 25 years, I like the ability to remove power from equipment.
in this case, in the event of a front end collision, I don't have a possible short to ground. At a 2 gauge or better, the battery will go before the cable does.

the other reason is so someone doesn't play with it and short the pins, its an urban myth, but better safe than sorry

as to your question, I will have 2 switches in the cab, one to shut (energize) the solenoid, the other a 2 way momentary to control the winch. one direction in, the other out.

check out http://www.12voltguy.com/jeep for ideas
 
so, one run to the hardware store for some m6 screws and it is good to wire.
verified I have a good ground for control
thanks guys, it never occurred to look there as I was thinking it was still behind the AC box

100911
 
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Edit: I see you replied just minutes before I did that you got it. Sorry. Glad it worked out for you.

I don't know if this will help you, but here's a couple pics of when I had my HVAC out for a heater core and A/C core change. It might give you some reference points. It looks like the actual HVAC box itself wouldn't be in the way.

21.JPG


11.JPG
 
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MountaineerTom said:
Edit: I see you replied just minutes before I did that you got it. Sorry. Glad it worked out for you.

I don't know if this will help you, but here's a couple pics of when I had my HVAC out for a heater core and A/C core change. It might give you some reference points. It looks like the actual HVAC box itself wouldn't be in the way.

View attachment 100919

View attachment 100912
Click to expand...
If I had not gotten the answer, this would have worked for me! thanks!
 
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Twopoint said:
after being a motor electrician for over 25 years, I like the ability to remove power from equipment.
in this case, in the event of a front end collision, I don't have a possible short to ground. At a 2 gauge or better, the battery will go before the cable does.

the other reason is so someone doesn't play with it and short the pins, its an urban myth, but better safe than sorry

as to your question, I will have 2 switches in the cab, one to shut (energize) the solenoid, the other a 2 way momentary to control the winch. one direction in, the other out.

check out http://www.12voltguy.com/jeep for ideas
Click to expand...
Do you plan to do that for your starter motor too? Electrically a winch motor and starter motor are essentially the same thing and both are wired directly to the battery. If not why not?
 
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This is not an airplane that needs a master contactor or an MCC, if you get into a wreck bad enough to short out the winch power cables, the wires would just melt long before the battery blows up.
 
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