New winch switch set up

ac_

ac_

zombicon
Supporting Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2017
Messages
4,698
Location
AZ, United States
20171116_215742.jpg


I am redoing my dash. I just bought a new dash switch from 12 volt guy. I don't even have a winch yet, but I am scaling. I will probably order one today since I just ordered my new Warn winch bumper today.

I will post pics of the new dash switches when it is complete but for now here is a preview.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bobthetj03
glwood said:
We want install photos, or we'll have to ask Chris to delete your thread...
Click to expand...


So I found a how to on how to cut out the ash tray and add another switch and power outlet on place of the ash tray. In doing that I have done a lot of things like changed my map lights from incandescent to LED and adding it to a aftermarket switch that looks factory. My whole dash is taken apart right now. I am also adding a winch (on order) and a new bumper (on order). I was planning on doing a how to on changing the map lights, but the dash changes was like I am going to add a switch then it was cut holes then it was get rid of the ash tray. So I haven't been good about taking pictures. There was some beer involved. Anwyays I did take some pics of the LED change so I will write that up then I will post done pictures and answers questions best I can. What I am doing is not that difficult just a lot of work and I didn't do much planning sadly. But It will look great when I get done.

I should have started a build thread maybe. But like I said sometimes when you start something small with a little beer it turns into something bigger.

IN the middle I am changing all of the dash lights with LED's as suggested here, and I am going to add a glove box light also as posted in the How-to threads.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Reece
Be aware that all newer Warn winches use a 5-wire remote vs. standard 3-wire remotes. So without a slight mod, that 12 Volt Gu kit won't control your Warn as is. The extra two wires in the Warn 5-wire remote provide a switched ground connection to the solenoids inside the solenoid housing. The purpose being to de-energize the solenoids by pulling the winch controller connector which removes their ground connection in case of emergency.

What I did to get around that was to add a permanent ground connection to the daisy-chained ground wiring going to the solenoids. That is how Warn used to do it years ago before their lawyers said they needed to make their winches safer. The winch still works normally after that modification and you won't notice anything different afterward. This mod just makes it possible for simple 3-wire remotes like from 12 Volt Guy work as intended.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Zorba, Happy Joe, StG58 and 1 other person
Jerry Bransford said:
Be aware that all newer Warn winches use a 5-wire remote vs. standard 3-wire remotes. So without a slight mod, that 12 Volt Gu kit won't control your Warn as is. The extra two wires in the Warn 5-wire remote provide a switched ground connection to the solenoids inside the solenoid housing. The purpose being to de-energize the solenoids by pulling the winch controller connector which removes their ground connection in case of emergency.

What I did to get around that was to add a permanent ground connection to the daisy-chained ground wiring going to the solenoids. That is how Warn used to do it years ago before their lawyers said they needed to make their winches safer. The winch still works normally after that modification and you won't notice anything different afterward. This mod just makes it possible for simple 3-wire remotes like from 12 Volt Guy work as intended.
Click to expand...

So to clarify run the ground wire from the switch to the solenoid and to the frame? Not positive I know what you are referring to as the "daisy-chained" ground.
 
ac_ said:
So to clarify run the ground wire from the switch to the solenoid and to the frame? Not positive I know what you are referring to as the "daisy-chained" ground.
Click to expand...
You'll see all the solenoid grounds wired from one solenoid to another inside the winch's solenoid enclosure. That method of wiring, from one to another, is known as "daisy chaining". So Instead of that series of ground connections for the control side of the solenoids simply being grounded directly inside the case as it used to be with 3-wire hand controllers, that ground connection instead now goes to the remote controller jack to be controlled by the in-out switch. The hand controller then passes that ground connection through its in-out switch and then back out of the out to where it finally gets its ground connection inside the winch. The hand controller only connects that ground when the switch is in its in or out setting.

So just make the solenoid's daisy-chained ground connection before it gets to the hand controller jack. The winch will still work normally and the hand controller will still work normally. Once you get inside the solenoid area you'll see how the small-gauge wiring on the ground side gets connected in series (daisy-chained) from one solenoid to another. Like Christmas tree light wiring. :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: StG58, derekmac and ac_
Oh I see, I understand parallel and series I just didn't understand what you meant at first. I get it now. Thanks for the tip. I am old school and honestly didn't know the new winches were 5 wire. I have had tons of winches in the old days, but they were all 3 wire. I guess the old dog needs to learn some new tricks.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jerry Bransford
ac_ said:
Oh I see, I understand parallel and series I just didn't understand what you meant at first. I get it now. Thanks for the tip. I am old school and honestly didn't know the new winches were 5 wire. I have had tons of winches in the old days, but they were all 3 wire. I guess the old dog needs to learn some new tricks.
Click to expand...
So far as I know it's only Warn that went to the 5-wire remote. I only learned about it because I installed the same 12 Volt Guy remote winch switch and had to figure out why it didn't work for my previous Warn HS-9500i winch. Grounding that side of the solenoid circuit made everything work properly without needing the hand remote switch to be plugged in.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ac_
Jerry Bransford said:
So far as I know it's only Warn that went to the 5-wire remote. I only learned about it because I installed the same 12 Volt Guy remote winch switch and had to figure out why it didn't work for my previous Warn HS-9500i winch. Grounding that side of the solenoid circuit made everything work properly without needing the hand remote switch to be plugged in.
Click to expand...

Well that is a great tip because I just ordered the M8000 just today so, I would have been in the same boat. Thanks for saving me time scratching my head.
 
The single best flawless fool proof way to do an in cab winch control is to take the winch remote and plug it into the winch. Take the other end through the engine compartment and use it to wire up to your switches. That way you don't cut into or take apart the winch, it works exactly the same as it does with the remote because you are using the remote and if you want, you can unplug it at the winch, tuck the end inside the grill and kill the switches inside.

I've fixed far too many problems with wired in remotes to do it any other way and it has the added benefit on not knowing or caring how many wires are in the remote cable.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Steven_Olson, JMT, Rob5589 and 1 other person
Good advice, but in my case, I was a professional automotive electrician. I have done this many times with many different vehicles. But that said, I haven’t run into a 5 wire yet, but now that Jerry has pointed it out, I understand what they are doing and why. I can actually wire it up exactly as they intended or can go around it. Neither way scares me.

I think your advice is good for anybody that doesn’t quite understand and might be nervous about the wiring.

I want to hide all of my wires, and wire it up as professional as I can.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jerry Bransford and derekmac
mrblaine said:
The single best flawless fool proof way to do an in cab winch control is to take the winch remote and plug it into the winch. Take the other end through the engine compartment and use it to wire up to your switches. That way you don't cut into or take apart the winch, it works exactly the same as it does with the remote because you are using the remote and if you want, you can unplug it at the winch, tuck the end inside the grill and kill the switches inside.

I've fixed far too many problems with wired in remotes to do it any other way and it has the added benefit on not knowing or caring how many wires are in the remote cable.
Click to expand...
I never considered this to be a possibility. Probably going to pick up another winch remote to keep in the cab & use my current one to do a switch panel control. Thanks for sharing!
 
  • Like
Reactions: JMT
For years I used the winch remote through the window method, it worked well.
I have also successfully used a (hidden to prevent busy fingers from actuating it) in cab switch.. which was a little easier (no setup/digging for the remote, once installed)... to each their own.
I favor IPC class 3 (likely a bit out of date now) wiring techniques...

Enjoy!
 
ac_ said:
Good advice, but in my case, I was a professional automotive electrician. I have done this many times with many different vehicles. But that said, I haven’t run into a 5 wire yet, but now that Jerry has pointed it out, I understand what they are doing and why. I can actually wire it up exactly as they intended or can go around it. Neither way scares me.

I think your advice is good for anybody that doesn’t quite understand and might be nervous about the wiring.

I want to hide all of my wires, and wire it up as professional as I can.
Click to expand...
Looking forward to seeing it when you are finished.
 
mrblaine said:
The single best flawless fool proof way to do an in cab winch control is to take the winch remote and plug it into the winch. Take the other end through the engine compartment and use it to wire up to your switches. That way you don't cut into or take apart the winch, it works exactly the same as it does with the remote because you are using the remote and if you want, you can unplug it at the winch, tuck the end inside the grill and kill the switches inside.

I've fixed far too many problems with wired in remotes to do it any other way and it has the added benefit on not knowing or caring how many wires are in the remote cable.
Click to expand...
Blaine do you fuse or isolate your winch power wire? I know Warn sells an isolator kit & Kodiak sells a power management system. I have always seen & currently practice a direct connection for both the positive/negative cables onto the battery.
 
JamesAndTheSahara said:
Blaine do you fuse or isolate your winch power wire? I know Warn sells an isolator kit & Kodiak sells a power management system. I have always seen & currently practice a direct connection for both the positive/negative cables onto the battery.
Click to expand...

I will tell you how I am going to set mine up, and you can take it for what it is worth.

Since I have dual batteries, I am going to direct wire my positive with a 1 gauge wire from my secondary battery to my winch. My secondary battery is already grounded to the frame with a 1 gauge so I will direct ground my winch to the frame with a 1 gauge wire. And the switch in the picture above on the center console controls(isolates) my batteries.

I will also run it in some plastic conduit. and make sure it doesn't rub on any sharp edges.

Oh I am also going to hard wire my "Plan B" switch to the winch solenoid as to hide and protect the wires.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bobthetj03
ac_ said:
I will tell you how I am going to set mine up, and you can take it for what it is worth.

Since I have dual batteries, I am going to direct wire my positive with a 1 gauge wire from my secondary battery to my winch. My secondary battery is already grounded to the frame with a 1 gauge so I will direct ground my winch to the frame with a 1 gauge wire. And the switch in the picture above on the center console controls(isolates) my batteries.

I will also run it in some plastic conduit. and make sure it doesn't rub on any sharp edges.

Oh I am also going to hard wire my "Plan B" switch to the winch solenoid as to hide and protect the wires.
Click to expand...
I'm not so concerned with how its wired, but rather preventing a live heavy gauge wire from starting a fire when the winch isn't in use. Some examples:
  • Poorly routed cable suffers rubbing against a sharp metal when the frame/body twists going up an obstacle (I know this is user error, so I'm going to not do this).
  • Front end collision that pinches/punctures the shielding around the wire causing an arc/fire.
More along the lines of asking blaine since he has seen many recoveries in JV(More than I ever will), if there is a preferred setup over the tradition 10ft(or so) positive/negative cable joining both posts of the battery to both posts of the winch.

Also I did not know you had a dual battery setup :p. I gotta talk to you about that over a PM sometime.
 
Top Bottom
Back