Wiring Over Kill

[tuko]

The last few days I finally got about installing the Warn 9.5Xp winch in place of the old M8000, great when the bolt pattern is the same with Warn products. This morning I was going over the old winch and based on the wires on that winch, I went into town to buy new wires.

The original wires from the Warn solenoid pac to the winch motor are 25mm² and the wires from the battery are 50mm². Once I had all the required wires and connectors I set about to hook up the winch with the Albright but I started to second guess the 25mm² wires. They are half the size of the wires from the battery, is that correct?

I have a few meters of 35mm² wire that I decided to use from the Albright to the winch motor instead, they look more up the job and don't look all that out of place next to the larger 50mm² wires.

But all these wires have got me thinking while I sit here having a cold one or three

If the original wires on the M8000 solenoid pac are correct, then is the 50mm² to the battery wrong or was it over kill from the guy that I bought the winch from? Then thinking that if the 50mm² are correct, would the smaller 25mm² be too small or even incorrect and should be upgraded to 35mm² or even larger 50mm²?

Using larger wire might be over kill for a pleasure vehicle that the winch will be mostly used for self recovery but what are the correct wire sizes that should be used for wiring in a winch ( Warn 9.5Xp ) with an Albright? Stick to orignial size or step it up for good measure?

Todd.

[LandyManLuke]

35mm^2 is pretty much the norm, I would certainly say that 25m^2 is too small. 50mm^s can be rather cumbersome to route and work with.

[tuko]

50mm^s can be rather cumbersome to route and work with.

I agree but the battery has been moved to under the passenger seat, so wouldn't I need the extra size? I think the length of the wires to the battery box was something around 2.8 meters.

Todd.

[Night Train]

All cable has an electrical resistence. It increases with length so you would use a larger cross sectional area to make up for it. The volt drop is more noticable at lower voltages so it matters more at 12 volts. Once you have your 12 volts at the winch then the short runs of slightly smaller cable will surfice.

[TheRecklessEngineer]

^^Wot NightTrain said.

You will need 50mm^2 to the solenoid pack as this is a long run. A smaller diameter cable running to the motor for a short distance will have a similar resistance value. It won't hurt putting 35mm^2 on it - it's always better to over engineer these things.

[FridgeFreezer]

No harm in bigger cable, the further you're going the more you're losing with thin cable especially as the amps ramp up (P = I²R) and the more stress you put the winch under (lower voltage = higher current = much hotter motor).

[bobed90]

I am currently installing 60mm2 on my build. I used to run 35mm2 but i was concerned by the voltage draw of the winch and the length of the cable. I would run at least 35mm2 for your application, but if you can fit larger then do so as will be better in the long run.

jason

[steve_d]

....if you can fit larger then do so as will be better in the long run....

Sorry, you can't be allowed get away with that.

Steve

[bishbosh]

Eh? Why not? Larger wire = less losses = more powerful cooler winch.

Only downside is the pliability of the cabling.

I have just done my front winch on a 90 with 70mm². Only because I had 10m of it for another abandoned project (RIP Bishtail ) but as it was high quality stuff it was not too bad, even with the cable being double armoured.

I agree that for normal winch set ups, 35mm² or 50mm² is absolutely fine, but bigger is most definately better!

[Mark]

Sorry Bish, I agree with Steve - Puns like that should not be allowed.....

Mark

[bishbosh]

My brain must still be anaesthetised I don't get it....

Something about the long run mebbee?????

[clbarclay]

I'm not sure what the duty cycle of a typical winch motor or solenoids are, but most LR sized winches can draw over 400 amps which is more than even 70mm2 cable can withstand continuosly. You may find though that the solenoids or motor a damaged by the heat before the cables melt.

Winch motors are connected in series, resulting in the same current passing through all the cables, so using 2 sizes of cable won't increase the duty cycle above what the smaller cable can handle, but electrical resistance will be reduced slightly, which will reduce power losses.

Bigger is generally better, but for efficientcy its best to make sure the cables are as short as possible and unless your winching at near full load for long periods of time and not allowing it to cool down then 35mm2 should withstand typical use. It is after all what is by most manufactuirer supply with typical 4x4 recovery winches.

[smo]

Or just move to 24v (either overvolting or with 24v motor) and by doubling the voltage halve the current