# New electric winch for my trailer



## Capnredfish (Feb 1, 2012)

8 gauge is a guess as we don’t know the draw. 8 gauge is good for about 40amps give or take on an average vehicle length. It needs to be fused at truck battery. You could also just use a temp battery in back of truck or maybe a portable power pack if it is not used very often. Just saves you work and portable power or battery could be used elsewhere.


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## Travisloyd07 (Jan 31, 2014)

Might look into wiring it in to your 7 way trailer plug. You would want to check the fuse size vs amp draw. What size wire is on the winch? Or like was mentioned. You could run the winch wires to a jump box. Or use a quick disconnect.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

I was thinking of a quick connection like the one for the trailer lights, but that wont work. I have a jump battery but there's no way to connect the alligator clips from the winch. So i guess ill get some 8 gauge wire, a fuse and some connectors
My 7 way looks like it may work it's wire is 3 times as big as the 4 prong trailer light plug
But i was told it would melt the wires in my truck


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

The winch directions have a chart as to lbs. To amps. Like 1,000 lbs. Would take 11 amps


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## jsnipes (May 1, 2011)

I took mine to my neighborhood mechanic...no idea how he wired it but it's connected to my car battery and comes out right next to my trailer light plug in. I had him cut the cord so I've got like a 3ft piece with a quick connect that goes into the trailer and then into my car. Works like a charm. Will take a pic later


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

jsnipes said:


> I took mine to my neighborhood mechanic...no idea how he wired it but it's connected to my car battery and comes out right next to my trailer light plug in. I had him cut the cord so I've got like a 3ft piece with a quick connect that goes into the trailer and then into my car. Works like a charm. Will take a pic later


thanks thats exactly what i need


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## DBStoots (Jul 9, 2011)

You probably want to get a wiring harness and perhaps a bumper wiring kit. The wiring harness for the PowerWinch trailer winches uses a 60 amp fuse at the battery, and I think either 6 gauge or 8 gauge wire. Here are a couple of links. I'm sure you can construct something like this yourself if you buy the parts separately. Make sure you use heat shrink wire connectors. Just run the wires from the battery under the frame of the truck and secure the wires with cable ties and make sure you ground the wire to the frame of the truck. 

https://www.googleadservices.com/pa...ahUKEwjrstKqnpziAhVQrp4KHbsjDRkQzzkISg&adurl=



https://www.anchorexpress.com/power...MIspPn852c4gIV-SCtBh0ECw7JEAQYAiABEgJUsvD_BwE


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## jsnipes (May 1, 2011)




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## Fishshoot (Oct 26, 2017)

Have a friend with dump trailer. Battery sits on trailer in black plastic container(waterproof) with small solar charger on it. That works for him. If he is going to be doing a bigger job and numerous heavy dumps he will just hook battery up to plug in charger.


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## matauman (Nov 4, 2014)

I've been using a trolling motor plug for years.
Something like:
https://www.westmarine.com/buy/sier...trolling-motor-socket-12v--362667?recordNum=7
As DB said, heat shrink all the connections.


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## DBStoots (Jul 9, 2011)

Here's the way I wired mine up.


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## Capnredfish (Feb 1, 2012)

Make sure to buy some wire loom to cover the wire before running it.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

Capnredfish said:


> Make sure to buy some wire loom to cover the wire before running it.


yea thats what i plan to do. I didnt know what to call it. Thanks


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

I'm going to the hardware store tomorrow to get some 8 guage wire, loom, connectors. I'll have to measure my Expedition too see how much ill need


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## Gatorgrizz27 (Apr 4, 2015)

I’d rather put a lawnmower battery on the tongue and wire it into the battery charger. That way if you get a new vehicle or want to have a buddy drive it’s no big deal. Will probably cost the same and less work in the end.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

Went to the hardware store purchased 25 ft. Of 8 gauge, loom wire cover 25, battery connectors and ends I can connect the alligator clips too. Spent about $50 yea could of probably got a battery


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

permitchaser said:


> Went to the hardware store purchased 25 ft. Of 8 gauge, loom wire cover 25, battery connectors and ends I can connect the alligator clips too. Spent about $50 yea could of probably got a battery


Im going to take all this stuff back and get a cheap battery. I really didn't want to run wire under my truck
The battery will last years and i can charge it before a trip
The battery will sit in the back of my truck then use the alligator clip to connect it to the winch


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

Took everything back but the cut 8 guage wire i had to keep
So i took off my old manual winch and put the electric on. The space to put the bolts is very small and even though I'm 5'11, 150 my hands are large. Putting the nut on the bolt was a pain. At one point the bolt got loose inside the winch. I had to take the winch apart to get it out, it wouldn't shake out. I was ready to pack it up and take it back. Finally in 95 degrees i got the nuts on the bolts, but i didnt have and open end wrench that fit. In the instructions it said it was 3/8 but when i took to Ace to get a wrench it turned out to be a 17 mm. Now there's not enough room to tighten the nut so now I've got take it all out and figure how to get the bolt in the top/ tight area so my long ninja fishing pliers my be needed to place it in there
I' m going to have to take pictures
Anyone need some 8 guage wire


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Is it tinned wire? Pm me


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## K3anderson (Jan 23, 2013)

It's not that difficult to run the wire. In my case I ran it through the hollow part of the frame all the way to the back. With 8g it's stiff enough to easily run it through.


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Don't forget the breaker.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

I tried to bolt the dam winch on my trailer for the past 2 days. It's very tight and placing the bolts has made me get my long nose fishing pliers and a hemastat. After cutting my hands, cussing and dropping it on the ground and cracking the case, I'm going to drill some holes to make it fit. What should have done in the first place


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## DBStoots (Jul 9, 2011)

Isn't working on boats/trailers fun?


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

DBStoots said:


> Isn't working on boats/trailers fun?


Yep it’s a full time job


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

DuckNut said:


> Don't forget the breaker.


Got one ready, if i could only find it


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

So I drilled a new hole in the front, then worked on it to allow the bolt to go through. Then I had to stick my hand in the tiny hole in the back to put the bolt in the back in. That took a while trying to keep the washer on it. After I tightened it up I connected it to my jump battery to see if it would run. It pulled the front of my boat down snug. Now I'm going to get a deep cycle battery to use as the power source


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Get rid of that steel cable before you get a 1,000 pokes to your hand and have to go get tetanus shots.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

DuckNut said:


> Get rid of that steel cable before you get a 1,000 pokes to your hand and have to go get tetanus shots.


I've planned to wear heavy gloves to guide it if necessary


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## Austin Bustamante (May 11, 2015)

DuckNut said:


> Get rid of that steel cable before you get a 1,000 pokes to your hand and have to go get tetanus shots.


100% get rid of it. I just replaced my cable with amsteel dyneema 8600# breaking strength. Soft to the touch and easy to splice. After getting poked a few times I wish I would have changed the cable sooner.


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

permitchaser said:


> I've planned to wear heavy gloves to guide it if necessary


Leather gloves will help guide the wire straight into your hand when trying to guide the wire on the winch spool.

Get rid of it


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