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Winch selection--internal or external solenoids???

383 Views 2 Replies 2 Participants Last post by  GP'n, 
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On the upgrade list for this summer is a winch. Seeing as how we have a grand total of 0 vehicles on the farm with winches, the winch has superceded the locking differentials and welder in importance. I don't really want a comparison of different brands of winch or anything, and I've already decided on what brand to buy. But the basic question I still have is this: Is it better to buy internal (integrated) or external solenoids? Are the external solenoids waterproofed like the internal ones? Either way, some very serious power cables will have to be run from the battery to the winch...with the external solenoids, the wires would only be "hot" when the winch was in operation, right? So would that be preferrable? Where would one mount the external solenoids? Under the hood? Above the winch?

Just for those of you who are curious, I'm getting a Superwinch 9000..either X9000 or S9000. I know, the line speed can't touch a HS9500 or anything, but the superwinches are very affordable (comparatively), have a series wound motor, and their stall rating is 11,900#s. Plus I've heard all good things about them. I can't envision any particular circumstances that I would be in whereupon I would need to winch myself out of a situation incredibly rapidly anyhow...

But back to the solenoids...What do you run? Why? If you have external solenoids, where did you put them?
Dean

Evolution of tools: stone, hammer, wrench, socket, impact, really big hammer, blue wrench.
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/wwwthreads_images/icons/tongue.gif Hi Dean.....We're having a bright, sunny Resurrection Day here on the west coast. It was supposed to storm, but well....God's people have to win one now and then. On to your question about the winch. When you are using DC electrics at a very high capacity, you have to understand that solenoids DO give trouble occasionally. On our Auto Crane 24C I got rid of the factory single throw solenoids and went to half as many double throw solenoids. At the same time I cleaned up the wiring and mounted the solenoids on studs which made changine them a lot faster and easier. There is NEVER a convenient time for a solenoid to fail, and for that reason and looking back on years of experience with electric hoists and winches, I would opt for an external setup. Then be sure to use only the best welding cable to connect everything, and BE SURE that the terminal ends do not have too large a hole. As in ALL HOLE...no terminal. That will rob you of the necessary "footprint" that you need to carry current. THINK SQUARE AREA when making connections.....trying to get as much contact as possible./wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif Hey....thanks for your thoughts on the thread about drugs. Things got kind of grim over there. It's a sensitive subject because those who take drugs are very passionate about it. I sometimes get tired of hearing the same arguement, knowing as I do that the destruction from drugs is worse than anyone can really imagine in terms of wasted lives, wasted reources, and ruined families. They make it all sound so harmless when it isn't really. I served notice on my kids early on that if they got into drugs, I would take them to jail myself....no bail...no attorney...no nothin', the other cons would be their new family. I'm really thankful that we avoided that problem....somehow./wwwthreads_images/icons/crazy.gif

CJDave
Quadra-Trac modified by the crack moonguy/wwwthreads_images/icons/wink.gif/wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif/wwwthreads_images/icons/tongue.gif transfer case team.
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I think I'm with Dave on the external solenoids, thats what I run on my Ramsey 9000. I mounted them under the hood close to the battery. They seem to be safe and secure there.
GP'n
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