Winches and power drain

[ovrszd]

Yes there are cheap winches that dont free spool, But I dont recall or heard of a ATV winch that dont free spool.

Friend of mine has a cheap Chinese winch that doesn't. Can't remember labeled name.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Yes there are cheap winches that dont free spool, But I dont recall or heard of a ATV winch that dont free spool.

Thing is, many of those cheapo winches make their way to ATV's by the owner trying to save $...

SR

 

[John_Mc]

I have a 3500# winch on my ATV (a cheapo Harbor Freight Badlands winch). Per the owner's manual, it draw 20 amps when running with no load, 81 Amps @ 1000# load, 232 amps @ 3500# load. So it's no surprise that a bit of winching will easily drain a typical ATV battery in short order.

 

[ovrszd]

I have a 3500# winch on my ATV (a cheapo Harbor Freight Badlands winch). Per the owner's manual, it draw 20 amps with no load, 81 Amps @ 1000# load, 232 amps @ 3500# load. So it's no surprise that a bit of winching will easily drain a typical ATV battery in short order.

Good stuff right there!!!

That's why I suggested searching the winch and the ATV's electrical abilities. Real quick you realize that you can't winch very long regardless of winch brand or ATV brand. They are not equipped with a charging system that will support that.

The cheaper the winch the higher the amp draw under load. That's one of the reasons there's a price difference.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

They are not equipped with a charging system that will support that.

The cheaper the winch the higher the amp draw under load. That's one of the reasons there's a price difference.

And also a lower duty cycle on cheap winches!

SR

 

[ovrszd]

And also a lower duty cycle on cheap winches!

SR

Yep. It's very complex if you expect to use it to capacity.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I have a HF 12K Badland winch and a Warn 12K winch, they are night and day different!!!

SR

 

[ovrszd]

I have a HF 12K Badland winch and a Warn 12K winch, they are night and day different!!!

SR

Yep. I paid $1,300 for the Warn winch on my off road buggy. It rocks!!!! High cable speed. Minimal amp draw.

Also have a slightly cheaper, $1,100 Warn winch on my driver Jeep. It also rocks. Slightly slower cable speed. Minimal amp draw.

 

[Oldpath05]

I have a HF 12K Badland winch and a Warn 12K winch, they are night and day different!!!

SR

Wow really I would've thought the Warn winch would be better then HF.

 

[Oldpath05]

Thing is, many of those cheapo winches make their way to ATV's by the owner trying to save $...

SR

I have this 12,000 lb cheapo winch on my tractor for ten years from Northerntool so far it's worked great and would you believe it only draws 5 amps of non stop continuous use..........
https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200672562_200672562

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I have this 12,000 lb cheapo winch on my tractor for ten years from Northerntool so far it's worked great and would you believe it only draws 5 amps of non stop continuous use..........

I'd be more apt to believe you have had too many beers, before you typed that...

SR

 

[4570Man]

I'd be more apt to believe you have had too many beers, before you typed that...

SR

I looked through the add for typos and didn’t see any. It’s definitely way more than 5 amps.

 

[John_Mc]

The cheaper the winch the higher the amp draw under load. That's one of the reasons there's a price difference.

There is a difference, but even a quality winch FAR outstrips the capacity of a typical ATV alternator. Here are two tables pulled from the manuals of a cheap Harbor Freight Winch and a Warn Winch. Same pull rating, but different speeds under load.

HF Badlands 3500# Winch first layer line pull

Warn Axon 3.5 Winch

Yes, the Warn winch draw fewer amps and does so while pulling at a higher speed, but they still draw a LOT of amps, even for a small winch like this. In some cases, it's enough to permanently damage a small ATV battery. Keep your engine revs up, and pull in short bursts, allowing time for both the winch and the battery to cool.

 

[ovrszd]

I have this 12,000 lb cheapo winch on my tractor for ten years from Northerntool so far it's worked great and would you believe it only draws 5 amps of non stop continuous use..........
https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200672562_200672562

The manual says it's 63 amp draw with no load. 342 amp draw at 12K load. 5% duty cycle at full load. 17 fpm with no load. 1.4 fpm at full load.

 

[ovrszd]

There is a difference, but even a quality winch FAR outstrips the capacity of a typical ATV alternator. Here are two tables pulled from the manuals of a cheap Harbor Freight Winch and a Warn Winch. Same pull rating, but different speeds under load.

HF Badlands 3500# Winch first layer line pull
View attachment 653400

Warn Axon 3.5 Winch
View attachment 653399

Yes, the Warn winch draw fewer amps and do so while pulling at a higher speed, but they still pull a LOT, even for a small winch like this. In some cases, it's enough to permanently damage a small ATV battery. Keep your engine revs up, and pull in short bursts, allowing time for both the winch and the battery to cool.

Oh yeah, make no mistake, I am not saying an ATV will survive with hard use of any winch, regardless of brand. Maybe someone with an ATV can tell us what their charging amps are?

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Yeaaa, there's no free lunch, electric winches are power hogs, that's why they invented the pto winch!

NO ATV alternator can keep up with a electric winch, not even a small electric winch... There isn't even enough room inside an ATV's motor/side covers, to put a big enough alternator in, that would even come close to keeping up...

SR

 

[5030]

Yeaaa, there's no free lunch, electric winches are power hogs, that's why they invented the pto winch!

NO ATV alternator can keep up with a electric winch, not even a small electric winch... There isn't even enough room inside an ATV's motor/side covers, to put a big enough alternator in, that would even come close to keeping up...

SR

Not exactly. I have a Mile Marker hydraulic winch on my F350 and it's not PTO powered. It has a hydraulic pump driven off the serpentine belt that powers the engine accessories. Have a nice Ramsey sitting in the shop as well, but it's PTO driven. 20 ton.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Not exactly. I have a Mile Marker hydraulic winch on my F350 and it's not PTO powered. It has a hydraulic pump driven off the serpentine belt that powers the engine accessories. Have a nice Ramsey sitting in the shop as well, but it's PTO driven. 20 ton.

I've got AC electric winches, DC electric winches, hydraulic powered winches, PTO powered winches and even a 25K winch that's get's power through the out put shaft on a semi tranny, plus it's own gear box ect…

But, I think you know what I meant with my last post...

SR

 

[LittleBill21]

4 pages on a winch lol, 12k winches doing 5 amps.. people must start drinking early in the day, i've actually thrown a meter of most of this stuff. atv amp output is a joke, some atv's can barely add lights without overloading it.

 

[5030]

I've got AC electric winches, DC electric winches, hydraulic powered winches, PTO powered winches and even a 25K winch that's get's power through the out put shaft on a semi tranny, plus it's own gear box ect…

But, I think you know what I meant with my last post...

SR

I certainly do..... People 'think' the power for their electric winch magically appears I guess.