Mounting a winch to my trailer.

E. L. Kidd

New User
I'm planning on mounting a winch onto my new trailer. I was thinking of mounting the battery into the built in tool box on the trailer along with bolting a solar charger to the tool box lid to keep the battery charged. Does anyone have any thoughts on the best kind of battery to use along with a good solar charger? Thanks much.
 
I would use at the very least an RV/Marine Quasi Deep Cycle Battery, however, my preference would be flooded lead acid true deep cycle golf cart type batteries (A single 12 volt or two sixes in series). The batteries need proper venting!!!!!!!!!

SUBJECT HOWEVER TO THE SIZE OF THE WINCH AND ITS CURRENT DRAW AND DUTY CYCLE AND TIME OF USE that would determine if I wanted a regular automotive starting battery or the deep cycle battery above

For maintenance trickle charging I would consider (your choice) a small 12 volt Solar Panel battery tender system, (perhaps say 20 to 40 watt range) and an MPPT Solar Charge Controller.

In addition, I would run (A) AT THE MINIMUM a 10 gauge wire protected by a 30 amp automatic circuit breaker at the source back to the trailer plug so when driving the trucks alternator will also charge the trailer battery............

(B) INSTEAD you could use a 12 volt mechanical/electrical (or a solid state device) isolation relay that closes to connect the truck to trailer when the truck is running but open otherwise...........

(C) FOR A FANCY SET UP you could use a 12 VDC coil operated Normally Closed relay in that charge line circuit back at the trailer which opens when using the trailer winch so its not drawing off the truck battery when the winch is operated.

THERES EVEN MORE OPTIONS but that's enough for starters, see how others might choose to do it then decide for yourself.

John T
 

SIZE doesn't matter. I buy cheap excide marine battery. The physical size of the battery doesn't matter, it's what's inside that makes all the difference. You may look at the numbers on the battery, minutes and amps. I take with me a battery conductivity tester, find the best one, check the date too.

My dump trailer has a large marine style battery, with wing nut connectors. So does my winch battery. The dump trailer battery doesn't have enough energy to dump more than about 4-5 loads. So my wench battery, which I don't use that much, is now wired in parallel with the trailer battery.

My farmall C has a trailer hitch on it and is wired to charge dump trailer batteries. Nothing real fancy. I use a 30 amp fuse on tractor and installed a 20 amp auto reset circuit breaker on dump trailer. Did the same with truck, 30 amp on truck. That works for me, nothing fancy. When I'm done just unplug trailer from truck or tractor. No relays, no problems that the circuit breaker can't handle. Used 10g wire, KISS, Keep It Simple is my motto. Connect batteryminder and charge batteries each time I use them.
 
I prefer simple also, that's why my first option was a simple wire and circuit breaker. However he asked about solar and battery choice and keeping it charged so I gave him more options, even if not quite as simple lol

John T
 
JohnT,

I wouldn't recommend solar. Correct me if I'm wrong. I read some place that undercharging a battery is just as bad as overcharging. A solar charger won't charge a battery very fast. One should bring the battery up to full charge asap. Solar can't do that. I would recommend a charger that not only charges a battery, it desulfates it too.
 
I better respond one at a time George:

1) "I read some place that undercharging a battery is just as bad as overcharging."

There's some truth in that George. BOTH are bad on a battery. Overcharging can indeed ruin a battery as well as letting it set fully uncharged for a long period.

2) "A solar charger won't charge a battery very fast."

NOT TRUE it depends on how many watts the Solar Charging system is and the quality of the Solar Charge Controller. A 20 watt system cant charge as fast as say a 400 watt system now can it!!!!!

3) One should bring the battery up to full charge asap.

SORT OF, HOWEVER, you don't want to charge it so fast and at such a high rate she boils over or outgasses excessive or damages the plates!!!!!

Its best to utilize a Smart Three Stage Charger, it will first use a relatively faster BULK CHARGE (may be as high as 14+ volts) to initially bring it up,,,,,,,, Then slow down the charge rate to ABSORPTION CHARGE (may be around say 13.6 volts),,,,,,,,,,,,Then settle down for a maintenace FLOAT CHARGE LEVEL (may be like 13.2 volts)


4) "Solar can't do that."


IT CERTAINLY CAN with the likes of an MPPT Solar Charge Controller like I have!!!!!!! My MPPT Solar Charge Controller allows a higher charge rate initially, and as the batteries become charged the charge slows down

IT SOUNDS LIKE YOURE THINKING OF AN OPEN UNREGULATED SOLAR PANEL GEORGE??? That would run wide open all the time with no smart regulation and yes it could overcharge a battery

5) I would recommend a charger that not only charges a battery, it desulfates it too.

YOU GOT THAT ONE RIGHT GEORGE

My Smart FOUR STAGE charger has BULK,,,,,,,ABSORPTION,,,,,,,,FLOAT,,,,,,,,,AND DESULFATION CYCLES



Okay, my answer was to his question ONLY and I cant take the time to write an entire thesis here on Solar Charging, so I urge you and the other the readers to go research and study up on the the topic ITS FUN AND FASCINATING.

I ONLY covered a few basics, so dont get bent out of shape, its NOT perfect, just a primer for those interested to go study more

HOWEVER I did address your 5 topics

John T
 
Don't want to question your plans but I will tell you how I mounted a winch on my trailer.

I put the winch on a receiver hitch mount and welded the corresponding reciever at the head of the trailer. Winch has a long power line that reaches to the rear of the truck and plugs in at the bumper. If I need it without the trailer I can move it directly to the truck. I can't see why I would want a battery on the trailer. I am never going to try to load it without it being attached to the truck. My 2 cents and I may be completely misunderstanding your purpose.
 
I've always been thankful I installed quick connects on my Winch/trailer.
a172065.jpg
 
Dave H. nailed it.

I have a Ramsey Quick-Tach winch, with receivers on the tongues of both trailers and front and rear on the truck.

MUCH more versatile.
winch2.jpg
 
I use a jump box that I got from Harbor Freight to power the winch. You can plug it in to keep it charged. My winch is 6000 lb.and it pulled a Ford 1720 on my trailer with no problems.
 
JohnT,
So what grade did I get?
You are right about asap. My battery minder 12248 has a max of 8 amps. I NEVER us a boost charger. The most I will charge any battery is 15 amps.

So what is the price of a 400 w solar? My battery minder is around $150. I've seen at HF solar systems, 40 or 60w not sure, but price was over $100. That's why I said I wouldn't waste money on solar. I want to get batteries up to speed in under 24 hours and desulfate. Batteryminder even has a temp probe to make sure you don't cook the battery. One time I used the sears 15 amp charger one marine battery produced hydrogen sulfide gas. I got it back to health with batteryminder charger. So a good charger is very important. Sears smart charger didn't shut off, it overcharged.
 
You get a good grade George, I just enjoyed your chat and couldn't resist tossing out some basic Solar data.

I have two 100 Watt Solar Panels on roof (200 W Total) of RV and a 30 amp MPPT Solar Charge Controller, cost was around $300 as I recall. I have four deep cycle 6 volt golf cart batteries in series parallel for a total of 460 Amp Hrs of energy storage. I'm running a Progressive Dynamics Intelli Power 4 Stage Smart Charger (cost around $150) BULK,,,,,,,ABSORPTION,,,,,,FLOAT,,,,,,,,,DESULFATE CYCLE

And for backup I have an Onan 4KW Genset. Sorry I missed you and Wilson at Elnora Tractor Show but I was busy as a beaver.........

John T
 
"The physical size of the battery doesn't matter, it's what's inside that makes all the difference."

If the discussion was about women George,I would 100% agree with you but I don't think so when it comes to batteries. I wonder about Red Top batteries? LOL
 
Dave H-use same system on my equipment trailers, also have wired both my trucks for total interchangeability and made a short adapter cable to power dump trailer if required due to high cycle useasge (mine requires an "on board" battery to comply with break away brake system regs. as well as for hoist power). Cut a set of heavy 20 ft. lg. jumper cables at 2 ft. and inserted connector so I can "jump start" something around 18 ft. from rear of trucks. I also "hardwired" a winch control plugin at the rear of each trailer (to gain an additional 18-20 ft. of range, cheaper than radio remote), which plugs in or out of the winch as needed. Older truck also set up for front mount winch.
 
JohnTA,
There is always next year. I worked with Wild Wilson many years ago. Not only did I have to do his homework when he was going to IU, he always wanted me to fix things. What a guy? I think I should get part of his pension.
George
 
Yes solar can, but not a solar "on the tool box lid."

At best that's a 5 Watt "maintainer" and that's in FULL SUN. If it's designed correctly, it won't do any harm, but will do limited good.

You'd need a lot more solar than what will fit on the lid of the tool box to have any noticeable effect.

Also placing the solar panel on the tool box lid is a recipe for a broken solar panel. Oops, dropped a boomer off the front... CRUNCH!
 
Appreciate the credit, but I borrowed the idea from some fella in Maine. Made mine a little lower profile and it is welded to some heavier parts of the trailer...like the front rail. Good thing too. You should have heard it groan last weekend when I winched a big gravity wagon onto it!
 
The reason I said that size doesn't matter is because a guy brought me large a marine battery. Looked inside, the plates were about 3 inches below the top of the battery. SO AGAIN SIZE DOESN'T MATTER. It really comes down to plate area. Read what's on the battery or take a tester with you.
 

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