Thread: Winch wiring PATH - how have you done it?

Wondering what path you lot have run the cables from the winch solenoid back to the battery box?
I have mounted my winch solenoid under the driver's side (RHS) wheel arch / wing, and need to find the best path for 2 cables back to the battery box.

I've eyeballed some potential paths this afternoon, but ideally want to minimise cable length, and maximise the security of the cable from damage while offroad.

Option 1:
From D/S (RHS) wing top, down wheel arch liner, across front chassis outrigger, along the top of D/S chassis rail, up alongside fuel lines (over T/C) and into the inboard side of the Battery box.


Option 2:
From D/S (RHS) wing top, along inside ridge of the wing top to firewall. Along the rear of the firewall, attaching to existing cable mounting points. Down Passenger Side (P/S) wheel arch, dropping down onto P/S Chassis rail. Along chassis rail, and into front side of the battery box.


Option 2 is a longer cable route (I roughly traced the path using some rope and put plenty of fudge factor in there) at 5m cable length. Option 1 would use less cable (approx 4.5m). Cable temps will be higher in the engine bay, and there is more tomfoolery to secure cables around the transfer case area (plus any risk by having cables with a potential 400A next to diesel fuel lines?).

Is there another way that I'm missing? Keep in mind the solenoid is in the driver's side wing top, not on the front bar like many have it.

Also interested to know how people have secured their heavy cables along their chosen path? I've been looking up things like Stauff clamps, P-clamps, and the humble cable tie... but also after any do's and Don't's in this regard. Last thing I need is heavy and expensive copper cable coming into contact with something they shouldn't (even if they will be isolated from the batteries for most of their working life).

Stauff Clamp:

Do you have any more info on this topix instruction? I don't have access to topix unfortunately.
Was it specific to the defender, or your D4?

At this stage I'm leaning towards running down the drivers side chassis rail, and crossing over alongside the fuel hoses which run along the top of the transfer case. There is existing brackets which are also used to mount the ex box, and are sufficiently sturdy. From there it's a simple matter of entering the battery box.

I understand there is many ways to skin a cat, (or run cable in this case), but if there was any major concerns with running one way over another, it would be good to know in advance.

Cable ties were up there for my mounting solution, only real concern was heat / road grit / rocks causing cable ties to break and cause the cable to hang free.

Reasons for steering away from connecting to the starter motor are:
1) It's on the wrong side of the engine relative to the solenoid pack location.
1a) ...which would require either a longer or more convoluted wiring path
2) I'm running 70mm2 cable. The starter motor positive is lucky if it's 35mm2. Connecting here would mean that the rest of the downstream wiring is just redundant.