There's no power

[Dockstrada]

Can anyone tell me where I can get decent 12v power supply in the engine bay to run a winch from , I don’t fancy running cables all the way to the battery , I also can’t see any easy way of getting a UHF cable through to my radio through the fire wall without a dash removal .
Any tips ?

[DeanoH]

Can anyone tell me where I can get decent 12v power supply in the engine bay to run a winch from , I don’t fancy running cables all the way to the battery , I also can’t see any easy way of getting a UHF cable through to my radio through the fire wall without a dash removal .
Any tips ?

Can anyone tell me where I can get decent 12v power supply in the engine bay to run a winch from

Yes, it's called a battery. You'll need to run a single cable to the battery. Can't tell properly from your avatar but you have a 110 Defender ?. Not a difficult job, down the LHS chassis rail to the battery box.

I also can’t see any easy way of getting a UHF cable through to my radio through the fire wall without a dash removal .

It's been done. What sort of VHF and where is it mounted ? It can be an absolute bastard working under any dash, but you can guarantee whatever you're attempting has been done before ( with varying levels of stress, frustration and swearing).

Take a deep breath, (I sense a fair degree of frustration here) and give us a bit more info and we will help you to work it out. :)

Deano :)

[Dockstrada]

Can anyone tell me where I can get decent 12v power supply in the engine bay to run a winch from

Yes, it's called a battery. You'll need to run a single cable to the battery. Can't tell properly from your avatar but you have a 110 Defender ?. Not a difficult job, down the LHS chassis rail to the battery box.

I also can’t see any easy way of getting a UHF cable through to my radio through the fire wall without a dash removal .

It's been done. What sort of VHF and where is it mounted ? It can be an absolute bastard working under any dash, but you can guarantee whatever you're attempting has been done before ( with varying levels of stress, frustration and swearing).

Take a deep breath, (I sense a fair degree of frustration here) and give us a bit more info and we will help you to work it out. :)

Deano :)

I have been thinking of running a + and – terminal to the engine bay so it makes fitting accessories easier.
As for the UHF cable I’m wanting to run a cable with a SMA connector for a hand held Uniden UH076SX-NB . So Il be running the cable to the center console.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/09/986.jpg

Il also be using this antenna

http://www.mobileone.com.au/antennas/brochures/cb477/f477san4.png

[Summiitt]

I ran my UHF cable from the bullbar, down the left hand chassis rail into the battery box and up beside the passenger seat under the sound proofing, silicone all holes around cable and it's worked well now for about 3years

[Chops]

I've got power to my winch doing what's said, (down the rail into the side of the box), and at present, my ariel just going through the door untill I can get motivated to run it along with the winch cables.
When I've hooked in the second battery, I'll also have power directly to the UHF and and other gadgets through the main battery box too.
Not wishing to hijack your thread Doc, but i have similar enquiries.
My problem at present, is what's the best way to set up for the extra power from the box. Pics etc on what others have done might be handy to see as well.
So whoever is the ideas man ;)

[newhue]

looking into the engine bay from the grill; on the fire wall left hand side up top there is some rubber grommets behind the heater taps. Using a feed wire you can track a UHF cable down to under the dash. It comes out a fair way up but is in line with the speaker from memory. From there it's as far as you want to take it.
If you want to run a centre roof console; it's easy to run the cable up the A pillar and across the front of the hood lining. Thee is no need to detach the hood lining.

A winch draws heaps of current under load, a direct circuit with the battery is required otherwise you will cook something. Run at least the same size cable as the winch, or even up size it a bit assist in reducing voltage drop because the Defender battery is a bit further away than normal.

I dont run a on/off circuit breaker switch, many do. Usually it is fitted to the outside of the the a battery box or somewhere convenient to use. I run a set and forget 200amp fuse mounted in the battery box which I got from Jaycar.

[weeds]

what about running the winch + to the starter motor connection, i assume the puma starter motor has a big cabke running back tot he battery

[Leyland1980]

what about running the winch + to the starter motor connection, i assume the puma starter motor has a big cabke running back tot he battery

That's what mine does on a TD5

[jakeslouw]

That's what mine does on a TD5
Surely then a fuse or circuit breaker between the starter and the winch?

[DeanoH]

Surely then a fuse or circuit breaker between the starter and the winch?

A bit impractical considering the winch current can (typically) vary between say 80 to 400 Amps depending on the layer of the rope and the load applied to the winch.

A second battery with a high current isolate/couple switch at the battery box end is a better idea.

Deano:)

[dullbird]

Are you saying to parallel the batteries Deano or winch from the second battery.

Its my understanding its better to have your winch connected to the main battery not the second

[DeanoH]

Are you saying to parallel the batteries Deano or winch from the second battery.

Its my understanding its better to have your winch connected to the main battery not the second

I've got my winch(s) wired to operate from a battery couple/isolate switch which when turned off isolates the winch from the batterys which are isolated from each other (by the switch at any rate). When turned on the two batterys (identical optimas) are paralled and connected to the winch(s).

As winching draws a hell of a lot of current and can take some time I feel it's best to share the load across two batterys so as to stress them less and/or give more winching power capacity.

The switch I use is a Narva dual pole high current isolate switch. Good for 2X200 = 400 Amps continuous load (much more non continuous). It also couples as a good battery paralleling switch when needed.

Deano :)

[dullbird]

I agree very good way to do it.....its just that we have come across a feww people with the winch on the second but as I understand it maybe rightly or wrongly if you do a lot of winching then your battery doesnt recover as quickly because the second never gets the full charge form the alternator so the abttery flattens quicker enabling your winch useless if you really need it to get yourself out

:) would like to do what you have done with the batteries but dont know how to do it with the SC80 and 40 fitted

[DeanoH]

..........................................:) would like to do what you have done with the batteries but dont know how to do it with the SC80 and 40 fitted

Narva make a high current dual pole battery isolate switch part no. 61060.

Battery Master - Products - Narva (http://www.narva.com.au/products/browse/battery-master)

Connect +ve from one battery to input of one pole and +ve of another battery to input of the other pole. It's best if both batterys are identical so they charge/discharge evenly. Strap the output of both poles together with a piece of brass bar and connect this to the winch.
With the switch off there is no physical connection between the batterys via the switch. Any charging electronics/solenoids or whatever is totally unaffected. The winch has no power to it as the switch is off.
When the switch is operated the +ve's of the two batterys are connected via the high current capable contacts of the switch and the brass bar and power is supplied to the winch.

Without knowing how your SC80/40's are connected I can't say what this would do to their operation when the isolate/couple switch was on but it would have absolutely no effect on them when switched off.

I don't use 'smart' electronic battery coupling devices. I have a simple battery coupling solenoid operated from the 'pulse' output from my alternator. When the engine is running at > 1000 rpm (or thereabouts) the solenoid pulls in and couples my batterys. It works well, simple and easy, if it breaks I can identify isolate and fix it. On the OKA I run three batterys, one is start only, two is 'rest of car' and engel fridge etc and the third is engel freezer only. Simple and reliable and works for me. Similiar setup on the 130 (when it's finished) but with 2 batterys only. Both vehicles have zero vehicle electronics which is what I like.:)

Having said that I don't think it will hurt your charge controllers but probably a good idea to check with Traxide just to be sure. :)

Deano :)