Winch solenoid location - Defender ?

[VladTepes]

Getting some leccy work done tomorrow, so figured I'd get him to wire the winch in as well.

The winch isn't mounted yet but I figure I'd be able to get him to run everything through to the solenoid, then all I'd need to do is run cable from the solenoid to the winch.

So - where's the best / easiest place to mount the winch solenoid?

(Note, I'll be running an in-cab switch for winch in / winch out)

Thanks

[VladTepes]

Anyone? There must be heaps of people out there able to answer this !

[Toxic_Avenger]

I wish to know too!
So if you are not answering and you know, DO IT!

You could be in the running to win over 9000 internets!

[lr110qld]

Close to the winch motor to reduce the voltage drop, i.e. the current path length.

If you look at the current path it travels several times between the motor and winch for any direction of winch rotation.

[2stroke]

When I installed my winch I wanted to mount the solenoid pack in a better position too but there was nowhere better than above the winch. I did make up some bracketry to get it all as low as possible so as not to obstruct airflow any more than necessary. You can mount the solenoids wherever you like but there's no point putting it anywhere that makes the cables longer.

[VladTepes]

I've hear that behind the headlight is a common place?
Is that any good - perhaps behind pax side headlight?

[2stroke]

Just consider cable length and accessibility. Mine was a cheap old Thomas unit and didn't come with cabling etc, also the old solenoids gave trouble and were soon replaced with the single Ebay type. I guess mounting it behind a light is okay if you have a remote plug for the control or position it so you can plug into it without too much fuss. Dash mounted switches are a pain when you want to run the cable back on when you're done winching.

[Felix]

Straight on top of the winch motor. Otherwise you'll get unnecessary voltage drop and your cables will run hot from the extra current draw. Get a sealed contactor instead of those rubbish solenoids too.

The winch when free running doesn't actually draw that much current, it's when it initially starts and when it is under load- especially heavy load. That's when you want max voltage at the motor otherwise you'll be burning windings and brushes/commutator.

Running the solenoids directly ontop of the motor allows you to just run 2 large cables to it from the battery under the seat. I'd recommend no smaller than 50mm^2 flex due to the cable length. And then you can have an isolator in the battery box so noone can fiddle with the winch when you aren't there.

[Reads90]

On my winch challenge defender , I used to put it behind the headlight.

Protected it from mud and water and crap

Plenty of space behind there and if you have a remote switch you don't kneed to get to it.
I did take the plug out of the warn cover and mounted it by the headlight so I could still connect the winch control with the old cable and controller , if I wanted to be at the front of the car and control the winch.

[VladTepes]

Winch I bought doesnt have any remote or cabled controller just set up for in cab switching.
its a magnum 9k

There's no labels on the solenoid to say what wires go where though.