Thread: Winch mounting

Winch is fitted. Next question is there an obvious numpty reason that it won't wind? I am beginning a search now about it.
So far my guess is a bad earth connection.

The motor has 3 terminal posts and an earth connection.

2 posts to the field windings, one for each direction, 1 post to the armature windings. The earth connection is a tapped hole for a hex head screw.

The field terminal posts are side by side at the output shaft end. The armature terminal post is at the commutator brush end.

Being series wound, the current from the battery +ve goes to one of the field terminal post, through the field windings to the 2nd field terminal post, then to the armature terminal post, through the armature windings to the motor housing which is connected to the battery -ve.

To check the motor, connect a lead between one of the field terminal posts and the armature terminal post. Connect a jumper lead from the earth screw to the -ve battery terminal. The motor should run when you connect a jumper lead from the battery +ve to the other field terminal post.

If the motor runs, it should be ok in the other direction, but if you want to be satisfied, swap the lead from the armature, to the other field terminal post and check.

If the motor is ok, there may be a problem with the solenoids or the remote wiring.

The other reason I have seen for a winch not running, is bolting the winch to a bar that is not straight. The bolts were tightened to pull the winch up to the bar and bound up the bearings on the winch drum so tight that the motor could not turn it.

I always recommend using an earth cable and not relying on grounding through the chassis, which can cause problems with high currents, finding the least resistance path to the battery -ve.

If the motor is turning but not the drum, the gears may be in neutral.