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[wildwood]

Its all working.......don't panic.........

But........ I did have an issue that got me thinking..... i did some wiring and was sorting out in cab switches and put the solenoid cover back on and then gave the on button a touch and the bugger wouldn't shut off.........

My mistake 2 wires on the solenoid had touched forming a circuit that couldn't be turned off.

Now luckily the positive wire was not bolted down the hood was open and most importantly the cable drum was empty.......

but my point is ....this could happen ....out on the trail up a slope anywhere that was bad bad karma....

I am thinking of fitting a kill switch  on the positive winch lead that is at the front of the vehicle near the winch, the sort of switch I've seen is the sort used on my workshop machinery.... a round cotton reel sized thing that you just hit and it goes in and kills the circuit, turn it and its back on again.

Question is these things  'emergency battery isolator switches' have ratings such as the one described of 150amps @ 12 volts 500A for 5 secs

Some of the marine ones say 250A @24volts 2500A for 5 secs

Not being and elecktrikery intellligent person what do I need.... I am aware the 8274 can draw 400 amps at full load......

[tim_aka_tim]

You're gonna need a pretty hefty switch for that.

This guy will do 600A for 5 mins, and it rated at 350A

http://www.buy.com/prod/blue-sea-9003e-e-series-battery-switch-single-circuit-on-off/q/listingid/63566287/loc/101/208408751.html

[wildwood]

Ta for that.... made by the same people "Blue sea systems ' that Gigglepin use......

Found one on the Gigglepin site that is meant for winches.... 250A  2500 for 5 mins so that'll do maybe....... £39 ish.......

key on and key removable so better than hit and turn

[donk498]

Its a very good point. I've got a cheap 10000lb winch with plasma rope and as you do fitted it in a rush for an event the next day, so it was wired direct to the battery. Anyway a few months later was jet washing the jeep after froading and though whats that noise. Turned out water had got into the wireless remotehousing and shorted it (i think) causing it to winch in. Panic grab remote and attempt to stop it, nothing. Panic some more, as it has now taken all slack out of the rope, and try to find spanner to disconect battery. By this point the motor has stalled and shut down and wiring has started to melt. Luckily it didn't fry anything and only twisted the recover point slightly. Now fitted an anderson plug to disconnect if anything happens again. Glad i wasn't using for recovery when it happened.

Dave.

[Asylum]

I have one of these fitted next to my handbrake. Well in the rear cup holder next to it!!

http://www.devon4x4.com/products_a/p59c126/0/heavy-duty-battery-isolator.html

Need to turn it on each time to use either front or rear winch. Have run cable from the batts to it and then to the winches. If anything does go wrong then I dont have to get out to stop it. Safer and quicker in my opinion.

 

[wildwood]

Great, plan seems to be working, 'tis the same one as Gigglepin... the Devon one, also the same as Vehicle Wiring Products.....

Good news we're all reading from the same songsheet I will be ordering one tomorrow.

[Lornaben]

http://www.devon4x4.com/products_a/p59c126/0/heavy-duty-battery-isolator.html

Thats what I have fitted 

[gazjeep]

Hhhmmm, ours is wired straight to the battery.

No seperate cut out....... not my expert subject vehicle elastictrickery ..... hhhmmm

[Bubba]

over the years i have found that all the isolators i have used fail dunno if its the dirt or what  i like the anderson idea and have considerd it many times i have them on my jump leads

[Asylum]

Warthog advised me when I put mine together to put the cut off inside the cab, in a place that sees as little dirt and water as possible, but easy to get to. For me that was the cup holder next to the cubby box. The way I see it is if my truck is stuck I am going to be inside driving it. I have not isolated the winches to prevent vehicle damage, although that is a bonus, I have done so out of respect for the poor person helping me out whos connecting up my winch or feeding the cable back in. By the time somebody has got their sleve caught and is having their hand dragged toward the fairlead all it needs is a panicked shout of "STOP THE WINCH" and it can be cut. Putting an anderson connector under the bonnet or by the winch could be too late. Also trust me a mis treated unloved anderson connector that routinly gets wet and muddy can be a right arse to get apart, especialy if your going to rely on it!

Just my thoughts! Sorry for going on!

 

[MOCAJ]

mine is also in the cab, on the dash, fed through a relay

[Dave The Sparky]

Surely its common sense from a safety and as fire prevention to have an isolator for something like that, especially as they are not normally fused..

Mine isolates my starter motor as well, just in case that sticks on with the mud (this also works a treat as a cheap immobiliser as well)

[Jonny Jeep]

Anderson connectors aren't meant for disconnecting power to stop things. I've seen them with contacts welded together when people have tried to disconnect them with less than 80 Amps flowing through a 320 Amp connector. How do you then stop the winch if that happens?

They weld due the high voltage generated by the back EMF - that's what causes sparks in light switches and why you should never switch off a light if you smell gas.

[isle of man]

Waggers has gas!!!!

[wildwood]

Got one now,  arrived this morning, fitted this PM, safe as i can be now???!!!

[donk498]

Anderson connectors aren't meant for disconnecting power to stop things.

I've seen them with contacts welded together

Very true but the same thing could happen to an isolator switch as there usually just a strip held against the contacts with a spring to push the strip away when turned off. Have seen isolators and solonoids welded together as well. Not sure there is anything thats ideal unless you start spending alot.

Dave.