Calgary Jeep Association

4x4 Related Groups => Tech Talk => Topic started by: Duncan71 on January 10, 2014, 01:18:36 AM

Title: Ghetto electrical/winch mounting question.
Post by: Duncan71 on January 10, 2014, 01:18:36 AM
Question for ya'll - and yes, you'll probably laugh but I decided to ask here before melting wires and blowing up my truck.  I'm mounting a rear winch, and the cables will be too short to reach the battery, instead of buying new 2gauge at 3.99ft could I splice together the current leads with a few feet of 2 gauge I have kicking around to reach the battery?   Cable will be of equal gauge, but my concern is whether resistance could heat up where I splice it together. I'll likely use some sort of large gauge copper crimp and solder as well.

Cheers
Duncan.
Title: Re: Ghetto electrical/winch mounting question.
Post by: w squared on January 11, 2014, 08:43:32 PM
solder = good connection. Everything else = not good.

Here's the thing....issues with the leads for winches can get real ugly, real fast. If that splice is going to be somewhere that you can't get a fire extinguisher to real fast while stuck up to the frame in peat moss, you might want to consider spending the money on new leads. After all....it's cheaper than paying someone to pull your burnt hulk of a jeep out of the bush.
Title: Re: Ghetto electrical/winch mounting question.
Post by: Vinman on January 11, 2014, 09:00:22 PM
Just buy a decent pair of booster cables the correct length, cut the clamps off and use the cable to run to the winch.
Title: Re: Ghetto electrical/winch mounting question.
Post by: cLAY on January 11, 2014, 09:07:35 PM
Old welding cable works well too.
Title: Re: Ghetto electrical/winch mounting question.
Post by: JackstandJohnny on January 11, 2014, 09:43:40 PM
Just buy a decent pair of booster cables the correct length, cut the clamps off and use the cable to run to the winch.

x2

Title: Re: Ghetto electrical/winch mounting question.
Post by: Duncan71 on January 13, 2014, 01:01:04 AM
solder = good connection. Everything else = not good.

Here's the thing....issues with the leads for winches can get real ugly, real fast. If that splice is going to be somewhere that you can't get a fire extinguisher to real fast while stuck up to the frame in peat moss, you might want to consider spending the money on new leads. After all....it's cheaper than paying someone to pull your burnt hulk of a jeep out of the bush.

This post has inspired me to just pony up the cash for some 2 gauge wire to run.