under bonnet winch solenoid mounting

[benchrisfennell]

So on the weekend i mounted my runva winch solenoid to the side of the battery tray. Easy enough. Plan is to hook up in/ out switch in the cab so i don't have to have the box on the bullbar.

My questions are will the standard solenoid be ok under the bonnet or should i replace it with a good quality one straight up?

Will it be safe next too the battery or should i move it to passenger side up the back near abs unit?

Will the solenoid still work cause i dropped it on the weekend?? Damm!!!

If the standard cables the winch came with end up being to short should i replace them with thicker ones?

Thanks for your help

 

[benchrisfennell]

Ive already decided ill get a Albright solenoid and bigger cable that should do the trick and i think the solenoid on the side of the battery tray should be sweet seeing its well away from the zorst. Is 50mm twin core cable to thick? ��

 

[benchrisfennell]

Got the new Albright solenoid. Ill get some new cable and wire it up. Any advice would be appreciated

 

[Old.Tony]

I'm surprised nobody has jumped in yet.

Bigger cables are never a bad idea because they'll always represent a more efficient means of getting the power across. Winches at full power will draw up around the 400A mark, so you do want something really, really heavy. If you do have to extend them, I wouldn't join them - I'd replace them, so that the cable was one continuous piece. Joins are a potential problem point.

 

[benchrisfennell]

Thanks tony. A bloke i spoke to the other day informed me about using 50mm welding cable. Hey said it would work well especially if i wanted to mount the solenoid further away then the standard length cables allowed..... Too thick. He refered to a place here in melb were to get it from. Is mounting the solenoid near the abs until on the passenger side too far. This bloke said would be no drama but needed the thicker cable.

Cheers. Tony

 

[Old.Tony]

I think mounting the solenoid on the ABS unit makes for more risk than is necessary, because you're asking for 400A to travel past the radiator and near the exhaust (remember that you MUST be running your engine, gearbox in neutral, handbrake off, foot on brake while winching).

The thing about winches is that you don't want them to work all the time, so placing the thing somewhere convenient (but prone to temperature extremes like near the turbocharger) isn't really necessary. What you DO want them to do is work when they absolutely HAVE to, so reliability - and not convenience - should be the primary consideration.

With that said, the solenoids shouldn't be exposed to sufficient heat at the ABS unit to damage them. There shouldn't be any semiconductors inside - they should pretty much just be a pack of 4 solenoids that switch power one way or the other. I'd be more concerned about snagging the winch cables with something. Going all the way around the engine bay is actually quite some distance.

If you are going to go "the long way", perhaps wrapping the positive cable in a thermal bandage might help reduce risks. If you're winching for a couple of minutes, even a heavy cable will get warm pulling 400A through it. If it gets warm enough to affect the insulator, there's a guaranteed fire.

I'd also hold the cable in place with the largest cable ties you can get, to reduce the risk of them cutting through the insulator when it's warm.

That makes me think: the insulator WILL be affected near the exhaust/turbocharger. The solenoids might be ok, but the cables may suffer.

 

[benchrisfennell]

Ill leave it near the battery then Tony. Far enough away from all the heat but close enough so the cables ain't that long. The solenoid i have now(that im changing with the Albright one) is mounted to the black metal shield that is on the side of the battery.... Any concerns about this or do you think it will be perfect? Its strong enough....

 

[Old.Tony]

Obviously depends on the weight and size of the solenoid but that's a perfect location in my opinion. The radiator fan is far enough away and you can run the heavy cables through beside the radiator/intercooler - there's a gap that seems designed for it. That's where mine go through, and I run the cables along the front support to the winch.

 

[benchrisfennell]

Sweet Tony.. The solenoid weights nothing at all to make the mounting an insecure fixing point. Holds there quite well, and that side of the engine bay seems to stay relatively cool.

 

[Carchania]

G'day

Ben have u got a pic up of it mate? I'm installing my winch tomorrow and like the hidden solenoid idea

Cheers

 

[benchrisfennell]

Not yet mate ill try get one asap. My computer internet not on ATM.... I was even thinking today making a bracket and the top corner drivers side next to brake booster is another good idea, right next to that flat black module thingy that sits there against the side. ��

 

[Old.Tony]

... right next to that flat black module thingy that sits there against the side. ��

We call that the ECU. Does all the finkin' and figgerin' for the noisy thing in the middle.

Don't - ever - share its earth point. Don't disturb it unless you're having electrical gremlins (sometimes caused by poor earth). It's a nice spot you've picked, although the steering column is just below there, so make sure you use large cable ties to hold the cables up and away from that!

 

[benchrisfennell]

Ill keep that in mind Tony. So that spot next to the ecu is fine just do t tinker with that. The screw it is held in by at the top of the ecu, can we unscrew that bolt and bolt a bracket to that and screw it back in or is this a possible problem maker. Just getting the right info so i can pass it on, and on and on ��

 

[Old.Tony]

I don't think that screw will cause a lot of trouble. There should be plenty of room to pass the cables down the side and around the front of the battery too (I'd prefer that path than the one nearer the engine).

 

[benchrisfennell]

Yea that what i was thinking mate. Ill put it there. Its clean and dry up there and yes ill take out the battery to run the wires. Ill post pics when i have done this Tony to give other forum members idea for the future. Thanks again for your input. Always needed and appreciated ��

 

[Smarto]

But old now, but any chance you took the photos? Keen to see how it turned out.

 

[Giltos]

Bump on an old thread, wanting to do the same next weekend. Any pics or update benchrisfennell ? How'd it all turn out?

 

[navarian]

I mounted mine to the power steering fluid reservoir bracket. It's been there for years without a problem. The bracket is easy to remove and just needs a couple of holes drilled.