Winch solenoid

[warrenpfo]

I have been thinking when I get the new cruiser and start to add all the bits I have I might upgrade my winch solenoid to an albright for piece of mind.

That then got me thinking that if your winch solenoid dies on you can you make a plan with jumper cables to still operate your winch or are the Amps required for the job make it a potentially dangerous operation.

My understanding is that a solenoid is just a switch at the end of the day but I may be wrong.

 

[Chris]

Warren, you really do worry about some weird stuff you know.

What winch do you have - isn't it the Goldfish? The solenoids in them are almost as good as the Albrights anyway. They aren't some cheap thing just thrown in to get you going. I've had three Goldfish 9.5s - two on this truck at the minute and I use them under water. They have never stopped. Took them to bits last week to have a look and other than adding a bit of grease they were fine. Solenoids have never failed. I recently rang David and asked if Albrights were the best upgrades and he told me to save my money!!

If you don't have a Goldfish, then get one and don't bother swapping the solenoid in whatever you have now.

Chris

 

[warrenpfo]

Thanks Chris, its not the quality of the solenoid that I am worried about as yes its from David and so have plenty faith in it but more of a "What if" question.

You in the bush stuck. Start to winch and oh crap the solenoid is buggered. Can you with jumper leads make a plan to bypass it or does it serve as something else other than a switch.

I have lots of time on my hands and work is as borring as so I do think of some odd things.

 

[TonyP]

I think you will have other issues before you have a issues with the solenoid, unless you have those horrid WARN crappy 4 pot things. On LB I had issues with the winch and in the end it turned out to be a combination of the WARN solinoids and a bad/corroded earth to the winch remote.

As Chris/Dave say, save you cash

 

[Chris]

Sorry Warren, I didn't answer that bit for you. All the solenoid is, yes, is a relay to connect the power to the terminals of the winch. I actually ran one of mine on the floor the other day using exactly the method you described. Jump leads from battery to winch.

I'm lucky, I carry a whole spare winch in the rear bumper

Chris

 

[warrenpfo]

Thanks Chris

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

The solenoid supplied with my Goldfish failed after very little use, the contacts had fallen off when I had a look inside iirc.

 

[jeepmadmike]

Snag is the Albright copies are made in china = no quality control, every corner cut etc if it's not a branded product

I would just fit a Albright and keep the cheapo one as a door stop!

 

[warrenpfo]

Which one to use for my 12k good winch??

http://www.thetoolboxshop.com/albri...r-reversing-sealed-switch-solenoids-688-c.asp

or is it one of these

http://www.thetoolboxshop.com/albright-sw88-series-double-acting-motor-reversing-solenoids-412-c.asp


They also seem rather cheap