Winch and battery problems

grizzjeeper · 01-14-2009, 08:15 AM

Using my winch to plow, its a 4500 lb winch. Problem is if I put too much load on the winch it will stall the teryx. Almost everytime, starts back up fine but annoying as hell. Will a larger battery fix this issue?

Lights will dim way down then stall out. battery is fully charged.

Hunterworks · 01-14-2009, 09:11 AM

Bigger battery may actually help in this instance but use a snatch block or get smaller winch.

grizzjeeper · 01-14-2009, 09:21 AM

Not sure what the smaller winch would do, seems to have a hard enough time picking up the plow as it is, afterall isnt that why its killing the motor cause its straining so much?

TCSF · 01-14-2009, 01:02 PM

Most winches are rated at their capacity to pull a rolling load up a 10% incline. Your 4,500 pound winch may only actually lift 450 pounds. The only winch I know of that could actually lift it's rated load was the Megawinch, and I believe they are out of business.

It's pretty easy to test the bigger battery theory, just attach a bigger battery with jumper cables. But first, make sure the vehicle battery is in good shape and fully charged.

I don't have a clue how you use a winch to plow. Are you snow plowing or agricultural plowing? If this plow weighs 450 pounds are you sure the Teryx is enough vehicle for what you want to do?

If you are snow plowing, sub zero weather can weaken a healthy, fully charged battery by as much as 80%! In such cold, you're lucky to even have enough power to crank the engine starter. Forget a winch. There are stick on battery heating pads available, I think in both 12 volt and 110.

You could put your Teryx in a warm garage to see if the winch works better.

If you are indeed overloading your winch, this will cause abnormally high electrical draw as will be evidenced by rapid overheating and damage to the winch.

With anything electrical, there are many other possibilities. Is the winch wiring thick enough? Are the connections good? Is the winch motor damaged in some way?

Is the cable wedged between the drum and the winch body? I had a friend where the very end of the cable passed through the side of the winch drum where it was anchored. Somehow it got out of position and wedged itself between the drum and the rest of the winch, binding the drum. This was hard to spot on a winch that was out in front of the vehicle and would be harder to spot on an ATV winch hidden in the front bodywork. Also, a submarined cable could increase the load on the winch.

Imdubious · 01-14-2009, 02:44 PM

I have the viper 4500 and it pulled like a mule even with out the motor running with no loss in pulling.
but it whent crazy and it died and is being replaced under warrenty

Hunterworks · 01-14-2009, 06:45 PM

Grizzjeeper,

WHat winch are you using anyway? Your issue may be your brand of winch drawing so much power compared to say a Warn.

Get a amp clamp on it.

grizzjeeper · 01-15-2009, 08:22 AM

The winch is a Viper Max 4500 LB

I will put an amp meter on it o see what its drawing under load.

On their site its states Line pull on 4th real of cable is 3066lbs and amp draw no load is 31 amps, 2000lbs 155 amps and full load 318 amps.

Not sure what our battery is rated for or what our stator can put out.

I have always plowed with atv's and never had this issue.

HeavyFuel · 01-15-2009, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grizzjeeper

The winch is a Viper Max 4500 LB

I will put an amp meter on it o see what its drawing under load.

On their site its states Line pull on 4th real of cable is 3066lbs and amp draw no load is 31 amps, 2000lbs 155 amps and full load 318 amps.

Not sure what our battery is rated for or what our stator can put out.

I have always plowed with atv's and never had this issue.

Good question - what is the electrical output on the Teryx?

TCSF · 01-15-2009, 11:50 AM

The service manual for 2008 says (page 1-10) max alternator output is 24.2 amps. You will need to rev the engine a bit to get this. Shouldn't change much for 2009.

US battery is 14 AH, CA battery is 12 AH. (What kind of problem can Califuckingfornia possibly have with a BATTERY?

)

So if the battery can suppy 14 amps for one hour then 318 amps should drain it in about 2 and a half minutes. Say three, with the alternator running.

Remember, cut that battery capacity by about 80% in 0 degree Farenheit weather. That would suggest about half a minute of winch operation.

Hunterworks · 01-15-2009, 06:08 PM

TCSF is exactly right but I bet they changed the charging for 09 because of the fuel time funning fuel pump, Yamaha did on the EFI rhino.

The Warn RT30 pulls 198 at full load.

The Warn RT40 is 308 at full load