Winching & Batteries

Moggs,

As you probably know the Redarc has a wire on it (can be fitted with a switch) which simply needs to be grounded to hook the two batteries together for just this purpose.

These batteries do not have a CCA rating on them so it is hard to be sure whether it will do the job. They can however be tested for a CCA rating with a battery analyser. Chris at Battery World, Wantirna has one and he tested my 100 amp Lifeline AGM and it showed a CCA of 700 which will happily start my car. I would guess, but wouldn't guarantee, the Remco is similar. Get him to check it for you, it takes about 30 seconds.

Cheers,

Jim.

It'll do it easy. I too have an AGM battery and it starts my petrol Patrol no probs.

I would take a closer look at the red arc unit. I went through all this BS and ended up buying an IBS unit from TJM. I'm pretty sure the Redarc unit is still a electromechanical unit like the ARB.

The IBS or DBS are fully electronic now (wasn't before) with a 180 amp relay. It has a auto link button that links your batteries together for starting when you have a flat battery or winching. i went for the IBS because the battery monitor was a god send while i was away for 2 weeks camping. I could see exactly how much power was left in the battery. Some people goes against this theory.

When i'm winching normally, it's 1 minute on and 1 minute off so i'm not killing my main battery and i'm not flogging thebleepout of the alternator. The alternator is the thing to preserve here. A battery is relatively cheap compared to it. By connecting the two batteries together, it does ease the load on the alt.

now, as i said i normally run the winch off the main only 1 minute on and 1 minute off. however if i'm in deepbleep(stuck in water during a crossing or the terrain looks bad), you don't worry about that (when you usually need a winch, you're in trouble) and just link the batteries and winch. you draiin the life out of the batteries and let the alternator charge as best it could.

Your vehicle, you decide. But there isa right way to winch depending on the circumstances. I would still try to preserve the vehicle as best i can even if i'm knee deep inbleep.

Just remember as was stated previously that some vehicle alternators (cruisers do it) will try to supply the winch after the battery has drained which then causes the alternator to fail/burn out.
Current draw from the winch will be 400 plus, most vehicle alternators peg out around a 100 but will exceed this for a very short period before meltdown.

ok, thanks for the advice. Got a bit more thinking to do now.......

IMHO Dual batteries are a must if you are winching and have a few spotties.

Running your main battery dead a few times will kill it. Had this happen before I lashed out for dual battery kit.. 5 hrs of lots of winching, then a 1hr drive back to the pub with all lights going, woke up in AM to a totally fubar battery.
fun when your at woods point.

Moggs,

Just a couple of things about winching.

You don't need a second battery.

When you are winching the idle speed of the motor must be increased to about 1200- 1500 rpm to keep the charge up to the battery. Putting back what you take out.
This is where a hand throttle comes in handy, pitty most vehicles don't have them any more.

Only winch for a short time, a minute or less and more recovery time for the battery and and winch to cool down.

Always use a snatch block when winching and run as much cable off the winch drum as possible. This will make the winch as efficient as possible.

Help the vehicle move by a little road building or digging the sand or mud away.

Put the biggest main battery in the vehicle as possible. The battery that comes with the vehicle is the smallest one that will do the job but the battery tray is a bit bigger. Fill the tray with a bigger battery.

After the winching, let the motor idle for a few minutes to allow the battery to recharge at a slow rate with little or no power draw. This can be done while the gear is being packed away.

Wayne