Winch Isolator Switch - what do people use?

[robmacca]

Guys, deciding on how to isolate the winch when not in use.... Found a couple of options and was wondering what others use to isolate supply to their winches....

Found this on whitworths website for $14.95

specs:
Key Benefits & Features:

Simply turn the key and remove to isolate and secure the electrical system. Supplied complete with rubber sealing cap on both switch and key.

Input voltage: 6 ~ 32V dc
300 Amp continual
450 Amp momentary

Or this on elecspess website $ 45.75:

specs:
61050
Heavy-Duty Battery Master Switch
with Removable Key
For trucks and buses
2500A at 12V for 5 seconds
1250A at 24V for 5 seconds
250A at 12V continuous load maximum
125A at 24V continuous load maximum

 

[equipt]

My Tigrezz11 came with a built in isolator on the + power cable and it does the job for me.

 

[nathand22]

I use one the same as shown in the first photo, seems to do the job just fine. I bought mine for around $7 at repco or was it bursons anyway it works

 

[baitfish]

I use a starter solenoid, fitted in my engine bay. switch it from the cabin, hasn't missed a beat yet. i only did that because i had a random spare one in the shed, other wise i was going to use one much like the photo you first posted.

 

[Old.Tony]

I have one like the one in the first pic. Bought it from Jaycar, but mine is supposed to handle 500A.

I've used the winch 3 times and one of those was a sideways haul up a muddy hill. Never missed a beat.

 

[robmacca]

I have one like the one in the first pic. Bought it from Jaycar, but mine is supposed to handle 500A.

I've used the winch 3 times and one of those was a sideways haul up a muddy hill. Never missed a beat.

Hey Tony.... I can't find one that takes a constant 500amps... momentary 500amp YES, but constant NO.... I will look in Jaycar for one

 

[sparra04]

i use same as tony

 

[Nevyn]

Where abouts are you guys putting the isolator switch?

 

[nathand22]

I bolted mine (which is the same as the first photo) on the side of the battery tray, But that is on the D40 so i didnt have very many options.

 

[shan_b]

My winch is goin on next week, difinitely going to use an isolator.
I know a guy who worked for ARB Darwin, and apparently for a while up there, the idea of fun for teenage miscreants was to set a persons winch to free spool, loop it over the roof of the car, under the tailgate and back to the bullbar, earth the winch n watch the car pretty much get cut in half!!

 

[nathand22]

My winch is goin on next week, difinitely going to use an isolator.
I know a guy who worked for ARB Darwin, and apparently for a while up there, the idea of fun for teenage miscreants was to set a persons winch to free spool, loop it over the roof of the car, under the tailgate and back to the bullbar, earth the winch n watch the car pretty much get cut in half!!

Yeah there was a story going around about that, but it was the police paddy wagons.

 

[d22dave]

Must be a urban legend that story, Heard it happened in melbourne and other places. But yet to see a photo. In saying that my winch has the same isolator as the one in the post by equipt,

 

[Pix]

I bought a relay off eBay, switch it from the cab

 

[robmacca]

Had a look on jarcar website and found the one they said was 500amps, but reading the fine print, its rated at 120amps continous....

High Quality 500A Battery Isolation Switch - $17.95

This one might be a bit more able to handle the current:

Professional 500A Battery Isolation Switch = $49.95

 

[Hodge]

Must be a urban legend that story, Heard it happened in melbourne and other places. But yet to see a photo. In saying that my winch has the same isolator as the one in the post by equipt,

Witnessed one personally mate at wreckers in somerton, had a photo too until my iphone shit its self last year. It really gives you appreciation of how strong those winch motors are. This triton was literally sliced in half. The towbar bent upwards, and the looped it around one of the bull bar welds which let go in the end.

 

[Old.Tony]

Hey Tony.... I can't find one that takes a constant 500amps... momentary 500amp YES, but constant NO.... I will look in Jaycar for one

Mine's handle the current so far, but the longest it's been used is about a couple of minutes in bursts of 10-15 seconds.

I ought to work the winch hard and have a feel of it to see if it's getting hot.

 

[Old.Tony]

Where abouts are you guys putting the isolator switch?

Mine's within 100mm of the battery positive terminal.

 

[d22dave]

Witnessed one personally mate at wreckers in somerton, had a photo too until my iphone shit its self last year. It really gives you appreciation of how strong those winch motors are. This triton was literally sliced in half. The towbar bent upwards, and the looped it around one of the bull bar welds which let go in the end.

ok i stand corrected, I figured it was bullshit. Glad my winch has a isolator then

 

[FatBoy89]

You can just run a switch off the small earth cable. It stops the winch from working anyways. If I kid is going to spend enough Time finding that finding that then well fark. Haha