jamescronin
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OK Sorry for the confusion - Here it is in basic terms:
If you have a look at the load table - current v's how much pulling the winch is going to do, and make comparison with the solenoid ratings.
When running freely (i.e. winding in a unloaded cable onto the drum - Note the figures above are for when the cable is only one layer deep on the drum) the motor will be drawing 80amps - therefore you can keep the button down for ever and the solenoid will last 'for ever'.
However if you then load it to 4000lbs its going to draw 170amps. The solenoid you have in mind cant handle this 'for ever' as its above the continious rating. It will only be able to handle it for 30% of the time (i.e. if you hold it down for 1 seconds you need to release it for 2 seconds to allow it to cool back down - please don't take this to mean you can hold it down for 10 hours and then leave it to cool for 20 hours !)
However as you approach 12,000lbs you are going to be drawing 360amps. This is going to be way over what the solenoid will take for any period of time.
It will take upto 800amps for an instant (e.g. if you stall the winch) before destroying itsself.
Basicly I think from the figures for the winch and the figures of the solenoid I would go bigger with the solenoid.
As Ratty said you NEED to fit an isolator switch (and it needs to be BIG) as solenoids only open the switch back up by use of a spring. If you do end up melting the contacts together then you are going to need a way of disconecting the supply to the winch before the cables start to melt / battery overheats - Think of what will happen if the cable winds all the way in and you can't disconect the power to the winch and it bends the drum/bumper/snaps the cable!
You may find it easier to talk to the people who make the winches - i'm sure they know somebody who makes HUGE solenoids and isolation switches!
If you have a look at the load table - current v's how much pulling the winch is going to do, and make comparison with the solenoid ratings.
When running freely (i.e. winding in a unloaded cable onto the drum - Note the figures above are for when the cable is only one layer deep on the drum) the motor will be drawing 80amps - therefore you can keep the button down for ever and the solenoid will last 'for ever'.
However if you then load it to 4000lbs its going to draw 170amps. The solenoid you have in mind cant handle this 'for ever' as its above the continious rating. It will only be able to handle it for 30% of the time (i.e. if you hold it down for 1 seconds you need to release it for 2 seconds to allow it to cool back down - please don't take this to mean you can hold it down for 10 hours and then leave it to cool for 20 hours !)
However as you approach 12,000lbs you are going to be drawing 360amps. This is going to be way over what the solenoid will take for any period of time.
It will take upto 800amps for an instant (e.g. if you stall the winch) before destroying itsself.
Basicly I think from the figures for the winch and the figures of the solenoid I would go bigger with the solenoid.
As Ratty said you NEED to fit an isolator switch (and it needs to be BIG) as solenoids only open the switch back up by use of a spring. If you do end up melting the contacts together then you are going to need a way of disconecting the supply to the winch before the cables start to melt / battery overheats - Think of what will happen if the cable winds all the way in and you can't disconect the power to the winch and it bends the drum/bumper/snaps the cable!
You may find it easier to talk to the people who make the winches - i'm sure they know somebody who makes HUGE solenoids and isolation switches!
