Winch for trailer

I have mounted a Ramsey 5000 on my flatbed with the idea I could use it to drag a disabled vehicle up on the trailer. I am going to rig extension cables from the battery to the winch. I have some connectors so I can plug the winch into the battery, now I need to get the cable. My local auto parts store doesn't have bulk battery cable. The welding supply has welding lead for sale by the foot but I had heard that is not good for automotive applications. Any truth to this? Seems as welding applications would be high amperage applications and ideal for battery cable or in this case a winch application.

 

I used them in my motorhome . Been this way for years. Dont worry they will be fine.

 

I run 1/0 welding cable as battery cables in my CJ with the batt in the back...been working great for 15 years or so.

 

I think the main difference between cable for batteries and welding cable is the welding cable is made from more strands of finer wire for the same overall cross sectional size. I don't remember offhand the gauge of the individual strands in welding cable but it is much finer than the strands in battery cable. This makes it more flexible, which a welder wants. It also makes it more expensive.
Keep looking for a bulk source of battery cable.

 

If you have a truck shop near by (semi truck) should have all the necessary bulk cable and ends, if you talk nice and rub backs they would make a real nice soder ended, heat shrunk, top quality cable. if you just walk in and need a cheap cable they usually make that first. the china cables have nothing on USA home made cable.

 

I looked the winch up on Ramsey's web site, It doesn't give a recommendation for wire size but it comes supplied with 5' of 4 gage. I looked up cable on Summit's web site and they have a kit with 20' of 4 gage and miscellaneous ends for $75. I guess I will go by the welding supply at lunch and price their wire. Do you guys think 4 gage is big enough. My understanding of electricity is the more strands of wire for a given gage the more current it will handle. I am guessing the run from the battery to the winch will be 15' total.

 

You can purchase bulk battery cable at many Marine Supply stores such as West Marine.

 

I just bought a deep cycle battery and plastic box and mounted it on the trailer to run my 8K Ramsey. pulled at least 4 cars up on so far, 30' pulls or so plus re-rolling my cable. and haven't had to recharge yet. I just hook it up on my trickle charger overnight to recharge. probably cheaper then buying all that cable and connectors.

 

Larry is out in the middle of the desert, Marine Supply stores are hard to find.

Larry try gallup welding thay are good guys.

Andrew

 

I bought mine from these guys in the close out section


http://www.sherco-auto.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=sherco&Category_Code=BBC

 

Yes, not much need for marine supplies locally, although the Rio Perkey had water in it this weekend for the second time this year. If I timed it just right I could have gone for a canoe ride for about 2 hours.
I will call Gallup Welding, I don't think they sell any supplies but they do have some steel on hand. They applied the Line X Bed liner on the last 2 PU's I got.
I went by 4 Corners Welding Supply after lunch, they have #2 cable for $1.64 a foot and they have the ends also.

 

Interesting thought. Wouldn't you want a circuit breaker (fuse) of some type in the line?

BTW: I've got a HB 3k winch with battery on the front of my trailer. If I double the line that gives me about 6k of pulling power. I power it with a jump battery that I charge up between uses. It pulls my jeep up just fine (and the neighbor's compact car with two flats).

 

I bought a set of removeable jumper cables. Permanently mounted one plug to the front of my truck that came with the cables, then bought another plug for the winch. I use the jumper cables on the winch and then clamped on a battery. Works great, and the cables are multi-functional. Mine came from AWdirect, but Northern has them as well.

 

Larry
4 Corners Welding Supply was the ones I was thinking about.

Andrew

 

We have a local battery shop that makes up cables and install ends of your choice and covered with heat shrink .There is also a Alt/ Starter shop that has the press to install ends on bulk cable.Welding cable should be fine.Ihave a winch on my trailer with onboard battery that is wired to the 12v.power source on trailer plug.charges battery same as it would with travel trailer.I also made up a trailer plug to connect to trailer with battery tender wired in so i dont have to dig in to battery box to connect it.

mike s.

 

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This is what I ended uo with. Seems to work OK.

 

Looks good.