power winch from trailer plug?

[woody20]

Could I power the winch on my trailer from the trailer plug and how do I do it? Use the running lights and neg?

 

[JB]

Re: power winch from trailer plug?

Probably not. I think the winch would draw too much current and blow the fuse for the lights.<br /><br />If you convert to a different plug you can run +12V to the additional pin and fuse it for about 150% of the rated amp draw for the winch. You would also need to use larger wire and increase the size wire used for the ground.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: power winch from trailer plug?

Even the smaller winches would require 10 gauge wire and protected with a circuit breaker.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: power winch from trailer plug?

I just put a winch on my hay truck rated at 3000# which could reel in a rather large boat if applied to a marine application. Used #6 for hookup.<br /><br />Mark

 

[woody20]

Re: power winch from trailer plug?

Ok, thanks guess I'm going to be the monkey under the truck today. Glad I have a garage with all this rain we have up in mass.

 

[gstanton]

Re: power winch from trailer plug?

If you have a 7 pin travel trailer plug, one of those pins is for charging the battery of the travel trailer. That wire/pin IMHO would be capable of powering a winch.<br /><br />Get braced for some flaming... as this is not the normal use!

 

[Texasmark]

Re: power winch from trailer plug?

The thing in his favor is intermittent operation. Although the current load during winching may be excessive it is of a short duration and possibly he is finished before things get too hot. Then they have plenty of time to cool down.<br /><br />Mark

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: power winch from trailer plug?

I don't know what type of plug you use normally, but our plugs have a spare 'acc' pin (#2 pin)- it's there for stuff like winches, fridge etc.<br /><br />Circuit breaker up close to the batt, a sheathed twin core ('+' & '-' from the batt) 10ga from the batt the plug. Done.<br /><br />Where I work, we power up caravan fridges like that routinely.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: power winch from trailer plug?

Hey Dunaround, Just a note. Was watching TV couple of nights ago and The EAGLES band was doing a concert in Melbourne. The place was packed and the crowd was getting what they came to hear. You have some pretty girls down there (hope my wife isn't looking over my shoulder...Grin).<br /><br />Mark

 

[Texasmark]

Re: power winch from trailer plug?

OOPS misspelled your name. Sorry.

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: power winch from trailer plug?

Yeah, tried to buy tickets but the bank wouldn't issue a second morgage .

 

[Texasmark]

Re: power winch from trailer plug?

Yeah, I figured it's take a million or so to get them there.....course there must be 20 people in the band and just travel expenses for them and their equipment must be staggering.<br /><br />Mark