i want to run two winches from one swich not at the same time. swich from one to the outher. i thank the mv's do it? i put a 65 amp 3 way swich on them and worked good untell i put a big load on them and melted the swich. can some help me.

Apparently you are running them directly to the switch. You should have a relay on each winch to handle the big load. The three way switch needs to be no more than 15-20 amps with fuses to protect.. If you need a schematic on how to wire, I can probably sketch something up...

if thats not a problem i would like to see that
the people at the part store tould me i needed one relay that is 65 amp $45

Your rocker switch that controls the relay is what you have to switch. With a double pole double throw switch you can run one rocker to control both relays. The double pole switch changes which relay you are using front or rear.

quote:

Originally posted by Quad daddy:
Your rocker switch that controls the relay is what you have to switch. With a double pole double throw switch you can run one rocker to control both relays. The double pole switch changes which relay you are using front or rear.

Except, Quad daddy, we do not know the configuration of James ace's winch wiring network.

Sounds to me like he has no relay bank ("contactor"); rather, a manual switch, and he's running full winch curernt through his control switch, in contrast to using a rocker switch to provide control voltages to a relay bank.

If James ace had a relay bank (aka "contactor," in Warnese) for each winch, then he could simply switch his + 12 volts control voltage from his rocker switch between the two relay banks ("contactors").

If James ace is powering and reversing his winch by passing the entire current through his controls switch (as in the rotary switches in Warn A2000 kits), then . . . he needs different switchgear.

James, shoot me an email with your email address and I will send you a sketch...
calvin.brown@ccb-design.com

quote:

Originally posted by Exposed:
James, shoot me an email with your email address and I will send you a sketch...
calvin.brown@ccb-design.com

If you could PM me with a description/sketch of your present hookup, I'll make the same offer, James ace!

Most ATV winch hookups today use relay banks to power and reverse the winches, in contrast to manual switches carrying full winch current.

Instead, control switches, usually rocker switches, single-pole, double-throw, normally-off, send a + 12 volt control voltage to activate solenoid relays in a relay bank or contactor, powering and reversing the winch.

Your solution depends upon your initial configuration, or whether you're willing to change that configuration.

TRee Farmer is correct.. He really has several options depending on what he has and what he wants to add. Typically I would want to control both winches from one single switch on the handle bars. There would be another switch to change which winch he wants to operate. Since the relays handle two outputs (in and out), it does complicate the wiring....

i was tring to put a 3 way swich from the battery and swich power to the front solenoid and the back solenoid
jamesbentson@msn.com

is there a better way?

It will be a little more expensive that way but will be simplier to wire.. If you do that, you can wire the in and out together to each relay. So if voltage is on to both winch relays, both would work. If you add a battery switch (like I use on charging two batteries on my ATV), then you switch to which winch gets the current. I use the Blue Sea Battery Switches. Here is a link. There switches will handle the large amp draw you have going to the winch from the battery.
http://bluesea.com/category/1/productline/2

The other way is add a couple switches downstream from in-out switch to change direction to the winch relays. It is cheaper because the switches are light weight compared to the 300 Amp switch.

quote:

Originally posted by James ace:
i was tring to put a 3 way swich from the battery and swich power to the front solenoid and the back solenoid
jamesbentson@msn.com

Still trying to visualize your setup, James ace!

What make and model winches are you using?

Does each winch have its own "contactor," i.e., a solenoid bank wired with large cables to the battery terminals, and small-gauge wire contol voltage connectors?

Or, are the winches connected to the battery through a large control ("IN," "OUT") switch?

Not trying to overly-complicate the situation, but--some idea of the existing switchgear is necessary to suggest a "better way" to solve your problem, which is, as I understand it, "How do I power and control separately two winches on my ATV?"

---------------------

If each winch has its own "contactor," a combination of two single-pole, double-throw, normally-open solenoid-actuated relays used as a reversing switch, then a simple, low-amperage, double-pole, double-throw switch can route the + 12 volt control voltage from the control switch (typically, a "mini-rocker") to either winch.

If you have only one contactor; or, NONE, if you're using a manual control and power switch, we've a whole 'nother situation.

So, I'm trying to grasp your existing setup before recommending a dual-control system.

i have two solenoids one for fornt and one for back both have 4 6 gage wires one from battery one to ground and the outher for in and out to the winch and to 12 gage wires for the in out switch. i have two rocker switches one for the front and one for the back i want to just have one.so i got a 3 way 65amp switch and hooked it to the battery and to the power side to each solenoids up for front and down for back middle for off. too many amps melted the switch.i thank i can get 4 releys and hook to the in out switch and a togle to switch what soleonid gets power.sorry for the long post i hope it helps you and me

O.K. As I understand your system, your 3-way switch is like burning down the house to roast a pig,

Instead, I'd recommend:

Install both "solenoids" (which I think Warn would call, "contactors," their name for high-current reversing solenoid relay banks), connect EACH to both battery positve and negative terminals, and the "solenoid" output cables to their respective winch motor terminals.

THEN, mount one rocker switch on the handlebars; connect its input wire (small-gauge) to the battery positive terminal.

Connect the OUTPUT wires from the rocker switch to a 10-amp DOUBLE-POLE, DOUBLE-THROW (DPDT) switch; one output wire from the rocker switch to each pole connection of the DPDT switch.

Then, connect TWO of the THROW connections associated with one position of the DPDT switch to ONE of the "solenoids," one to the "IN" control voltage connection, and one to the "OUT" control voltage connection of the "solenoid."

Next, connect the OTHER TWO THROW connections, associated with the OTHER position of the DPDT switch toggle, to each of the control voltage connections ("IN" and "OUT") of the OTHER solenoid.

Finally, LABEL your new 10-amp DOUBLE-POLE, DOUBLE-THROW (DPDT) switch position, "FRONT," and "REAR," appropriately.

With a low-amperage (10-amp) DPDT switch, some small-gauge (16-gauge or larger) wire, you now have selectable control of either the front or the rear winch, using a single rocker switch on the handlebars to power and to reverse the winch you select from your DPDT switch.

This easy and inexpensive "fix" is possible, because you have two separate and independent "solenoids" (high-current reversing solenoid relay banks), one for each winch. Your added DPDT switch merely directs the control voltage from the handlebar-mounted rocker switch to the appropriate winch, at your command.

Good luck; feel free contacting me for any questions.

Crude, possibly illegible, schematic image follows:



Any better below?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Tree Farmer,

Treefarmer, I sent a PDF drawing to James this morning with your option and another option with the battery switch to handle the switching from front to rear... Both will work.... It is great to be able find resources on this site...

thanks for bearing with me your great!!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Exposed:
Treefarmer, I sent a PDF drawing to James this morning with your option and another option with the battery switch to handle the switching from front to rear... Both will work.... It is great to be able find resources on this site...

Thanks, Exposed; I've neglected replacing my broken scanner, and my photography has its limitations; added a second, perhaps more legible, image to my post above.

I'd favor the DPDT switch; less expensive, lighter, more compact, and lower current than switching full battery current with a battery switch.

Operator-wise, my suggested system is pretty simple--with the DPDT switch in the "FRONT" position, the rocker switch controls the front winch; with the DPDT set to its "REAR" connection, the rocker switch powers and reverses the rear winch. EVEN A CAVEMAN CAN DO IT! (I know; I know . . . I watch too much TV!)

Don't know what size winches James ace has, but--at full pull, some ATV winches can draw 100 amps or more.

The DPDT switch will never have to handle anything approching its rated capacity of 10 amps.

Best wishes, James ace!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Tree Farmer,

I agree.... Only thing I added is a suggestion to add another battery for his winching. If he does much, he can drain his starting battery pretty quick if not careful....

I new it work just had to see it THANKS YOU ALL ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!! let me know if i can help you i owe you thanks again james

Sorry to be late to the party but I figured...might as well throw in my 2 cents. My Mv7 is wired as shown in the above schematic, came with a switch on the pod to select which winch was activated by the control switch on the bars. The only change that I have made (and it has been very handy for me, being solo on many occasions) was to add the wired remote plug, cable, switch from Warn so that I can operate a winch switch when I otherwise could not reach the bar mounted original. It all just gets wired in parallel to the bar switch so the "selector" switch still determines which winch is activated. Can't bring myself to fully trust the wireless remotes though I am sure they are well tested, I keep picturing hitting a bump with it in a pocket and turning on the winch Had enough trouble figuring why the rear window of my truck kept opening a while ago, finally repositioned the helmet whose visor was hitting the down button


Bruce