What have you done to your Tacoma today? 1st Gen Edition

Type k thermocouple and a cheap meter that you can have either Handheld ready to plug into the thermocouple or permanently mounted in cab.

 

Where would be the best place to connect that to the battery?

 

You know a winch can easily pull more then 200amps right?

 

As in wire length pretty much correct?

 

Not sure, I'd imagine it would depend based on style of battery. Best to feel around for a hot spot with your hand to pinpoint where to monitor.

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Is it necessary?

I don't think I necessarily need that as I won't be winching too much but might look into a handheld just to have in the truck!

 

Not sure where abouts you are in UT but Midnight 4x4 is the best shop to go to for anything off-road. They will help you out and not charge you insane amounts. JC is the main guy there and they are in SLC.

 

It's a good tool to have but I haven't heard of monitoring battery temps as being important for the occasional winching I'd be doing.

 

lol, no the hand held controller that you plug into the winch.

As far as the engage/free spool lever, that should be engaged, even when not in use, to keep the rope or cable from unraveling. You free-spool to hand pull the cable/rope out.

No. Never put a breaker in line with a winch.

 

Yea, the breaker in between the power and winch is a terrible idea. You'll just handy cap yourself.

 

Okay now I know that lol! I know that with the free spool lol I was gonna say that's kind of weird then my winch line won't be tight while I'm driving and will unspool lol! Shit i sound like a cluless kid lol! Thanks for the help I appreciate it hopefully I'll get that hooked up this week then.

 

Uintah Basin..... About 3 hours east. Probably going to have to make a trip out to SLC before they go on.

 

Well I've never operated a winch. I was just going on what the manuf. recommended for the install. But you are the second person to mention that the breaker was undersized or not recommended.

 

Winches draw a ton of power. But the other issue is you tap out your battery pretty quickly due to heat and demand of load. Soon the voltage drops and your running off the alternator. As load increases you can see current draws 350amps up to 450 depending on the winch and how much load is on the winch.

Just wire it direct man.

 

The ones I'm seeing look like they mount right to the post which makes sense that that would get hot first.

 

Yeah. Will do. I'd hate to have the breaker throw and then not be able to reset it at the worst possible moment.

I guess the same goes for the 250a fuse I was gonna mount between the battery and the alternator?

 

Id use that breaker. Suck to blow a fuse on the alt and not have spares. I have a...150 amp breaker on my alternator.

 

Ok thanks. I do have spare ANLs but either a breaker or a fuse on the alternator would give some indication that the battery was tapped out in case someone wasn't paying attention.

FULL POWA TO THE WINCHES.
But captain, the breakers are throwing

MANUAL OVERRIDE THE BREAKERS
But captain, the temperature sensors are going off

IGNORE THEM JUST WATCH FOR MELTING CABLE INSULATION
But captain, the alternator fuse is blown
BYPASS IT WITH A WRENCH!!!

 

Well that makes a guy want another battery and I do have my interstate off my wrecked truck... And about that fuse for the alternator. Where exactly does that go? I'm not too sharp on electrical!

 

just off the main power wire from the alt to the battery.