Adding wiring for a bed winch -- fuse and ground location questions

I'm adding a Warn utility winch (

$119 WARN 92000 Vehicle Mounted 2000 Series 12V DC Electric Utility Winch with Steel Cable: 1 Ton (2000 lb) Pulling Capacity

https://www.amazon.com/Warn-92000-2000-Utility-Winch/dp/B00ID981Z6) to my bed to make it easier to load motorcycles.

I'm going to run some 6 gauge wire from the battery to the bed and add quick connectors to the winch-side wires and the battery-side wires.

Should I add an inline fuse and if yes where? Also, where should I run the ground wire?

 

Figure out the Max draw plus the start up draw for your protection .

Run the ground cable direct from the battery negative terminal

The Amazon site gives no real Electrical information how did you figure the 6 gauge wire will handle the load??

 

If that's all your using it for, why not go with the warn pullzall.

 

I looked at the pullzall. That would almost work but I need a remote so I can guide the bike in.

Using a utility winch also has the benefit that I can leave it semi-permanently in my bed. This wiring also opens up some more possibilities. I can create a quick connect jumper cable attachment for super easy jump starts.

 

Thanks. 6 gauge seems pretty common for this kind of application -- a common winch quick connector uses 6 gauge (

$29 KFI Products (QC-48 Quick Connect Winch End

https://www.amazon.com/KFI-Products...&qid=1499970397&sr=1-9&keywords=winch+connect).

I'm going to be using it for small and medium size bikes, 400 pounds tops and pulled up a 7 foot ramp. So the load is pretty reasonable.

 

Load specs from http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/m...-dc-powered-1700-pound-capacity-12v-utility-w:

Performance Specs
Load Lbs. Current Amps Speed Ft./Min.
0 6.7 7.2
500 24.1 6.8
1000 44.7 5.7
1500 72.0 4.8
2000 83.1 4.3

 

I'm looking at this inline circuit breaker: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N40L2YC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

A bit OT, sorry, but may I ask how you are mounting the winch to the bed?

I have a hand crank winch that I used in my previous truck (Dodge). The winch was bolted to several stacked 2x6 boards which were lashed to the forward cleats. The Dodge had huge steel cleats tied right to the frame. The Tacoma has wimpy loops in the composite bed and I worry that they can be torn right out. I would use it to load busted equipment up ramps and into the bed. Usually items under 800 lb, which I don't know if the Tacoma tailgate could even handle anyway! Have a trailer now, but still curious.

 

I got one of these http://ccrsport.com/protrack-motorcycle-transport-kit-mid-size/ and I ordered some T-Slots and a cheap Badlands winch plate from Harbor Freight.

This wouldn't work for heavy loads, but it will probably be fine with the motorcycles I use. I used a similar setup with crappier materials in a 1st gen Tacoma and it was fine.

 

Cant speak from the winch perspective but I have my second battery in my bed.

For the ground, I went to the frame. I drilled a hole in the bed, used this kind of connection https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.pvc-threaded-strain-relief-connector--34-inch.1000116446.html not to mess the wire up. There is a bunch of holes in the frame, so just find one that you can put a bolt to and create a grand.
EDIT: IF your running quick disconnects, you could run everything, positive and negative, from the engine bay. Keeps it simple, wires stay together. I didn't have that option with my setup
The fuse. Keep it as close to the power source as possible. This would mean you would be fusing in the engine bay by the starting battery I would assume. If you fused on the other end closest to the winch, you could possibly fry the wiring before the fuse could blow.

 

Also, this is the 6 gauge wire I ordered:

$58 TEMCo INDUSTRIAL WC0202-50' (25' Blk, 25' Red) 6 Gauge AWG Welding Lead & Car Battery Cable Copper Wire Black + RED | Made in USA

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LIB8AQG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

It claims it supports 115 amps.

 

Depends on how long the run is. I just found this chart with a quick google search, so I am not saying its the bible, but as you can see, depending on the length the gauge can change pretty quick.