nthinuf

I have been running my Warn straight off the battery for 15 years now with no issues and no abnormal battery drain. But, after reading a few threads like this one over the last year or so, I am thinking more and more about adding a cutoff for safety.

Mark Doiron

In order to do this they'd need a winch controller. As I've learned from my frequent outings with owners of even the very popular line of Warn winches, most winch controllers are not compatible with their full line of winches. Five different Warn-brand winches on the climb of Blanca Peak last year, and not a single one could use any of the other's winch controllers. Who'd a thunk? Caused real headaches when we had to get into the backs of Jeeps that were stuck in such a way that opening the tailgate was nigh impossible without putting life and limb at risk.

Regardless, if some jerk is hellbent on damaging your Jeep, putting a winch cut-off isn't going to prevent it. He'll just do something else. Five slashed tires is an easy attack. So is keying the paint. There's really not much you can do to stop the vandal except avoid putting yourself in a situation where it's possible or likely. That guy you (generic you, not you personally, Tim) flipped off because he didn't yield while you were merging on the Interstate just might hold a grudge--and when he sees your Jeep next week at that club by that on ramp, well ...

crusaderJK

I once had a stuck headlight relay on my old Chevy Blazer. It made one headlight stay on after turning off the engine.
Afraid this could happen to the winch relays and make the winch randomly turn on, I wired a kill switch under the hood.

Mountain Man Tim

true but scratches and tires are easier to fix then bent roll cage and crushed windshield and hood and top and for some reason a few winches are able to be ran by putting a screwdriver across the leads on the solonoids, so if its got power, its dangerous..... personally I dont live somewhere ild worry about it, but lots of folks on this forum do live in those populated places filled with shiftless vagabonds and layabouts that arent worth the oxygen they consume

Mark Doiron

Hmm. Interesting. Still, they want to make your life miserable for some reason and I don't think there's much comfort in thinking to yourself (again, not you personally), "Well, at least I kept them from crushing my top, roll bar and windshield."

Mountain Man Tim

the main + of wireing a disconnect is going to be no accidents, stuck solonoids or drained batteries and all that. not being able to do winch related hijynx is just a bonus. (lets say they decide to unspool, hook you up to someones pricey car, and pull that guys car into your jeep, d bag move they couldnt do without a working winch directly wired to battery.)

people will always suck, this is a fact, but they are also kind of lazy too.....