Ok Guys,
I just installed my new AEV fornt winch mount bumper with a Ramsey Rep Profile 8000 lbs winch. My question is are any of you using the factory battery with your winches for light pulling. The reason I ask is I burned the kitty money for the Bumper and have no reserves for a new battery for the time being. Any thoughts on the matter?

 

you'll be fine. you'll need to replace it sooner than normal, but it's not like you'll have to replace it in a month or two, or anything that bad.

 

Where in the world would you put an extra battery???

 

Unless you end up doing a lot of heavy pulling don't replace the battery until it finally gives up in a few years. Don't run the winch without the motor running unless absolutely necessary and keep the battery terminals clean. When the time comes go with an Optima or similar sealed heavy duty battery - offroad is tough on a standard battery. All the boucing and shaking causes cells to fail internally and gets acid all over the place.

 

Leave your engine running when you use it and keep the throttle up if you are inside the Jeep, it will lessen the load on the battery.

In the old days we had a manual throttle to use for that purpose and others. Don't know yet if the DBW can be adapted.

 

I have an electronic throttle controller (made by Offroad Engineering) on my CJ which thinks it's a '95 TJ (258 block, 4.0 head, Mopar fuel computer controlled fuel injection). Plug and play - direct connection into the wiring harness. Switch it on and it overrides the computer, then you have a return-to-center toggle switch to control your RPM. Not sure if they have one for the JK since the computer (DBW) dampens "throttle bobble" in 4wd mode. The TJ, or in this case CJ, would buck like a mule if your foot got to bouncing on the skinny pedal!

 

Its a YMMV situation.

As mentioned, the oem batteries get beat up and die from the trail, but, additionally, deep discharges KILL them.

So, to make the OEM battery last as long as possible, do NOT let it discharge more than about 70%, or the life is dramatically shortened.

The suggestions to keep the RPM up, etc...are on the money...if the alternator can help out, let it.

Figure your oem alternator is rated 160 amp (Cold, meaning hot, its probably contributing around 2/3 that, say 110 -120-ish amps at the most.

The average jeep winch is calling for at LEAST 200 amps under load, closer to 400 amps if the load is close to capacity, etc.

That means that your battery is discharging about 100 - 300 amps more than the alternator can provide....which is made up for by your battery....discharging it.

If your battery has a 100 amp hr reserve capacity, that means that 300 amps will discharge it in 1/3 hr, or 20 minutes.

If you have to pull someone out of a sucking mud hole 100' away, and your winch pulls under load at 5' per minute, that's 20 minutes of pull time...and your battery is DEAD. (OR TWO friends at 50', etc...)



That means that the oem battery can do maybe 20 minutes of pulling, and then die.

If you do 1/2 that, and then recharge (Let the jeep run the alt w/no load, add a jump cable from a donor, etc...), you can space it out to get the charge back up to a good starting point to winch again....but, remember your limit on the oem battery.

The nice thing about the sealed gel cells, etc, as a second battery...like the Excide Orbitals, and the Optima's, is that they can be mounted upside down, sideways, whatever, it doesn't matter...which makes it easier to find a mounting place in a crowded jeep.

I always replace the original battery as well though....and, with a good sized swap, I haven't needed a second battery. (I oversize the swap on the OEM to a sealed unit, and get more juice that way)



Even with 2 batteries, you STILL should be aware of your amp hrs....there are trips that turn into winch a thons...and you can easily lose track and drain down too far (Even the sealed units can be over discharged and damaged...its just HARDER to damage a deep cycle battery....so, for winch use, I always get the deep cycle versions of the sealed units)

Hope that helps!

 

Sure does...thanks!!!