Warn winch help

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Warn winch help - 9/28/2008 7:49:29 PM

jeremy175

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Joined: 5/6/2007
From: Hurley Mississippi
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Can someone tell me how to diagnose whats wrong with my winch? It does nothing when I hit the switch. How do I know if its the switch, solenoid, or winch. Can I hook power straight to the winch to test it or jump the solenoid?

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RE: Warn winch help - 9/28/2008 8:38:45 PM

589Bear

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From: Denham Springs, La
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Jump the solenoid and see if it will work. You can normally hear the solenoid click when you hit the button.

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Post #: 2

RE: Warn winch help - 9/28/2008 9:15:34 PM

jeremy175

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From: Hurley Mississippi
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I tried jumping it and only got sparks on one side and nothing on the other side.

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Post #: 3

RE: Warn winch help - 9/28/2008 9:31:35 PM

JeffinTD

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Joined: 2/17/2005
From: Oregon
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Do you have a voltage meter?

There should be 3 wires that go to the rocker switch. One goes to a keyed-power source, and the other two go to the contactor.

You should get power to one of the switch wires on the contactor when the switch is pressed to IN and power to the other wire when pressed to OUT.

If you have that, then you know the switch's power supply, and the switch are OK.

The next thing to check would be to see if there is voltage to the cables that run from the contactor to the motor (usually yellow, and blue). There should be power between those cables when you push IN, and power with the polarity the other way when you push OUT.

If you have power from the switch wires, but not power to the cables to the motor, then the contactor isn't working.

Obviously, if you have power to the cables to the motor and the motor isn't running, then the contactor is OK but something is up with the motor.

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RE: Warn winch help - 9/28/2008 9:39:39 PM

jeremy175

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From: Hurley Mississippi
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Alright man I appreciate it. Gonna check that out tomorrow evening.

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Post #: 5

RE: Warn winch help - 9/29/2008 5:03:26 PM

Jake450s

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The first question would be what kind of winch... I'm going to extrapolate that by "solenoid" you really mean "contactor", that being the little plastic box with four big wires and two little wires?

These contactors provide a shunt brake. That is, they use electrical continuity combined with the winch motor magnet to provide resistance to the motor turning when there's a load on the cable. Long story made short, that means that two of the large terminals on the contactor, the two going to the winch motor it's self, will be directly electrically connected together. This means that trying to "jump" the contactor is for all intents and purposes the same as "jumping" the negative battery post directly to the positive battery post. No good will come of it, nothing will happen at the winch motor, and it has no diagnostic value. Don't do it.

You should have a test light and follow JeffinTD's quick steps. If that's out of the question, and you really feel that you need to "jump" something, then you need to freespool the winch. Then you can hitch jumper cables to the ATV battery (BOTH cables AT THE BATTERY, do not for any reason use frame grounds or other power sources). Remove BOTH wires from the winch motor, one is not adequate. Then, you can run the motor in and out by attaching one jumper cable end to each motor post. I bet it'll run though. I'd diagnose the contactor and the switch first.

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RE: Warn winch help - 9/29/2008 7:24:26 PM

589Bear

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From: Denham Springs, La
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Jake450s

The first question would be what kind of winch... I'm going to extrapolate that by "solenoid" you really mean "contactor", that being the little plastic box with four big wires and two little wires?

These contactors provide a shunt brake. That is, they use electrical continuity combined with the winch motor magnet to provide resistance to the motor turning when there's a load on the cable. Long story made short, that means that two of the large terminals on the contactor, the two going to the winch motor it's self, will be directly electrically connected together. This means that trying to "jump" the contactor is for all intents and purposes the same as "jumping" the negative battery post directly to the positive battery post. No good will come of it, nothing will happen at the winch motor, and it has no diagnostic value. Don't do it.

You should have a test light and follow JeffinTD's quick steps. If that's out of the question, and you really feel that you need to "jump" something, then you need to freespool the winch. Then you can hitch jumper cables to the ATV battery (BOTH cables AT THE BATTERY, do not for any reason use frame grounds or other power sources). Remove BOTH wires from the winch motor, one is not adequate. Then, you can run the motor in and out by attaching one jumper cable end to each motor post. I bet it'll run though. I'd diagnose the contactor and the switch first.

They arent just solenoids anymore? I know the old winches just used a solenoid and you can jump the out just like your start solenoid?

< Message edited by 589Bear -- 9/29/2008 7:25:30 PM >

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Post #: 7

RE: Warn winch help - 9/29/2008 9:27:42 PM

jeremy175

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From: Hurley Mississippi
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This is an old warn 2000. Its got the old style solenoid or contactor, which ever one its called, thats metal with a big post on opposite sides and 2 small post on the front. Looks similar to an old Ford truck or car solenoid. I tinkered with it today and found that if i jump one of the big post to one of the small post on the solenoid and then hit the switch the winch would work. I'm may get a new one or hook it up direct without it.

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RE: Warn winch help - 9/29/2008 10:14:54 PM

589Bear

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Now we're talking. I wouldnt hook it up direct. You can buy those little solenoids for about $15. Most any starter solenoid will work.

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Snorkeled
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Post #: 9

RE: Warn winch help - 9/30/2008 4:38:44 AM

jeremy175

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From: Hurley Mississippi
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quote:

ORIGINAL: 589Bear

Now we're talking. I wouldnt hook it up direct. You can buy those little solenoids for about $15. Most any starter solenoid will work.

How do you think one would hold up to water?

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Post #: 10

RE: Warn winch help - 9/30/2008 5:05:45 AM

589Bear

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Most of those older sol. wont hold up to water. You will have to keep replacing them thats why they have the upgrade kit. I believe the upgrade is sealed.

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Snorkeled
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Post #: 11

RE: Warn winch help - 9/30/2008 8:12:55 PM

Jake450s

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quote:

ORIGINAL: jeremy175

This is an old warn 2000. Its got the old style solenoid or contactor, which ever one its called...

Ok, that's not what I was assuming.

This DOES use a solenoid, not a contactor. The solenoid is simply an on/off switch. It "ARMS" the winch, but doesn't make it run. The rotary switch makes it run in or out, but only when the solenoid is on.

Same advice applies to the "jumper cable" thing. There is a shunt brake designed into the switch. Unhook BOTH wires and freespool the winch before "testing" the winch motor.

The first clue about the solenoid is the "clunk". When you switch the ignition key to the on position, it should "clunk". It should do the same when you switch the ignition key off. If there's no "clunk", you need to get your test light after the little red and green wires. Key switched power, and a hard wired ground. If either is missing, that's your trouble. If both are present, but no "clunk", then it's the solenoid.

if the "clunk" is OK, then the other aspect of the solenoid can be tested easily. Remove one of the two LARGE wires from the solenoid. Bolt it to the opposite side, clamped against the second LARGE wire. The solenoid is now "bypassed" for testing purposes. If this makes the winch work again, it was the solenoid.

The rotary switch can be verified with a test light. Remove the U bolts that hold it, remove the back cover, and you'll see four nuts on the back retaining the wires. Positive and negative come in on the "short" sides of the switch, and when switched one way or the other, there should be power present at the right or left bolt on the "long" end of the switch, one end or the other depending on the direction selected.

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RE: Warn winch help - 9/30/2008 8:21:15 PM

Jake450s

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From: Panton, VT
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quote:

ORIGINAL: 589Bear
They arent just solenoids anymore? I know the old winches just used a solenoid and you can jump the out just like your start solenoid?

There are still a bunch out there, but they're becoming few and far between as people either get frustrated and replace their winch, or install the upgrade kit to convert their A2000 winches into A2500 winches with the larger wires and updated switchgear.

The A2000 used a mechanical switch with sliding contacts to connect the wires to the appropriate polarity, and used the rotary switch's return spring to "short" the winch motor to provide the braking function.

Most newer winches do a little differently. They use a "mini-rocker" switch to control the "contactor", which is a pair of solenoids in a neat little package, and the pair of solenoids (one for each battery wire) are what actually do the switching to control the direction. Each solenoid in the "rest" position will connect their respective winch wire to the negative battery wire, thus giving the shunt brake. When engaged, the selected solenoid will lift it's contact plate, releasing the ground from the selected wire, and contacting the selected wire to the positive battery wire. Thus the same net effect, higher current switching capacity, probably cheaper to manufacturer, and (ON PAPER!!!) a more reliable system.

Same idea as the mechanical switch, just a different way of getting there.

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Post #: 13

RE: Warn winch help - 10/1/2008 12:29:45 AM

jeremy175

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From: Hurley Mississippi
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Thanks for everybody's help. I had a fuse that was bad but didn't look bad and wasn't giving the little red wire power to the solenoid.

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RE: Warn winch help - 10/1/2008 5:48:20 AM

Kodiak 450

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Awesome!
I love cheap fixes.
You really should look into the upgrade kit.

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RE: Warn winch help - 10/1/2008 9:58:46 PM

JeffinTD

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Oops, I guess I assumed in my answer that we were talking about one of the newer winches, too...

Anyhoo, glad you got it up and running.

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RE: Warn winch help - 10/2/2008 1:32:39 AM

jeremy175

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Joined: 5/6/2007
From: Hurley Mississippi
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Kodiak 450

Awesome!
I love cheap fixes.
You really should look into the upgrade kit.

Its on a big bear I bought and gonna turn around and sell so I was just getting it to work. Don't really wanna put any money into it.

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