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Winch solenoids - What is best?

Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2009 11:31 am
by Flash2004
I've got 6 winches now and not one of them will work. The problem started when someone broke into my shed a couple of years ago and nicked the solenoids and handpieces off two brand new superwinches (24v Husky and X9) I had and its escalated from there. A set of Ramsay solenoids I've tried to use with the X9 and its own Ramsay are totally unreliable and a similar Warn solenoid set are the same.

The winches themselves, when they do actually work, even though rated at 8,500 and 9,000lbs are as slow as a wet week and struggle to pull either the TJ or the Landcruiser without double purchase, which slows them to a near standstill of course.

I wouldn't mind the slow speed, until some smart prick with an 8274 comes along and spoils the party by pulling the same load at a brisk pace with a single line pull!

What's the solution? Can anyone recommend a decent 12v solenoid set that will work reliably with the Warn and Superwinch electric winches and not melt itself? Most on offer seem to cost more than the winch itself. Ideas please, cheers, Gordon

Re: Winch solenoids - What is best?

Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2009 11:43 am
by Bulletproof
Flash2004 wrote:I've got 6 winches now and not one of them will work. The problem started when someone broke into my shed a couple of years ago and nicked the solenoids and handpieces off two brand new superwinches (24v Husky and X9) I had and its escalated from there. A set of Ramsay solenoids I've tried to use with the X9 and its own Ramsay are totally unreliable and a similar Warn solenoid set are the same.

The winches themselves, when they do actually work, even though rated at 8,500 and 9,000lbs are as slow as a wet week and struggle to pull either the TJ or the Landcruiser without double purchase, which slows them to a near standstill of course.

I wouldn't mind the slow speed, until some smart prick with an 8274 comes along and spoils the party by pulling the same load at a brisk pace with a single line pull!

What's the solution? Can anyone recommend a decent 12v solenoid set that will work reliably with the Warn and Superwinch electric winches and not melt itself? Most on offer seem to cost more than the winch itself. Ideas please, cheers, Gordon

PM Marc Crackett (Uboat) in Westport

He has looked into the Solid State ones and they increase HP

Cheers Richard

Re: Winch solenoids - What is best?

Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2009 11:50 am
by Flash2004
PM Marc Crackett (Uboat) in Westport

He has looked into the Solid State ones and they increase HP

Cheers Richard

Done that, thanks, let's see what he says.

Re: Winch solenoids - What is best?

Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2009 1:25 pm
by badnuz
pm sent :)

Re: Winch solenoids - What is best?

Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2009 1:36 pm
by Jacko
would also be keen to hear the results of this..cheers

Re: Winch solenoids - What is best?

Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2009 6:17 pm
by Jerry
I've been told you can open them up and clean them, Ryan (wisard2) soaked his in WD40 for a whilst.....he's still got new unused runva solenoid pack for sale possibly....

Re: Winch solenoids - What is best?

Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2009 7:21 pm
by meatc
Doubt the solenoids will be the reason for slow/low power. They are either working or not. That is once they engage they are engaged they dont come on like a dimmer switch. Problem possibly stems to power feed wire size. Big is best and the longer the run the bigger you need. Voltage drop is bad for motors and also solenoids. My work trucked cooked the solenoids after the brake got rusty and jambed on and the winch was used (not by me) and over loaded the solenoids.

My 8274 is running 90mm2 welding cable. Have also heard that the power companies use this cable for grounding etc when doing live wire matenance and they throw it every 6 months (OSH strickes again) :wink: