Winch solenoid ticking problem and solution

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Winch solenoid ticking problem and solution

Post by Lorgar » 04 Jul 2017, 2:10 pm

Just sharing a little trouble shooting in advance for those who encounter it.

Quick summary of events.

Bought a new winch a while ago (Runva 11XP Prem).
Manual states a 650 cold cranking amps battery was required.
I found I had a 600 CCA battery only.
Googled for numbers on running the battery with the engine/alternator going at Melbourne temps and found it should be putting out about 900 CCA.
Initially all seemed well, so left it as it was.

A couple of months in had the first instance of when hitting the button the solenoid would just tick and the winch wouldn't reel.

No rhyme or reason to the timing. Happened hot, cold, with the engine having been off for a day and just doing a test reel in the driveway or having been driving for hours with it still running. Thought it might be a lose connection or damage wire given the random nature, but no. All checked out.

Headed to the local battery store who hooked up their test machine, found the existing "600" CCA battery was really putting out about 530 CCA. Due to the years I guess.

Bought a new Century Ultra Hi Performance battery putting out 700+ CCA, have been giving the winch a good bashing for the last month and hasn't re-occurred so seems to have done the trick.

FYI for whoever searches for this when their battery carks it next :lol:
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Re: Winch solenoid ticking problem and solution

Post by SendIt » 04 Jul 2017, 2:24 pm

They can be thirsty little suckers.

Rapid ticking or a single tick is common, depending on how short on juice it is.
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Re: Winch solenoid ticking problem and solution

Post by AusTac » 04 Jul 2017, 4:41 pm

I dread that i'm ever in that situation ever needing to winch, or my greatest fear the jeep not starting in some remote campsite of a freezing cold morning, winches really ramp up the current under load, luckily you found it early mate :)
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Re: Winch solenoid ticking problem and solution

Post by Old Fart » 17 Jul 2017, 4:57 pm

Aye the ticking is nearly always a power issue.

Had it happen many moons ago trouble shooting a mates setup, but in this case was due to frayed insulation leaking power into the chassis/bullbar.

Heat shrunk it up and she fired up again.
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Re: Winch solenoid ticking problem and solution

Post by huccl » 24 Jul 2017, 10:00 am

AusTac wrote:my greatest fear the jeep not starting in some remote campsite of a freezing cold morning


You can get hand held jump starters if you haven't seen them.

It's like the size of a can, not a whole car battery.

Just made for jump starting car in an emergency. Check out ARB if it sounds like it'd be some piece of mind for you :thumbsup:
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Re: Winch solenoid ticking problem and solution

Post by franc » 24 Jul 2017, 10:21 am

AusTac wrote:I dread that i'm ever in that situation ever needing to winch


It's not always some dramatic rescue.

Far more often than not it's just a loss of traction on the flat in a bit of mud or sand.

Nothing much to worry about really.
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Re: Winch solenoid ticking problem and solution

Post by Lorgar » 25 Jul 2017, 2:34 pm

franc wrote:It's not always some dramatic rescue.

Far more often than not it's just a loss of traction on the flat in a bit of mud or sand.

Nothing much to worry about really.


Last time I had cause to winch myself out of trouble I'd just driven across a 3 foot deep river, then not long after got stuck in about 10 inches of mud :lol:

A tricky shaped rut and its surroundings where the issue, I had to do a long crescent moon type arc surrounded closely by trees, forced to go into it relatively slowly so as not to risk body damage by careening into one.

Very soft, sandy base, just slowly ran out of momentum and bumped up against a little bank at the end where previous drivers had spun their wheels and created a dip.

Made for a very dull rescue :lol:

If the rut had been a bit straighter or not so crowded I'd have coasted in and out without missing a beat.
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