Wire AWG for extended winch cables

[jsttry]

Just looking at mounting my Warn XD9000 and wanted to put the control box in the engine bay. Cable length from control box to main battery would be less than 1m so can use the standard 2AWG cable that came with the winch, but the normally short runs from the soleniods to the winch (were only about 30cm and 2AWG) will now need to be around 1.8-2m long.

What size cables should I be using?

[PBBIZ2]

Jsttry,

I ran a couple of numbers off a website calculator which I suggest you go and do yourself. Its all straight forward info input and gives you the cable size required in mm2. There is a website further down the google search result to convert cable diameter to AWG.

Look at www.kilowatts.com.au or type in voltage drop in cables calculator in google.

I am unsure what the amperage is the 9000lb unit pulls, but here are some sample results. I am pretty conservative and would want the lowest VD possible.

1% volt drop, 1m long cable, current draw 400amp, system voltage 12.8, your recommended cable is 70mm2.

If you go to 5% volt drop, the same parameters above, the recommended cable size is 35mm2

Hope this helps.

[fazza81]

70mm quared is serious cable I think it is 00 guage

[GeneralFubashi]

I have the controller mounted next to the battery in the gu running the original wire from the controller to the batt. The wires from the controller to the winch are 00 Gauge. Just had a look at some scrap, and of course it wasnt labelled, so had to work it out. http://www.proav.de/index.html?http&&&w ... tance.html

Its a bit weighty, but certainly better than undersizing.

[GeneralFubashi]

Just had a crack at that calculator, and based on the current draw for my old tjm/t-max 10,000lbs from one of the 4x4 monthly winch tests of up to 500A, and assuming you have a battery/charger system fully charged and in top condition, you might be able to supply 12v. That punches the suggested cable size straight to 70mm2 for 1.5m lengths. I'd be a bit surprised if the voltage didnt drop a lot more than that during a full winch session.

Cheers
Sam

[sudso]

Jsttry,

I ran a couple of numbers off a website calculator which I suggest you go and do yourself. Its all straight forward info input and gives you the cable size required in mm2. There is a website further down the google search result to convert cable diameter to AWG.

Look at www.kilowatts.com.au or type in voltage drop in cables calculator in google.

I am unsure what the amperage is the 9000lb unit pulls, but here are some sample results. I am pretty conservative and would want the lowest VD possible.

1% volt drop, 1m long cable, current draw 400amp, system voltage 12.8, your recommended cable is 70mm2.

If you go to 5% volt drop, the same parameters above, the recommended cable size is 35mm2

Hope this helps.

5% voltage drop is generally considered the maximum acceptable limit for 240volt systems but 3% (0.36 volts) max drop for 12 volt systems

500A x 1.5mt x 0.017 / 35mm^2 = 0.3642 drop in voltage @ 12V supply so just over the acceptable limit but probably get away with 35mm as your running engine has 13-14V supplied

[jsttry]

Thanks all

So with 2m cables, 460amp and 12.8V you get;


Allowable Voltage Drop 3 %
Run Length 2 m
Current Demand 460 A
System Voltage 12.8 V
Voltage Drop 0.42 mV/A.m
Recommended Cable Size 70 mm2 (2/0 AWG)