Outer Limits 4x4 Board

A couple of months ago there was a thread on suitable solenoids for winches with a discussion on Albright's Monobloc Contactor and a description of a neat 6 solenoid pack idea (80UTE)

http://outerlimits4x4.com/viewtopic.php ... sc&start=0

A number of members were planning to install the Monobloc and I would be very interested in feedback as it is time to update my solenoids to go with a more powerful (7.8HP) motor on my Hi-Mount.

After a lot of searching it apears that the Albright DC8827-SP contactor is rated at 125A continuous. Even allowing for the increased rating for intermittent use this is far short of the maximum 400+ Amps with a 12V system (480A theoretical with 7.8HP motor). Are you guys using 24V winches or do you always use a snatch block to halve the amps or haven't you done any really heavy winching?

With these amperages it would seem a good idea to run 2 of the 125A contactors in parallel to give 250A continuous rating. Has anyone done this? Or alternatively move up to the DC182 which is continuously rated at 200A if you can get it and find ???dollars. It is very difficult to find ratings and info on the internet. None of the 4wd retailers that I have found (mainly UK) quote ratings. Current UK price for the (presumably) 125A is £50.

Most info is at http://www.albright.co.uk/

I like 80UTE's 6 pack setup but at $120+ a solenoid it works out a trifle expensive though I could just put the new solenoids on the wind-in circuit and use my existing on the wind-out. The beauty of this system is that the solenoids can be replaced individually.

Anyway I am re-opening this topic so we can get some feedback on the monoblocs and on the 6-pack

David

Hi David,

As you would have seen in previous posts I have been supplying the 200amp version through my business Titan Offroad for $195ea, most of the setups I have sold these for so far are only using single solenoids, but you can use two to get up to 400amps continuous if you like. The actual users of these will probably give you soom feedback soon, apart from the normal play on weekends they have been used by several trucks in comps recently including the last round of the ARB Extreme WInch Challenge and more recently at 4wd Monthly Cliffhanger with no problems or hiccups whatsoever and they were pretty winching intensive comps. So they are proving to be a very good unit, and have so far been used with 12v 6hp warn motors with great success. I am able to source the 24v version also for anyone wanting to run 24v.

I have a full technical spec sheet available also should anyone wish to have a look at it, just drop me a PM with your email address and I can send it to you.

Cheers, Paul (aka Titan Offroad)

if anyone cares to go to spec page for high mount warn winches, you'll see clearly that it requires 480amps full load. 200amp cont will starve the motors of juice. its fact not estimate. go bigger , keep motors healthy and you'll find they should be cool to touch after heavy winching and should last. if you dont give enough juice they run hot and burn out.
berrets, your albrite units are good but 100 amp units you were flogging are way to small. 200 amp is better. but its not 480 amps is it

I showed my set up to to share info how i went about combating the issue with burn't soleniods, if i was to build a set up i was going to build to operate with in the specs of the equipment i was going to use, in doing so picked up some extra benifits from the set up. I also ensured the rest of the equipment ie buzz bars, connecting links and wire/cable was up to spec. The proof of the success was in the reliable operation that it has done . Im not tying to sell anything as at $1000 just in parts to build it i wouldn't sell to many but my set up worked for me.

Wally

I've been running a titan pack for a few months now as my standard pack s@%t itself when we got home from the OBC. The Titan unit has done the last round of the extreme winch series and just finished Cliffhanger no prob's at all, leaves the standard unit for dead, and the beauty of this unit is both it's price and if it does die i don't have to check multiple solenoids to find which ones not working, it's so easy you can change it in about 5 mins.
A massive thumbs up, a simple solution to a major design fault by Warn.

David_S wrote:A couple of months ago there was a thread on suitable solenoids for winches with a discussion on Albright's Monobloc Contactor and a description of a neat 6 solenoid pack idea (80UTE)

http://outerlimits4x4.com/viewtopic.php ... sc&start=0

A number of members were planning to install the Monobloc and I would be very interested in feedback as it is time to update my solenoids to go with a more powerful (7.8HP) motor on my Hi-Mount.

After a lot of searching it apears that the Albright DC8827-SP contactor is rated at 125A continuous. Even allowing for the increased rating for intermittent use this is far short of the maximum 400+ Amps with a 12V system (480A theoretical with 7.8HP motor). Are you guys using 24V winches or do you always use a snatch block to halve the amps or haven't you done any really heavy winching?

With these amperages it would seem a good idea to run 2 of the 125A contactors in parallel to give 250A continuous rating. Has anyone done this? Or alternatively move up to the DC182 which is continuously rated at 200A if you can get it and find ???dollars. It is very difficult to find ratings and info on the internet. None of the 4wd retailers that I have found (mainly UK) quote ratings. Current UK price for the (presumably) 125A is £50.

Most info is at http://www.albright.co.uk/

I like 80UTE's 6 pack setup but at $120+ a solenoid it works out a trifle expensive though I could just put the new solenoids on the wind-in circuit and use my existing on the wind-out. The beauty of this system is that the solenoids can be replaced individually.

Anyway I am re-opening this topic so we can get some feedback on the monoblocs and on the 6-pack

David

hi there mate I'm just wondering about the 7.8 hp motor?is it a direct replacment on the high mount? what sort of dollars do they sell for?

Hi all. Good feedback. This topic seems to generate as much heat as an undersized solenoid!

Beretta, I'll PM you for the tech sheet. The most info I could find was on a French web site and my French is a bit rusty. Do any of the comp trucks use dual units in parallel?

GQPete - Your calcs agree with mine. Unpalatable to the pocket but physics is physics. Maybe I should start a thread as to why manufacturers fit 8mm wire rope with a breaking strain of around 9,500 lbs when new to 9,000 lb winches! For both these reasons (amps and rope strength) I nearly always use a snatch block when winching (even a triple line at times) but I seldom see others doing so. I can't understand why not unless they are just too lazy to do the extra rigging. Perhaps they don't appreciate that the motor runs faster and cooler under the half load so you wind in just as fast, the battery lasts twice as long before being flattened and that the winch has its max pull when winching off the first layer of rope so it pays to get as much rope out as possible. Maybe it is to do with the strange fact that most people seem to rush winching rather than taking their time and thinking what they are doing. I am talking about everyday winching not about competitions which are a different matter entirely and presumably run under strict safety rules which are properly enforced.

80UTE - I still reckon yours is the best setup but $$$$$$ and not as compact as the Albright. I have been quoted $NZ125 + GST for 200A continuously rated solenoids. I hadn't missed your point about being able to beef up all the components such as busbars cables and terminals. Might still go this way.

Tuf045 - The 7.8HP motor is a Superduty made I think by Superwinch. They are available in NZ from Traxion (http://www.traxion.co.nz/product/details.asp?pid=16)

The model no is W-V619. I understand they are made in the USA though there is nothing on the motor to indicate this. They bolt straight up to the high mount but are a little bit longer than the standard - 180mm. They are not cheap though - around $NZ1000 some $300 more than the 6HP! Not light either - 20lbs on the bathroom scales. I haven't tried it out yet or even fitted it as I am still working on megasquirting the Nissan.

David

Thanks for the PM David, I've sent you the info.

Nothing better than some healthy conversation on a subject. What I can tell you is that technically you may have a point on using one solenoid, but practical facts are hard to argue with and to date they are working extremely well in the comps so I don't see the problem from a pactical use view, however for the comp truck set ups if you want to go the whole hog then two is arguably a better set up when you do the technical numbers, regardless the Titan Solenoids are still cheaper @ $195 each and better quality than the traditional solenoids. If you want to know anything else about them I'm more than happy to provide the info.

Cheers, Paul