Winch not working? Here's how to test the solenoid
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- Опубликовано: 21 июл 2020
- Electric winches are awesome aren't they! Well, not when they don't work! It's that heart sinking 'clicking' sound but no movement of the motor....well, this could be for a number of reasons but the solenoid pack is often the cause of the problem.
In this video I use a common WARN solenoid pack which has a fault. Included in the video is the wiring diagram, testing & disassembly of the complete component to show the internals & more importantly why it failed.
Enjoy
Andy
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Thanks for all your support, until next time...
Andy 
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Now that’s an intro,I came here for the tech data,thanks for the eye candy.!subbed
One of the most practical and helpful presentations, ever. Thank you!
Great informative video, thanks heaps! Pulled my not working winch out today and after watching this I'll pull it apart tomorrow and hopefully save myself 3K by fixing it. Legend!!!!
Your video was spot on. After a fight to get the 'universal bracket' on the plow, get the plow on, the winch would only go in, not out. Fight with thr button, then found a fuse blown...then nothing...then take the solenoid off and check to see your video if it could be taken apart...sure enough...the one was jammed same. Clean it then release oil...boom.
Awesome, great job All the best Andy
Thank you, this was very informative. I love tinkering with things that everyone else thinks is garbage. More people need to try things before they just scrap it.
Yup…. The most interesting, entertaining, and helpful channel on the RUclips 😎
A new subscriber from Newfoundland 👍
This was amazingly good, step-by-step troubleshooting AND fixing the problem. I'm going through the same process on my ATV winch solenoid. Well done1
thx😂
This freaking video🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏just learnt me everything there is to know about solenoids and I finally got the plow down on my atv😂😂😂 aaand learned that the relay is fine! Thank you so much for this!
thank you for the great video. you probably saved me $3-400. never underestimate what some lubricant and persistent bobbing can do.
Tdhanks a bunch for this great video. I was able to track down my problem to a faulty switch using your instruction. Saved me a lot of money!
No problem Steve, good to know it was of help. Thanks for your feedback. Cheers Andy
Excellent job on explanation of how they work and troubleshooting. Thank you!
Outstanding vid. I now posses knowledge needed to repair mine. Thank You.
Thanks Andy for your so prompt answer.
I am a woman, solo sailing, and on top of that I am french! Ahahahaha..... See how clear your explanations were?
Cheers man!
Hah.. I have been taking mine apart while watching your video. Mine didn't have the sticker on the top to disguise the 2 Phillips screws holding the top on so I managed to fully disassemble w/o tearing it up. Nice video.
Well Andy, that was interesting experiment!!! Great fix. Wish it was saved to live another day! Like Ivan's motto, no parts required, lol!!! Many thumbs up!
Yep. Shame that main spring had corroded away. Plus I destroyed the top casing by not spitting those top screws! Lol
@@AndyMechanic haha, right!!
Very interesting, Andy.
Thanx Buddy, honestly this was well done, & stripping it open made it even clearer as to how these solenoids work. I actually thought the clicking in the solenoid was it malfunctioning, but turns out it’s the winch that was toast. I guess, I normally would not hear the solenoid clicks over the sound of the winch. Saved me buying a new solenoid for nothing.
No problem, pleased to be of help. Happy winching
Cheers Andy
Brilliant. I fixed it thanks to you. It looked the same inside
Excellent video, very informative and detailed 👍
Thanks for the help video I can now fit the winch . Cant think why they didn't put a wiring diagram in the box. In the light of the information on corrosion I am going to put two 1/16" holes in the top of the casing and two 3/32 holes in the bottom for injecting wd40 and airline blow through points and fit the cut out switch. cheers
Thank you for this. Very helpful informations for me like a base before installing a remote control on my winch!
Excellent video: persistence and thoroughness
Thank you you've helped me wire up my new winch!
Very informative video. Worth the time to watch and learn.
Intro was worth a sub just by itself. Rest of the video was great as well.
Thanks Oby-1 :-)
Thanks man
J7st one heads up .
Soleinod is for electric winch
Relay is for hydraulic winch.
Relay is just a switch
Very nice well explained video! Appreciate it mate!
Nice video. Going to clean up mine up and seal them with right stuff permatex
great job show every thing needed to do
I've always coated the solenoid in wd40 or innox before a trip. Also before fitting a really thin coat of silicon around the plastic joints!
Never bothered to take one apart though! Thanks heaps, it was very helpful!
Great video Andy, thanks
Awesome video. Thank you.
Very Good video Thank You For Explain Everything ..
Hey Andy! Thanks for sharing! I know better how a silonoid work now. Im still having a hard time figuring out what going on though. What if i dont have anything connected to the brown switch connector? It was working before so its not the problem but just curious how to why there is nothing connected there.
Very informative. Cheers!
Thanks for the great video
Thanks dude
Ótimo vídeo consegui resolver minhas dúvidas graças ao vídeo obrigado.
saved the day , thanks
Great video!
Oh my goodness, you are very helpful! Unbelievable how many videos are totally useless. You helped me so much.
Thanks, well done.
Thank you for the tips about battery cut off switch.
My winch won’t work until the key is on.
Cheers Dan, your winch may be wired up in a way that the trigger circuit for the contactor doesn't get a voltage supply until ignition is on. If so the main power feed to the contactor (heavy cable from battery positive) may still be permanently live - this is a problem as the contacts inside the contactor will be live & will corrode. Best to fit an isolation switch which will stop this & also allow you to cut power to the winch motor if the contactor fails when spooling in or out.
Cheers Andy
@@AndyMechanic my last Warn contactor had a recall. Replaced for free. Nice to see the insides.
Thanks for the testing instructions. I was able to determine my solenoid is operating correctly. Do you have any battery isolation switch recommendations? I'm reading good things about the Blue Sea 9003E. It's made for marine use. (I am not a Blue Sea affiliate in any way) Would you also recommend an ON/OFF switch for the trigger circuit just in case the OUT/IN rocker gets stuck or goes rogue? And thanks for the disassembly. I love taking broken things apart and learning how they work (and how I broke them).
Those solenoids are not made by Warn but by Albright here in the UK.
Interesting. Thanks for the info. Maybe they should watch this video then! :-)
perfect tutorial of how to. could also be an idea to fabricate a small Perspex case make it waterproof to house the solenoid ?
Thanks :-)
There are much better/waterproof solenoids available on the market so it would be best to just upgrade to one of them.
All the best
Andy
thank you for your reply that gives me an incentive to subscribe to your channel
well done
Just wondering if you have a video or know where to get parts for the DC motor on a liftmoore 2000 the magnets have a spring loaded spacer and they got smashed and don't hold them in place anymore
Thank you.
I have a 12 volt winch when test the control box the red lights up tester when pushing the in on the controller and on the black when I push the out. When plugged to winch it lights up in and out on both the positive and negative post on winch. Tested the plug for winch plugged in same thing but unplug winch control box lights like it should??????
Spot on!
Hi Andy, thanks for your video, you are very clear. My solenoid is different, with only 3 big plots instead of 4. It goes with my boat windlass. Anyway, I shunted it to test my windlass and the windlass works. When I connect it to the solenoid it doesn't. I tested my solenoid the way u show it, with the multimeter. There is a clicking sound on both side... but hardly any voltage! 3.5, 4 V... Does it mean it's totally dead? I did open the box, it was surprisingly clean, no corrosion or hardly, I cleaned everything, but still same result.
What is your opinion? Shall I replace the whole thing? The coils inside are hidden by some kind of plastic wrapping, so I couldn't check them. But the rest looks OK, springs etc.. Thanks man!
Hi, yes, it certainly sounds like an internal fault with the solenoid, I'd suggest replacing it.
Thanks for the feedback, pleased you found the video helpful.
Cheers
Andy
Andy what is the difference between the 4 terminal unit you have and a 3 terminal unit on an anchor winch ?
Thank you
Very informative. Is there a circumstance where the solenoid would still 'click' but no current on that side? 🤔 Thx
Yes, definitely - usually the internal contacts will be badly burnt when this happens.
Worn brushes or burnt windings in the motor will also cause the same symptoms - but would occur in both spool In & out.
Cheers Andy
Great,great,great . Video
This was the.cooliest video ever
Thank you very much! A question.. what happens when one uses a bigger relay than needed.? A 8000lbs winch relay for a 2000lbs winch..
it will be just fine. no problem at all :-)
@@AndyMechanic one more question.. how do you do this with the girls 😂?
Just kidding. thank you very much.. great help 🙏
If you use a solenoid from a heavier winch, it will probably be for a series wound winch, they are wired differently.
🏆🏆🏆👍🙏
. Thank you for sharing
I have a Traveller 9k winch on my car hauler with a wireless co troller but not getting feedback to the winch to let it unroll and reel it into the spool what gives
Great video Andy I have that same battery load tester. Wow does it get hot when you test a good batter.
Sure does :-) great for those cold days!
Mine just smokes and gives a burning smell. Other than that, it does what I need.
Felicidades desde 🇵🇦
fixing scrap parts is always fun
Sure is :-)
Reviving scrap*
So let’s see the side of the winch that was working was the outside to let the winch out my watch has a free turning switch where I can just click over and pull it out so sorry I didn’t check it and then I realized my winch will not return but it was still go out I could switch the polarity on the load side to make that change to be the return then and be able to make it home with my vehicle instead of having to walk because my Winch only had 1 side working is that correct or would I change The polarity on the low-voltage side and it will automatically switch it on the high-voltage side
you'd have to switch over the two heavy cables to the winch motor for it to reverse. The fault is likely in the contactor - if not then in the actual switch that controls the winch. You'd have to do some simple tests...
Hope this is of help. Cheers Andy
Andy,
I got a winch that’s passively drawing 12amps from my battery. I have pulled it all apart, checked the solenoid, the solenoid is good, but the winch still just draws the power from my battery.
Do you know what the issue could be?
Yep. It has to be a solenoid fault. The solenoid, when the winch is not in use, should disconnect all of the heavy cables to the winch so there should be no circuit
I'd suggest replacing the solenoid - 12 Amps draw is very high. Also make sure you have a battery isolation switch fitted on the main 12v positive from battery to solenoid - without one things can go really bad if solenoid jams in spool in mode....
Cheers Andy
@@AndyMechanic aight! I have a replacement solenoid ready to go, so I’ll give it a try!
And yes, after watching your video i was like “yeah, i need a switch!”
What kind of switch do you run for that kind of job?
Usually the type they use in really cars...normally rated to 100 Amps. If winch draws more current then you can get a larger one from a truck parts supplier
@@AndyMechanic thank you for the help!!
Good job! Nice to see someone test a solenoid correctly for once.
BTW, those solenoids are water 'resistant' not waterproof, despite the label. There is no such thing as waterproof....
Im thinking of using marine solenoid should it work ank 2000lb winch ampere is 35 - 150. Should it be okay?
Yep will be just fine though remember the winch solenoid is a duel change over relay, not a standard type relay.
Cheers Andy
@@AndyMechanic but can i use 2 relays from a motorcyle type 100a?
@@AndyMechanic the winch worked with it but cant figure out how to wire it 🤣
Hmmm.....how many wires to the winch motor, 2 or 3
@@AndyMechanic 2 only i have
So I've have had the problem of winch goin out but not in, replaced solenoid, and switch with new one but still have same problem 😡😡😡 only thing left is winch, right?
Switch maybe.
Very helpful and clearly presented. Thanks!
So, in the field, we just bypass the relay and energize it directly. But interesting video, anyway.
Yes, I have done that a few times too...a neat trick to get you out of trouble when the solenoid fails. Great feedback. Cheers Andy
@@AndyMechanic Lets say my winch is stuck because of this same issue. How would i bypass it correctly so that i can get some slack in my winch??
There are solid state reversers now that can handle this power, no need to repair again
Why didn't you wire from the solenoid first, then wire the battery last? Maybe you didn't think of that at the time. Avoids the surprise sparks.
Sparks are fun :-)
@@AndyMechanic Only when you expect them. lol
Sparks are way more fun when you aren't expecting them! It gets your heart racing and just reminds you that you are still alive 🤣
2:06 " my background is 4 wheel drive winches warn....." , Seem more like you just have a little bit of experience with them not a background in them.
Correct....I have fixed a few over the years on our 4x4 recovery vehicles & Unimog (rear anchor winch) - had a hydraulic on the front. Plus a few ATV winches too...
6:00 the schematic
if theres a spring at bottom//top. its rusted to fk. id say..
yes, exactly....these are not waterproof despite what Warn claim!
Cheers Andy
Thanks for the video. my question is the following. I have Axon 45s installed. But its works in wired way. When try it in both ways (in and out) it works with clicks. It turns and stops, turns and stops. Please see the video (ruclips.net/video/Mudbp1xeuEI/видео.html). Any idea what causes this? I think this model is with integrated contractor, and no solenoids are there correct? Will appreciate your help.
They are called busbars not buzzars.
Yep. Busbar...maybe I was talking a bit quick. Sorry
FURST
Holy Cummings again..Don't moves even one's millimeter she not done Cummins yet again
Nuts ? Ruined it thats why they is 2 nuts on each post
Nice girls, but 56 minutes to test a solenoid??
how do you expect us to learn anything with all the distractions...all that junk in your shop distracts me...