Trailer mounted winch

bigcountry78 · Oct 27, 2022

I spent the better part of the afternoon putting a 2500 pound winch on my 6x12 utility trailer. Got the winch and switch mounted, now I’m trying to figure out the power situation. Short term fix is to grab the battery out of my square and just use that, but I’d like a longer term better solution. So, is there a way to power a small winch from a 7 way plug on a truck? I know the center pin is normally used to charge a camper battery, but does anyone know if that’s sufficient to run a winch off of? I could also run my own wire to the back of the truck, but if I can use what’s already there, naturally that would be easier.

Also, if charging a trailer battery from the truck is a better option, I can go that way too. I already have a toolbox on the tounge that I can mount a battery in.

PrairieDrifter · Oct 27, 2022

bigcountry78 said:
I spent the better part of the afternoon putting a 2500 pound winch on my 6x12 utility trailer. Got the winch and switch mounted, now I’m trying to figure out the power situation. Short term fix is to grab the battery out of my square and just use that, but I’d like a longer term better solution. So, is there a way to power a small winch from a 7 way plug on a truck? I know the center pin is normally used to charge a camper battery, but does anyone know if that’s sufficient to run a winch off of? I could also run my own wire to the back of the truck, but if I can use what’s already there, naturally that would be easier.

Also, if charging a trailer battery from the truck is a better option, I can go that way too. I already have a toolbox on the tounge that I can mount a battery in.

That's what the manufacturers do I'm pretty sure, they charge a trailer battery from the truck somehow. Most times the batteries end up dead but that's how they do it.

Not sure what your full plans with the truck is, but in the future I'm running battery power and ground to both ends of a couple of my trucks and using quick connects. This seems to be the best other than having heavy battery cable running end to end of the truck.

Derick C. · Oct 27, 2022

Charging a battery from the truck is the better option.

PrairieDrifter · Oct 27, 2022

Im going to be running receiver hitches front and back for a winch so I'm most likely gonna be mounting a receiver hitch to the trailer as well so I can just move the winch there when I need it. That's why I'm going the way I am. Just an option.

fast 99 · Oct 27, 2022

To use the trucks battery alone it would require cables the size of a battery jumper cable set.

Use the truck to charge only. Go right to the battery post. Be sure to use properly rated circuit breakers and a good ground. Don't rely on the hitch to ground it.

A 7-pin plug won't be able to handle a high amp for sustained amount of time. As suggested a separate plug would be better.

bigcountry78 · Oct 27, 2022

Thanks guys. That answers that, I’ll just go with a set of wires to the battery and a plug in the bumper. I had a trailer set up like that years ago, but that was for a 9,000 pound winch. I was hoping I could get away with the smaller wiring since this is a much smaller winch.

bigcountry78 · Oct 27, 2022

Ok, new question. Would that big pin in the 7 pin plug be enough to power a couple of led work lights on the deck of the trailer? Since the trailer is a 4 pin flat plug, I would probably just wire up a separate plug for the work lights and plug it into the truck when needed. On the other hand, I could install trailer brakes, and then wire the work lights into the trailer plug and add a switch. Hm, I smell a new project coming on.

bucket · Oct 27, 2022

Imho, it would be best to just install a 7-pin plug. The AUX (12v) pin will be for the charge wire. For that little winch, you could just use a cheap ATV or Lawn/Garden battery installed on the trailer. And then your trailer can be used on any truck with a 7-pin plug too.

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75gmck25 · Oct 27, 2022

On many modern trucks the 12 volt constant power in the 7 pin plug is fused for 30 amps. That should be plenty to charge a battery on the trailer.

bigcountry78 · Oct 28, 2022

bucket said:
Imho, it would be best to just install a 7-pin plug. The AUX (12v) pin will be for the charge wire. For that little winch, you could just use a cheap ATV or Lawn/Garden battery installed on the trailer. And then your trailer can be used on any truck with a 7-pin plug too.

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I just happen to have an extra lawn mower battery out in the shop. I had wondered if it would be enough, but if I’m charging off the truck then it should be fine.

Vbb199 · Oct 28, 2022

I got a deep cycle marine battery in the toolbox on my trailer, the suburban maintains it and keeps it charged thru the 7 pin plug's power source for the break away battery charge wire.

wanderinthru · Oct 28, 2022

bucket said:
Imho, it would be best to just install a 7-pin plug. The AUX (12v) pin will be for the charge wire. For that little winch, you could just use a cheap ATV or Lawn/Garden battery installed on the trailer. And then your trailer can be used on any truck with a 7-pin plug too.

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Agree with this. As much as a battery cost nowdays, it's probably less than the cable, breaker and plug to run from the truck battery.

bigcountry78 · Oct 28, 2022

Vbb199 said:
I got a deep cycle marine battery in the toolbox on my trailer, the suburban maintains it and keeps it charged thru the 7 pin plug's power source for the break away battery charge wire.

Can you send me a schematic of how you hooked everything up?

Vbb199 · Oct 28, 2022

Its what andy posted, the pin 7 that is

The 12v power source on my trailer just drip charges the break away system battery, so you cant put load on the wire the same time, but the burb (oem) has the big heavy gauge wire running from the firewall all the way back to the 7 pin plug (originally was 4 pin )

That same 12v wire runs in tandem with the brake signal wire.

I just tapped into the 12v source thats on the charging system on the trailer and ran a seperate charge wire to my battery.

Like i say, if im using the winch, i have to disconnect from the truck, lest it blows the fusable link at the firewall.

Grit dog · Oct 28, 2022

75gmck25 said:
On many modern trucks the 12 volt constant power in the 7 pin plug is fused for 30 amps. That should be plenty to charge a battery on the trailer.

And those modern trucks don't put anywhere near 30A of charging to a battery. Otherwise, there would be no market for DC-DC chargers for those serious about charging house batteries off of a vehcile's system.

Trailer mounted winch

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