Finally mounted my winch and now I need to wire it to the ignition switch. My ignition switch has 6 wires. The winch was a sinle red wire that says to wire it ignition switch but not sure which wire to wire to. Also, what is best technique to wire the two wires?

 

You want to wire it to the wire that goes to 12 volts DC when the ignition switch is turned on. What are the wire colors on your ignition switch again (wiring harness side)?


What two wires? The big ones from the winch motor to the contactor? The big contactor wires to the battery?

Or are you asking how to tie the small red wire into the existing wire harness without cutting, stripping and soldering the wires? If this is the question then go to walmart (or any automotive store) and look for squeeze on wire splicers. These work by placing the wire you want to connect to in a wire channel on the splicer, then place the wire you want to connect to (your red wire from the winch) in the adjacent slot. Then you fold over a crimping plastic hinge and squeeze it down with a pair of pliers. This process forces both wires into a metal V groove pinch points that slices through the wire insulation and makes firm contact with the wire core inside. All the wires get shorted together with a solderless connection. It's quick and simple.

 

Yes, this is what I am asking.
I am a bit confused, but let me answer your question first. On my wiring harness (this is from the ignition to the harness) The wires are (I'm not looking at it right now so I'm guessing) black, red, white, yellow, green, white & yellow) I am certain there are 6.

So if I want to connect the red wire from the winch to the ignition (DC 12 wire) how do I test for that with my meter? Can I simply place the probe into the harness slot and it will read like that or something else?

Lastly, in order to attach this squeeze connector I'm assuming I need to cut the wire? if so how to I reattach the wire to the ignition harness or do I attach it after the harness.

Thanks, so much Lynn

 

I believe you when you say there are six wires. I've never seen a 6 wire switch setup myself, but seem to recall that these have three positions: Off, On, something to do with lights. Am I right?

One of those wires, one will be hot all the time, and another will be hot only when the ignition switch is turned on (where pushing the start button will turn the engine). To find these wires use a volt meter set to measure DC voltages on the 20 volt scale. Put the black meter lead on ground (like the engine metal block), and put the red meter lead so that is connects into the ignition switch wires. Probe into the connector housing if you can. Sometime you have to probe into the wires by poking through the insulation into the copper center.

The connection that is hot only when the ignition switch is on is the one to use.

As far as the squeeze connector, no you do not need to cut the wire. You place the existing wire in slot that goes through the connector. You add the butt end of the wire you want to splice in in another dead end slot. The you fold over a plastic lid and squeeze it shut. This forces the two wires into a metal piece with two "V" slots that slices through the insulation on both wires and squeezes into the copper wires inside (connecting them together). These are really common and available everywhere. I bought mine at Walmart in the automotive section.

Google "Quick Splice Connectors" and you will be overloaded with info on these clever devices. Remember you are just trying to add a wire to power your winch contactor contactor relay whenever the ignition switch is on. So you take this wire and "add" it to all the other stuff being powered when the ignition switch is on....