Hey, I just installed a winch (Warn 2000#) in my neighbors Rancher. Now it is running his battery down. My questions are as follows:
1. Should the winch work with the key off? (It does now) If not, which wire running from the ignition should I have spliced power in to? (It's currently one of the red ones.)

2. If I had the selenoid wired backwards, it wouldn't work at all would it? Thinking I might have the wires exactly opposite of what the picture showed.

3. Any ideas , what could be causing his battery to run down?

Also, he had the quad running once and was using the winch, and the quad just quit. ???

HELP!! I told this guy it was no biggie to wire it up. (It wasn't on my brother in law's)

 

It sounds like you must have wired the solenoid up to be hot all the time. That will cause the battery to go dead when it is not running. On the Rancher I believe the PINK wire at the ignition is a keyed source for the solenoid but double check that with a test light. It would be a good idea to put in a fuse (or breaker) in line if you tap into it so if there ever is a problem you dont burn up the ignition harness.

 

BUCKEYE,

E-MAIL ME ,I HAVE SCHEMATIC FROM WARN BOOK, I CAN SEND,TOO COMPLICATED TO EXPLAIN BUT DISCONNECT FOR NOW IF YOU DID NOT FIGURE OUT. WILL GIVE PHONE NO. IF YOU WANT TO CALL ,BUT SCHEMATICS ARE EASIER - HONRAN01 - RCANDERSON@KLINKTECH.NET E-MAIL FOR PHONE NO.

 

In your wiring harness there is a spot that is taped up with blue tape.Under the tape are two connectors these wires are hot when the key is turned on.You can find them on the right side at the back.

 

Got it fixed, having it wired up HOT or working without the key on, was the problem. Thanks for the replies.

 

I am currently working on installing a 2500lb Ramsey winch on my 96 Foreman 500. Do you know where the hot wire would be to tie in on this bike. Thanks,

 

Sorry, What I meant was a 2006 Foreman 500 4x4. Flying by the seat of my pants on this install.

 

Any winch should not run when the key is off. I am not sure about your Foreman cutiger but I wired mine to the pink wire coming off the key ignition. But you can test any wire with a 12 volt test light avalible just about anywhere for about 2 or 3 bucks. Just stick the wire, you should get light with the key on but not with it off [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

And welcome too the forums cutiger! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

Thanks for the welcome. The forums are a great place for information. ON your Rancher did you tie into the pink wire near the key or somewhere else on the bike? Thanks,