I was wondering, when installing your winch, the red wire from the switch, does everyone splice this into a switched hot wire, or just run it to the battery so that the winch can run without the key on? Any advantage/disadvantage either way?

 

Personal choice.

I have my winch switch wired constant "hot".

I find it convenient not having to find/fumble with keys. Unlike other accessories (heated grips, etc.), you're not likely to walk away from the quad leaving the winch running, and therefore draining the battery.

 

I have mine connected to a key-switched wire. It just seemed like the right thing to do. Either way works, but no one can play with my winch or screw anything up when I'm not around.

 

I would switch it. the reason being when you use your winch it can use quite a little battery so if you had to have a key for it to run you would pry start the machine and let the system charge so you wouldn't use your winch and think it wasn't enough to drain the battery and when you go to start be dead in the water. more or less hooking it to a switch is one step closer to making sure you don't drain the battery too much!