ChopperBill: Solenoid as winch "kill switch?" (Like the ignition kill switch on the quad engine.) Good point! I agree with you, the probability of the switch electrical contacts "welding" themselves together is remote (given the torque of the Warn rotary switch spring, and the operator's manual capability to turn it off if necessary), but if a potential runaway winch concerns you, the solenoid relay may be a good countermeasure. Superwinch, as YukonRon says, doesn't offer this option, connecting the winch switch up directly to the battery (through a thermal circuit breaker ("ShortStop")).

YukonRon: Solenoid as "childproofing device?" Maybe so. While an ATV may not be a suitable plaything for unsupervised small children (how do you keep 'em from using the gas cap vent hose to drink the gasoline?), many young modern parents ignore their childrens' behavior (judging from the ones I've seen in the grocery/drug/department stores); the solenoid may help protect the children from themselves. (BTW, my earlier comment on redundancy applied to the ignition switch AND a toggle switch wired in series to control the in-line solenoid.)

I agree with your point, CB & YR, a solenoid increases safety margins. Thanks for pointing out some reasons I never considered favoring a solenoid. But I'll likely still wire directly myself because I judge the risk acceptable. Quads already have at least one non-fuzed high-current continuously "hot" wire (the positive connection to the starter relay), not too great a hazard, and: even Warn provides no in-line solenoid with its heavier (than A2500 and A2000) winches, whose "contactor" (power and control relay) boxes are wired directly to the battery.

Diogenes

 

Diogenes,

I thought that I had read that one reason for using the solinoid was that the switch could not handel the load by its self. Is that true? IF its not, I may change mine around when I do some other mods to it.

 

Regnar, I think we're confusing the Warn in-line solenoid with the Warn "contactor." The "contactor" appears only with the A2500.

The A2000 connection recommended by Warn goes from the battery positive terminal, through an in-line solenoid relay, to a rotary control switch, to a winch motor terminal. The A2000 rotary switch must handle the total winch current, powering and reversing the winch. Much of the discussion on this topic has been on the merits of including or eliminating the ignition-switch-controlled solenoid in the circuit.

Your A2500 connects a "contactor" to the battery; I thought an in-line solenoid was provided by Warn and recommended in this circuit too, but don't know for sure. Does your kit include such a solenoid, in addition to the "contactor?" The "contactor" powers and reverses the winch, controlled by a low-current toggle switch on a remote cord. This toggle switch definitely will NOT handle the full winch current, only the control voltage activating the relays in the "contactor." Even if the remote toggle switch could handle the full winch current, it does not have enough contacts to reverse winch direction.

Summarizing; the A2000 uses a rotary manual switch to power and reverse the winch motor; the A2500 uses a "contactor," controlled by a remote toggle switch, to power and reverse the winch motor. Should a separate, ignition-switch-controlled in-line solenoid relay be connected in the positive lead between the battery and the switch (A2000) or "contactor" (A2500)? Your choice!

Diogenes