Recommended Battery to Power an Electric Winch

Question:

I have a winch that draws around 55 amps. It will be used to load quads onto a rack in my truck. What are my battery options? Are there any smaller motorcycle type battery that will work? The battery will be used twice in a week and then put on a charger.

asked by: Brian

Expert Reply:

You will need a 12 volt battery that is rated for more than 55 amps to power your electric winch. Any battery that meets those requirements should work well for you. For most winches that usually means a car battery. I have included a link to the right with tips on wiring an electric winch.

If you need a good battery charger that will not over charge the battery and will also help recondition and extend the life of the battery I recommend CTEK charger # CTEK56353. I won this charger and it works beautifully.

expert reply by: Michael H

Kurt

1/30/2020

What kind of 12V riding lawn mower battery would be best to power an electric winch that raises and lowers a 150lb snowblower attachment on the front of my garden tractor? just a heavy duty lawn and garden 12V battery with high CCA- like 350? or would it be better to go with an AGM deep cycle battery with say 310 CCA?

Jason S.

2/3/2020

The better route to go is the deep cell battery. The cold cranking amps are for turning over an engine and then the power drops after that initial surge. A winch will require the steady amperage so the deep cell battery will be better. For lifting, make sure your particular winch has a brake that is strong enough to handle the attachment so you don't see it begin releasing when you stop the lift on the winch.

James S.

5/27/2020

I was wanting to know what battery set up I would need to safely power a 12,000 lb. cap. 12 Volt, electric winch that pulls 450 amps, for a decent amount of time (approximately 15 to 30 minutes intermittently)?