Recommended Battery for a 12,000 Lb. Electric Car Trailer Winch

Updated 09/26/2017 | Published 09/24/2017

Products Featured in This Question

Bulldog Winch Trailer Winch - Wireless Remote - Synthetic Rope - Hawse Fairlead - 12,000 lbs

(57)

$949.35

Redarc In-Vehicle BCDC Battery Charger - Dual Input - DC to DC - 12V/24V - 40 Amp

(85)

$540.00

Question:

What size battery should be used for a 12k winch? Its going on a car trailer . Im not planning on hooking the battery to the tow vehicle charging system. I will put a portable battery charger on the battery as needed. My question is, deep cycle, or standard cranking battery and how many amps?

asked by: Rich K

Expert Reply:

For a 12,000 lb. electric car trailer winch like the Bulldog Winch Trailer Winch part # BDW10040, I recommend a standard 12 volt lead acid battery rated up to at least 650 cold cranking amps (CCA). As long as the battery is rated up to 650 CCA then you should have no problem powering the winch on your car trailer.

A 650 CCA rating is more or less a standard for a 12,000 lb. electric car trailer winch. However, every electric winch should have a recommended battery rating. If you can tell me which winch you have I would be glad to lookup an exact rating for you.

Draining the battery till empty and using a portable charger to charge the battery back up is not ideal for the longevity of a battery. Instead, I recommend using the Redarc BCDC Battery Charger part # 331-BCDC1240D. This battery charger will hook up to the vehicle's alternator and charge the battery on the car trailer. Charging a battery continuously as opposed to just when it dies will improve battery life.

I have attached a review video of CTEK charger for you.

expert reply by: Conner L