5 Pin Winch Controller In-Cab Wiring

[mudmaster]

Trace your wires with a multimeter on ohms/beep and make sure you have continuity.

-Mac

Got it figured out...switched some ground wires on the switch. Must have been that way to work with the Smittybilt....

 

[LJDC]

Warn went to a 5-pin controller years ago so you could instantly disable the winch/stop it in emergency by pulling the remote control's plug at the winch. Doing so disables/interrupts the ground connection the solenoids require to operate.

You can convert it to 3-wire operation by hard-wiring the solenoid's ground connection directly to ground inside the winch instead of it having to run through the remote control first. There's a "daisy-chain" ground connection running between each solenoid, that's what you would hard-wire to ground so a 3-wire remote like from 12voltguy will work.

I know this is an old thread, but I'm doing some planning, and I wanted to understand the safety feature of the two ground wires. Is the idea that the remote should complete the ground — so that's how pulling the remote plug stops the winch? If so, is the safest option to wire the in-cab switches to a plug (the end of the Warn remote), and only plug that into the winch when necessary?

I assume I could acquire the plug wire from an old (even non-working) remote from e-bay or something, and then keep it tucked up inside the engine compartment when I'm on pavement.

 

[Alex01]

I know this is an old thread, but I'm doing some planning, and I wanted to understand the safety feature of the two ground wires. Is the idea that the remote should complete the ground — so that's how pulling the remote plug stops the winch? If so, is the safest option to wire the in-cab switches to a plug (the end of the Warn remote), and only plug that into the winch when necessary?

I assume I could acquire the plug wire from an old (even non-working) remote from e-bay or something, and then keep it tucked up inside the engine compartment when I'm on pavement.

I wired my in cab controller to a master power toggle switch. The only way the buttons in the jeep will work is if the master toggle is on.

 

[LJDC]

I wired my in cab controller to a master power toggle switch. The only way the buttons in the jeep will work is if the master toggle is on.

I was going to wire the power to the controls to ignition (engine-on), but that's not really what I'm asking about. I'm asking about the fifth wire and the two grounds.

I don't think the question is whether the buttons will work. Rather, I think it may have to do with (a) whether the winch can operate other than with the buttons in the cab, and (b) whether you can kill power to the winch from the winch itself (as you can with a remote).

Honestly, I don't quite understand what the fifth wire is supposed to do. That's what I'm trying to figure out.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

The 5th wire is a ground wire that loops through the remote control. Unplug the remote control and the control side of all of the solenoids lose their ground connection shutting them off.

 

[LJDC]

The 5th wire is a ground wire that loops through the remote control. Unplug the remote control and the control side of all of the solenoids lose their ground connection shutting them off.

Do you think I should maintain that “feature” with the in-cab controls? I could probably find a used remote and use that to wire up the winch, rather than directly wiring it.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Do you think I should maintain that “feature” with the in-cab controls? I could probably find a used remote and use that to wire up the winch, rather than directly wiring it.

I personally did not keep it wired that way. Lawyers have too much say in product design in my personal opinion. The starter motor has a very similar design and connection to the electrical system and doesn't have or need an extra layer of redundant safety interlocks.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

P.S. It's actually a 4th and 5th wire going to the winch remote that provides the looped ground connection leaving the winch on the 4th wire to pass through the controller then returning back to the solenoids on the 5th wire.

The winch itself only needs 3 wires to control it. Common, In, and Out.

 

[Zorba]

I think the reason the plug in remote went to the looped ground was to help prevent the winch from running if kids/idiots started poking things into the remote's receptacle. An in-cab setup needs to loop the ground *IF* one wants to retain that feature.