Correct Gauge of Wiring for Boat Trailer Winch with 10 Foot Lead

Question:

Hi! I want to mount a winch on my boat trailer. The winch is rated to 1kW out, and the battery on my car is not in the boot, so the wires would have to be around 10 feet to reach the front of the car. From my calculation 1 kW 12V gives around 80 amps. From what i understand i would have to have a #4 gauge wire to safely use the winch continually for maybe a minute. Is this correct? When i look at a similar winch with the same rating that comes with a wireing kit thats 10 feet, it looks like the wire is #10 gauge. How is that possible? That winch is purpose made for boat trailers, so that one should also be able to do at least a minute of sustained use

asked by: Kristoffer

Expert Reply:

You will definitely need a larger gauge wire, like 4 or 6 gauge (sometimes 8 is acceptable), when it comes to a winch because they pull a LOT of power for a short time. If a winch you're looking at is only offering 10 gauge wire for a winch then I'd ditch that wiring and go with something better suited for the job at hand.

For a wiring kit that uses 6 gauge wiring we have the Bulldog Winch Wiring Kit for ATV/UTV Winches # BDW20307. This comes with a 120" lead for the vehicle side and a 20" lead that goes to the winch directly.

If you don't already have a winch then the Dutton-Lainson StrongArm Electric Winch w/ Remote # DL25010 would be a great option. This is rated for 3,000 lbs and it comes with an 8 gauge wiring harness.

I've attached some review videos for you to check out!

expert reply by: Jon G