Anyone suffer this. I'm trying to pre plan. I don't go hard when I'm solo but I've gotten stuck twice in ten years on solo rides. Finally invested in a winch...but itd suck to winch my way out just to not have juice to drive my way home. What are your ways around this?

Honestly I'm thinking of just buying a new battery and if I head out solo will load it up as a backup and swap it if needed. Just wondering if anyone else has done anything to avoid the winch drain.I

Ouch, I feel you. Erm, when I had my hilux I used my second battery to winch, but if you're on single it really depends on your battery and alternator output and how much your winch draws. I usually do breaks while winching, if I winch for 15seconds I let it have a break for 15seconds, it's good for the battery and longevity of the winch.

What battery, alternator and winch? You can usually do the math. Also get a volt meter guage mod so you can see your drop as you winch.

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

You could carry a battery jump box. They are on sale at most places for Christmas at about $50. They will self die if not charged every 6months.

OP, do you have the engine running when you are operating your winch? If not, this is why you're killing your battery. You really shouldn't be killing your battery while you're winching.

This. Tons of winching and have never killed my battery.

This has lots of variations as to the causes

Weak battery will be drained by a winch.

Size of the winch and the current draw of the winch under normal conditions.

Worn out brushes and armature damage in the winch draw more current then normal.

Trying to winch on a depleted battery can actually damage a winch in long term. As the winch will demand more current then the circuit can provide. This gets the brushes hot and the armature winding start heating up.

So each situation is different. One person with good battery and great alt can winch all day with no issues


While another will have issues.

Not a bad idea OP to have a deep cycle battery on reserve.

I would verify all your wiring is good. The connections are clean and the resistance is low on these circuits.

I would have your battery checked and your alternator checked with the connections to make sure the charging circuits functioning properly.


By any chance, do you know how much current you are pulling when you are winching yourself out?

Sent from my SM-J337V using Tapatalk

Hasn't actually happened to me. In fact just bought the winch it isn't even installed yet. However people have told me stories. I'm just looking to be prepared if it were to happen on a solo drive. Like I said I don't go looking for trouble but it happens.

This is my concern. New OEM alternator about a year ago. Battery is about 5yr old...

Certain areas of the country have different climates but 5 to 7 years is the lifespan for me up in the northeast. Once in a while I can get a battery to last longer to 9 or 10 years.

So your alternator should be good. I just have a extra new deep cycle so you are not stuck with no winch.

Maybe best not to go solo for safety.

Sent from my SM-J337V using Tapatalk

Well, you should have no worries then. As long as you keep your rig running while you're winching, you're not going to drain your battery.

But, the suggestion from @wcjeep was a really good one. What I worry about on a trip, especially if I'm out in BFE (Bum F*ck Egypt), is I do something stupid like leave a dome light on all night and wake up to a dead battery. A portable battery jumper is a really smart thing to carry with you at all times and especially smart when you're out in the boonies by yourself.

This is the one I bought for myself and my girlfriend:Amazon.com: DBPOWER 600A Peak 18000mAh Portable Car Jump Starter (up to 6.5L Gas/5.2L Diesel Engine) Portable Battery Booster with Smart Charging Port, Compass, LCD Screen & LED Flashlight (Red): Automotive

My girlfriend and I got back from a long road trip and the battery in her BMW was deader than dead. I think she must have some sort of slight parasitic draw. I tried to jump her with my 3rd Gen using jumper cables. Her car wouldn't turn over. I then hooked up the portable battery jumper and her car fired right up. These little portable battery jumpers are really powerful. I highly recommend you get one.

Yes have car running. Watt's Law (similar to Ohm's Law) proves this. Electricity is an interesting mistress. Electric motors and loads as well. It goes something like this:

Watts = Volts X Amps

Watt is a measurement of power and an electrical motor will utilize as much power as needed to complete the job. So wattage at any given pulling attempt, will be the constant for this example.

For arguement let's say the power needed is 1400 watts. Well that's about a 100 Amp draw with engine running:

1400w = 14v X 10a.

But static, relying solely on battery, it will pull about 11% more amps:

1400w = 12.6v X 111a

I experienced this with my portable air compressor. Without engne running I blow its 30amp fuse almost every time. Never blown once with engine running because the increase in voltage decreases the amperage draw.

Watt is a measurent of power
Voltage is electrical PRESSURE
Amperage is electrical VOLUME (literally flow of electrons)
Ohms is electrical restriction.

So keep the engine running and you'll be fine. Every battery has a certain amp-hour lifespan so the more amps you pull without recharging the quicker it's dead.

Also, 5 years on a battery is a lot in my opinion. Average I see is about 4 years

Everyone should have a portable jumper with USB's on it. Charges phones/devices and jump starts cars. Takes up less space that a single shoe.

Thanks all. New battery this week and a portable charger/jumper it is. I know solo trips are less than optimal. But I have midweek off and not many people do. So thats when I'll take a run out to the mountains and friends are all working and can't accompany me. Like I said I don't go looking for trouble, but I'd like to be prepared if trouble finds me.


Boom! Bought one. It was on a lightning deal when I clicked the link. I took that as a sign.

A good reminder, thanks.

We had one, and forgot to remove it during a private vehicle sale. I did notice it before the deal was sealed, but the buyer clearly wanted it, and I wanted the car out of the garage...

I get periodic email reminders to charge various devices, like flashlights, and I did the same with this unit. As someone said above, definitely do so. For me, I charged ours at the end of every other month.

I will get another and put it under rear seat in the factory jack location area where I keep a compact 300w pure sine wave inverter.

A new post, as opposed to editing the above...

After some reading, I was reminded about the impact of heat. I will not keep this item under the rear seat. It can get quite hot inside of vehicles of course. When we go on trips, or when I finally start wheeling, it will go into a recovery bag that will be stored between the rear frame rails.

I bought the same one as Tim, but in yellow. Paid like 4 bucks more as I don't do red. Ya, I know... A large red vice won't be at some point too. That's another thread.

Thanks for the reminder.

I've gone from a lead acid battery to a high CCA AGM battery, to a full-on deep cycle battery. I only have one battery in the vehicle. I really like the deep cycle battery as it powers all my accessories as well as works nicely without complaint about using my 4Runner as a portable boom box for working in the yard. They can be drained pretty low and fire up nicely. Just don't forget to put it on a charger when you get home after a good load on the battery, since the alternator won't charge it back up to 100% on its own.