The AM Forum

Anyone have 12v winch experience?

I injured my wrist 5 weeks ago in a mountain bike accident and I  have a week to go once the splint is tossed in the trash and I can start riding again but my bike storage system will prevent me from doing so because the bikes are hung from the garage ceiling and my wrist will be weak for a few more weeks. So it got me to thinking of an alternate storage system that would be more convenient since my wife has taken up bike riding too. We now have 4 bikes hanging and I anticipate another bike in the month ahead.

The bike storage system that I 'm thinking of constructing is a suspended bike rack system that my wife and I can simply raise and lower using a winch. 

Northern Tool has a 12v 1HP winch rated for 1000lbs.  The current load would be about 60 or so amps under full load.  Considering that 4 and possibly 5 bikes and the frame work to suspend the bikes might come in at 150 to 200 lbs plus pulley friction, would a 15 or 20A-Hr gell cell be more than adequate to operate the winch. Duty cycle will be short, maybe 15 seconds up.

There are no specs on the winch on it's current demand unloaded so it's hard to guess.  The 12v winch is less than $100. An AC equivalent is a hundred or more. 

Electric boat winches mounted on trailers take 12VDC power, and from what I've seen they draw significant power even when lightly loaded.

I figure it's a loss during the gear reduction mechanism that turns the drum for the cable.

Specific amperage to fill in your prospective load chart might be found in catalog listings among those units that can range from the lightweight jetski to heavier boats brought onto multi-axle trailers.

In your application maybe upgrade to a deep-cycle marine trolling battery instead of a gel cel, along with one of those maintenance chargers. The dead-lift current to get things going might shorten the life of a gel cel.

Harbor Freight has their 440 pound AC powered hoist on sale for $99.  By the time you fool with a battery and charger plus the 12 volt winch the cost is going up and this seems like a much better and simpler solution:  http://www.harborfreight.com/110-volt-440-lb-capacity-electric-hoist-with-remote-control-40765.html

I use one of Harbor Freight's AC winches to lower and raise my 55 ft. triangular tower from the pivot base.  I have a 75 lb rotor and beam on the tower, the winch is rated for 2,000 lbs.  It is a bit slow  but works fine.  It has only a 90 day warranty (this is the main difference between Northern and Harbor Freight) so check it before that 90 day period is exhausted or pay for the extended warranty.

You want a hoist...not a winch....there is a difference...I have a couple of the Harbor Freight /Northern Tool Hoists in use around here ...They are Chinese Manufacture and they work as advertised...

I've had HF's 1300 pound AC powered winch for several years now and its performed flawlessly.   I'd guess the smaller winch would work equally as well.

so what's the difference between a winch and hoist. They both wind up rope/cable/string under some sort of tension.

A hoist has holding power....thru its gear reduction ....A winch doesn't...A winch can unspool...Some winches have a brake and power in and out but that does not make them a hoist...Loss of power while winching can leave you with a load you can't control....Loss of power while using a hoist leaves the load right where it stops...

The difference is in the braking. Winches are intended for pulling loads and mostly use dynamic braking. This is the motors resistance to turning that will hold back the gear train and apply a light holding power to the cable. Dynamic braking will bleed out slowly and the load will move. Not for suspended loads.

Hoists on the other hand, are intended to lift loads, and use a mechanical brake to lock the gear train once the motor is stopped.

There are exceptions in the winch category where mechanical brakes are used, but these are generally large movers.

 

thanks for the clarification.

For heavy lifting around here,  have found that a hefty wench works well,  while I hoist a few cold ones ...   SRI.    Vic

There's a combo available. Our Old Pal Gary/INR is familiar.

(http://allaboutbeer.com/files/2009/10/150.7-Wailing-Wench.gif)

Wow Paul,  Double-Duty,  or perhaps Triple.   Thanks for the pic.   Vic

The HF AC winch I have has a brake that holds it when I let off the button.  The brake can be released when there isn't any weight on it, and has not had  problem one holding my tower with the beam no matter where it is in the arc.