What is an electric winch ?

Electric winches are devices commonly used to tow stuck vehicles. They are used to pull and properly position heavy loads; usually, vehicles are stuck in water or mud. Winches are motorised devices that balance the tension of the cable being used to pull the load. Electric winches are used extensively today as they can successfully tow a heavy load without manual labour.

Electric winches are used to tow heavy loads such as vehicles. They are wholly motorised, and in the case of electric ones, they are entirely powered by electricity. The cable is attached to the load, the heavy vehicle is stuck, and the motor turns the spool and pulls the cable around the drum. The vehicle gets towed easily and is rescued.

Even though they are mainly used to tow vehicles, they are also used to tow boats and heavy objects stuck in problematic places. There have also been instances where they have been used to pull animals stuck in pits or holes.

These machines are available in different shapes and sizes and are usually double engines. Both the cable and the motor are attached to the spool, which is turned by a gear lever. The lever turns the spool and this releases the cable to tow the load.

After the cable is attached to the back or front bumper of the vehicle, the lever is pushed in the opposite direction of the load. This causes the spool to turn in reverse, and thus, the cable is reeled in. This causes the vehicles to be pulled back to safety.

Electric, PTO, hydraulic or manual, all type of winches have different weight categories. The winch’s cost increases depending on how much weight it can pull. Most electric winches sold in the market and used commonly can lift weights between 500 pounds to 2 tonnes. However, you might also be able to find winches which can tow heavier loads.

According to the weights, the cost of the electric winch varies between a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.

Market studies show that electric winches that can tow weights of 5448 kilograms, about 12000 pounds, cost about 700 American dollars. In the immediate lower rung of the ladder, you have the electric winch that can tow about 4000 kilograms, that is, about 9000 pounds. These will set you back an amount between 300 and 600 American dollars.

The engines in these electric winches are pretty strong. They can produce power ranging from just a third of horsepower to well over 50 horsepower. These two engine devices also come with a handheld remote control system and automatic breaks to make operations easy for the user.

The cable is usually 30 and a half metres, about 100 feet. This makes it easy to use these winches for various heavy loads, from boats to big cars. It is essential to research the capacity of the winch before using it as it might not be able to tow load, in spite of all the promises made in the advertising.

Components of an electric winch

An electric winch has many components and parts, and each of these is equally important for the proper functioning of the winch.

The 2 main components of a winch that make it different from another winch are the motor and the gear. The gear varies from the winch to winch as various gear trains work with various gear systems. On the other hand, the motor, which is responsible for the quintessential towing mechanism of the winch, varies according to the type of motor.

Motor

Let us now look at the two types of motors that are used.

1. Series wound motor

These motors can generate the highest amount of torque for a given amount of current. They are quite powerful and efficient and require more current than permanent magnetic winches. The field coils are connected in series to the armature coil in these winches. These are essentially heavier-duty winches and are used quite commonly. They are also comparatively more expensive.

They are also able to maintain a stable amperage, unlike permanent magnetic motors[1]. However, as mentioned earlier, they draw more current from the battery and charging system.

2. Permanent magnetic motors

The only con about these motors is that they tend to overheat; thus, they need some supervision when being operated. They have the upper hand over the series wound motors when it comes to current drawn as they require less current, and thus, the amperage drain on the battery and charging system is considerably less.

The mechanism is that the stators of the motor use permanent magnets instead of field coils. They are most suitable for light and medium towing.

Gears

Three different kinds of gear are mainly used in electric winches. They are all used for the same purpose. Initially, the motor rotates at high speed and produces less torque, which is unsuitable for towing. The gear works to gear down the motor to a slower pace, and this helps to produce more torque. This way, the towing becomes much easier. The three kinds of gears that are used are as follows:

Worm gear[2] – They have a comparatively slow winching speed and offer the most reduction and also a built-in braking mechanism. They are quite reliable and have an efficiency rating of 35 to 40%. They need a clutch mechanism when it comes to free spooling, and these winches can self-brake even when they are towing weighty loads. The line speed is the only major disadvantage of using a worm gear, but other than that, it is good to go.
Planetary gears[3] – They need a braking mechanism to free the spool when towing a load. They are the most popularly used winches and have an efficiency rating of 65%. They are known for their strength and smooth operations and provide the necessary resistance to the load.
Spur gear[4] – These gears are uncommon despite having a high-efficiency rating of 75%. It is so because they need a braking mechanism due to the free spooling tendency when tied to a load.

Winch spool diameter

The diameter of the drum determines the amount of power lost. Thus, the diameter of the drum and gear ratio directly influence the power with which the load is towed or pulled. They also have an impact on the speed with which the spool turns. The cable spools up faster depending on how narrow the drum of the electric winch is.

Winch ratings

Most electric winches are rated at about 400, and this number depends on the amperage draw. The power source, battery or charging system might be damaged if the winch draws more power than that.

The gear ratio[6] is increased to reduce the power drawn by the winch, but this also reduces the cable speed.

Solenoid

The solenoid of the electric winch is an essential component as it activates or deactivates the winch. Solenoids[5] are electromagnetic switches that complete the circuit of the winch when electricity is passed through them by turning on a remote switch.

The motor of the winch rotates backwards or forwards upon completion of the circuit of the winch. The direction depends on the solenoid that the electricity is passed through.

Two different solenoid configurations are used in the electric winch industry. They are the two-solenoid and the four-solenoid configuration. The four-solenoid configuration is more popular and reliable as well.

They are lighter in weight and also much ahead when it comes to the strength of the winch. On the other hand, the two-solenoid configuration is used for lighter loads and is heavier and also less reliable. It is also less powerful.

Solenoid mounting

The mounting of the solenoid is often a tricky task as there are different solenoid packs available when it comes to electric winches. It can either be a Remote Solenoid Pack or an Integrated one. There is a different set of advantages for both kinds.

A remote solenoid is mounted externally off of the winch and can help to reduce the space required by itself. This is very helpful when there are space restrictions. An integrated solenoid provides a compact structure to the winch and thus gives it safety, and it is mounted over the cable or on the motor.

More on electric winches

Usage

As already discussed, electric winches are used in a variety of places. From vehicles to heavy objects, from boats and trawlers to animals, their strength and versatility enable them to tow a range of heavy loads.

The best electric winches are so strong that they are also used to tow heavy-duty trucks. They are also used to tow elevators. Surprisingly enough, they are also used in the film and entertainment industry for backstage lifting and setting up sets.

They are extensively used by set decorators to prepare for live events. It is often seen that the electric winches are embedded in the floor itself so that the heavier equipment or object can be carried away easily when needed.

Winches are also used to relocate other heavy objects, such as trees or rocks, as this is necessary during the construction of roads or buildings. The popularity of electric winches is due to the fact that they find a lot of use in the landscaping and telecommunication industry as they are used to hoist equipment or move obstacles from the way.

For example, electric winches are used extensively in bulk handling. It might surprise the readers, but the ball drop on New Year’s Eve at Times Square is done with the help of a heavy-duty electric winch. These electric winches are known for their efficient and smooth operation and are also noiseless. These can lift or tow up to weights of 19800 pounds.

There are also portable electric winches, which are lighter, and are used for towing or lifting less heavy loads. They can lift up to weights of 6000 pounds and are used very commonly in the construction industry. Their transportability makes their usage convenient, and it is this same characteristic of portability that has made them so popular. They are also used in the wind energy industry.

The versatility of the electric winch has also led it to be used in other industries such as water and wastewater, defence, oil and gas, and also the marine industry. The reader can already understand how reliable these winches are and how versatile they are, and how well-suited they are to different kinds of industries.

Conclusion

Thus, electric winches are well suited to the needs of a range of industries, and the different types of electric winches make them so versatile for use. Their strength and towing ability make them one of the most popular machines used in various jobs. And then there are so many different variations and models that you can easily choose one that fits into your budget. And you can easily do your necessary research on electric winches, as this article contains all that you need to know.

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