Surfers with winches, a battery question.

[Fordy]

A few weeks ago I ignored my Surf cranking over slowly, it was a bit cold and hadn't been used for a few weeks. Today it's even colder and will not start. I'm running an Optimate charger on it overnight and see what happens tomorrow. But it's again only a few weeks since running it, it's even colder and both batteries are the ones it left Japan with. I think its new battery time

Do those running winches just run normal batteries or have you shelled out for the Optima type?

I was thinking of setting up a leisure battery anyway, and if Optima's are recommended for a winch I may as well go for the full Optima system.

[sledge]

i've just got to normal batts and they handle the winch fine, my guess is like you say new batt time

[TonyN]

Optimas are a good battery if you've got the cash, also if you're getting technical, you need different types of batterys for high drain stuff like winching, compared to general running dutys of a normal car battery.

The Red top Optima is best for faster recharge on short journeys, and the general use of driving around, but the Yellow top is the deep cycle winch battery, that'll last longer, be happier being discharged and recharged lots of times.

Your alternator will be the weak link with heavy winching.

Idealy I'd get one of each, seperate the two batterys and use the Red top for the Surf, and the Yellow top for the winch and other accessories, and get one of these to manage them (the expensive one is the nuts!)...

http://www.oec4x4.com/index.php?opti...=143&Itemid=54

A few weeks ago I ignored my Surf cranking over slowly, it was a bit cold and hadn't been used for a few weeks. Today it's even colder and will not start. I'm running an Optimate charger on it overnight and see what happens tomorrow. But it's again only a few weeks since running it, it's even colder and both batteries are the ones it left Japan with. I think its new battery time

Do those running winches just run normal batteries or have you shelled out for the Optima type?

I was thinking of setting up a leisure battery anyway, and if Optima's are recommended for a winch I may as well go for the full Optima system.

[Fordy]

Ooh, its got LED's

The first (cheap) one looks like it'll do what the Piranha system does, am i right? In which case a red top, yellow top and ABIS is not too much more than 2 new car batteries plus leisure battery, and I don't have to compromise on where I put the leisure battery. Tempting.

Is it a home wire jobby or do you need to know what you're doing

Anyway, I charged the drivers side battery since yesterday morning and it's just fired up 2nd battery reconnected and will run it for an hour to charge that too.

Then the lift goes on

Tony, I take it the TJM winch bumper uses the 4 mounting holes on the front cross member? If so will I need thicker extension plates for the body lift when/if I do fit one?