Getting ready to wire up a winch on my boat pretty soon, a super winch terra 35. The winch came with 6 ga. Wire to hook it up with which isn't going to be long enough. I have some 8 ga wire I'd like to use instead which would be way easier to pull through to the front of the boat. And I'd like to run it to a trolling motor type plug in the front deck so I can mount the winch in a receiver hitch and plug it in. My main question is will the slightly smaller wire handle the winch without starting a fire!? The winch will probably never see its 3500lb capacity, at most I'd say my boat loaded down might go 1300 lb.

I'm hoping so, as this is how I'm gonna rig mine. I've got the same winch, and will use a trolling motor plug that is wired into a breaker...

The day you really need it your gonna be in a bind. Spend a few dollars and go with a heavier gauge

I would go with the 6. Better for the longer run. If they gave you 6 for a short run you will need it for the longer one.

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The longer the run the larger gauge you will NEED. To many amps through too small a gauge, and you will be up a small excrement filled body of water without a native American watercraft propulsion device.

I ran four gauge to the front of the boat and mounted an Andersen connector under the catwalk to plug into. Then made a 4ga cable from the winch long enough to reach the catwalk when I need it. Also using the andersen plug for the stereo and could be used for anything else you may want to plug in up front including the tm.

I used all the factory wire. I run two batteries in my boat anyway and by the time you by the cable to run to back of boat you have spent as much as another battery will cost you. SOOOO.... I just screwed the relay??? (I think its a relay.. whatever)down to my bracing out of the way and leave the leads and toggle switch cord rolled up out of the way. That saves money and only takes a minute or two two pull the battery from back of boat, set in front hatch by winch and hook up leads and go. Lets face it you may use the winch once every 25 times you take the boat out. And when its time to roll out the winch YOU'RE STUCK so no need to get in a hurry its gonna be a while lol

Longer the run the larger the gauge wire for sure

Alot of the public lands in our area have levees around all of the hunting areas so during duck season the winch will get used just about every hunt. I have two batteries in the back of the boat, I'll probably just move one up front and the cables that came with the winch will be long enough to reach. May use that battery to run the new stereo too and save on buying a ton of wire

also you can get some alligator clamps or old jumper cable leads and splice on to the cables that came with the winch. to make it a little easier to hookup.

I would not use the smaller wire.

Btw, I see that Camo has some welding gear for sale in the classifieds. I used welder cables for my winch wiring and it worked out fairly well. He has used cables for sale in his ad.

Napa up here carries up to 4 gauge wire in spools.

I know this an old post but cb where do u get the anderson connectors? Auto store or electrical supply store?

I bought mine on ebay. Your local heavy equipment supply place will stock them, but they're a lot more expensive locally. They're common on forklifts, so anywhere that services or sells them will probably have them.

i got the little grey anderson connectors for my tm at napa like 10 bucks for the pair

I was going to pull my wire from the battery in the back but chose instead to buy a small trolling motor battery for 50 bucks to put up front with the winch.

sent from the former Republic of Texas.