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Winching without a controller.

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Old 08-14-2008, 07:25 AM
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Default Winching without a controller.

As some of you may or may not know, you can jumper (with a piece of wire or a Leatherman) two of the holes on your winch connector to "activate" the solenoids. It obviously isnt the safest method, but if you are stuck it should work on most winches.
I am pretty sure most of the cheaper or "Chinese made" winches do this (I know for a fact my Superwinch and Champions can)
. Not sure about Warns.

Can anyone confirm if the Warn is able to be activated like this?

ONLY WINCHES WITH 3 HOLE CONNECTORS> I dont want you shorting out your winch if there is something else controlled on there.

Last edited by dyolfknip; 08-14-2008 at 12:15 PM.
Old 08-14-2008, 12:03 PM
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50 some views and not one Warn owner? No one has 2 minutes to spare to see if a Warn can be activated like this. It doesnt harm the winch at all, the wire is the exact same electronically as a plain switch.
Old 08-14-2008, 12:14 PM
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Originally Posted by Gunny
I’ve got five holes on the connector of my Dual Force which ones do you want me to jump , and if I short it out will you pay to fix it ? I understand that it's good to know that if your controller gets damaged that you can still use the winch but I don’t think it would be a good idea for me to start jamming wires in to connectors with out a schematic in my hands.

LOL fair enough, I guess I should be specific that I meant the 3 hole connectors.....My bad, thanks Gunny.
Old 08-14-2008, 12:21 PM
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Sorry, but I have a Mile Marker, not a Warn.

I had to do this the first time I used my winch. Being a newbie winching I didn't hold the controller cable high enough and run over it with my front left tire, pulled the connectors apart and wasn't able to hook them back since the tire was stepping on the cable.

Used a Leatherman to jump the winch a couple of feet and freed the cable and reconnected the controller.

I don't se way it would not be done on a Warn.
Old 08-14-2008, 12:36 PM
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Originally Posted by Gunny
I’ve got five holes on the connector of my Dual Force which ones do you want me to jump , and if I short it out will you pay to fix it ? I understand that it's good to know that if your controller gets damaged that you can still use the winch but I don’t think it would be a good idea for me to start jamming wires in to connectors with out a schematic in my hands.
Can you maybe try using a multimeter on continuity mode hooked to the controller and start pressing buttons on the controller?
Old 08-14-2008, 05:29 PM
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Originally Posted by Offroad
Sorry, but I have a Mile Marker, not a Warn.

I had to do this the first time I used my winch. Being a newbie winching I didn't hold the controller cable high enough and run over it with my front left tire, pulled the connectors apart and wasn't able to hook them back since the tire was stepping on the cable.

Used a Leatherman to jump the winch a couple of feet and freed the cable and reconnected the controller.

I don't se way it would not be done on a Warn.
Nice to hear thanks.

I imagine Warns are the same. I will know soon enough I imagine.
Old 08-14-2008, 05:31 PM
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Originally Posted by zoomzoomjr
Can you maybe try using a multimeter on continuity mode hooked to the controller and start pressing buttons on the controller?
That would work for sure. just need someone with a power plant to try it out
Old 08-15-2008, 07:54 AM
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With my 8274 i can but the only way i did it was with a screw driver going between posts on the relays inside the control pack.
Old 08-15-2008, 08:45 AM
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Originally Posted by jkkat
With my 8274 i can but the only way i did it was with a screw driver going between posts on the relays inside the control pack.

Thats good enough for my purposes, thanks
Old 08-15-2008, 10:14 AM
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You can jump the 3-pin Warn controller the same way. The 5-pin can be jumped, but to deter that, they now switch the ground (-) as well as the positive power (+), so you need two jumpers and know how they are wired.


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