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Question for those of you with the LR winch. Is there a way to just plug in a Warn wired controller to it? Or no. Guessing no. ???
Not with the Zeon Platinum. That's why I installed the EVO 12S - it has wireless or wired remote and a manual clutch. Not much use to the OP, but anyone considering this in future should also consider an isolator near the firewall and running a switch into the glovebox.
For reference - below is my post from another forum: I fitted a Warn Evo 12S to a bar/cradle supplied by New Defender Mods and although it took me 2 1/2 days I am very pleased with the result. I saved a lot of money this way and for a total of about $1800 I have an IP68 rated Warn winch with a wireless remote that I can also plug in a cable if the remote battery is flat, and with a Blue Seas 500A magnetic latching switch that I can switch on/off from inside my vehicle, (switch is in the glovebox), I don't have the worry of live 450A wiring to the front of my vehicle every time the ignition is on, with the added bonus that if I do need to use the winch when I am stuck in a deep boghole, I can activate it without opening the door to lift the bonnet. If you read the landrover instructions on the install, you'll see that they have a current overload interrupt on the positive lead, and the electrician needs to run a bunch of cables from near the winch itself up to the ignition. The instructions tell you to cut a spool to splice into the ignition and cranking signal. DO NOT CUT any spools, use a piggyback fuse instead. Also the reason for the cranking signal is cut supply to the winch in the very unlikely event that someone is trying to start the engine and winching at the same time as this will draw up to 1000 amps and cook your wiring under the seat. Actually, the battery only provides about 650 CCA so it probably wouldn't even crank over if the engine stalled and you tried winching under load while starting the car simultaneously. Anyway, I wouldn't recommend trying it. As mentioned above, the official install scenario provides 12V (up to 450A fused) power whenever the ignition is on as you won't be able to reach the button on the Warn Platinum Zeon once you put everything back together. I didn't want that so I fitted a remote (with manual override) switching isolator up near the terminal box. I also fused this lead with a 450A inline fuse, and conduited and wrapped in electrical tape both the positive and negative leads from the winch to the terminals. The official instructions are a good guide for routing, but you shouldn't need to remove the headlight. On my install, the only leads running to the winch tray are the two heavy gauge red and black (conduited and sealed in tape) leads and the only time these are live is when the ignition is on AND I have activated the switch. The remote switch gets its 12V from the ignition fuse (piggybacked) and the wiring is insulated and cable tied neatly in the channel duct from the bonnet fusebox through the open vent, under the cabin air filter and into the glovebox. If you shine a light into the fully opened glovebox you can squeeze a route around the cabin air filter that will not affect the sealing flap when the recirc button is switched on. No drilling or cutting required! If you are undecided on a winch model, you can fit it at a later stage, however there is a lot to take off the front and some cutting of plastic. I considered a variety of winch makes and models instead of the recommended Zeon Platinum 10S and I settled on the Warn Evo 12S for the following reasons: 1) It's still a WARN 2) Wireless remote with wired cable option to plug in on right side of control box, same side as the clutch 3) IP68 rating 4) It doesn't have a switch on the control box 5) Dimensions - it's slightly smaller than the Platinum Zeon and fits better into the cradle 6) I sometimes tow a camper, for which 10000lb may not be enough 6) Reasonably priced
Some photos below. Isolator with remote switch and manual override installed on aluminum angle bracket Isolator with wiring installed and terminal covers Hand sized section cut out to access manual clutch or plug in remote if required. Wrap the cut metal with black PVC edge trim.
For those bothered by the aesthetics of the hole in the grill (as I am) perhaps one could save the cut-out piece and simply wire-tie (ty-wrap, zip-tie) it back in place with 4 black ties of the smallest size. Cut two of them with a pocket knife if you need to access the switch; the other two ties will function as hinges. Keep a supply in the car for replacements.
Some on this forum decided it was a design over-reach to have a fundamental piece of intermittent-use, mechanical safety equipment, such as a winch, dependent on blue tooth connectivity. So, they installed the Warn winch with the mechanical on=off switch and plug-in wired controls. If interested, there are several threads cataloging the installations.
The other concern with hiding the winch behind a solid, permament screen is the inability to service the winch.
Using a winch in the freezing rain, in a hole of mud or sand with a rising tide, is trying enough without having the afore described concerns with the basics of the winch system design.
Great notes there, @VillaDazzler ! Also superb points. I'd recommend adding those to some of the "Winch Install" Threads as this one may not get the views of folks doing the same path.
Life is full of choices and compromises. I went with the shut off under the hood because I don't like tempting fate with running too many cables thru the firewall. I try to minimize the number. I even use a Trigger-6 controller to minimize it (yeah, the pita is that you need spare batteries - just in case you lose juice to the transmitter when needed). I admire the convenience and I also now wish I had the room in the engine bay! I saw @sarek's air compressor mod under the hood and may need to move mine as it is exactly where that compressor would go.
Not with the Zeon Platinum. That's why I installed the EVO 12S - it has wireless or wired remote and a manual clutch. Not much use to the OP, but anyone considering this in future should also consider an isolator near the firewall and running a switch into the glovebox.
For reference - below is my post from another forum: I fitted a Warn Evo 12S to a bar/cradle supplied by New Defender Mods and although it took me 2 1/2 days I am very pleased with the result. I saved a lot of money this way and for a total of about $1800 I have an IP68 rated Warn winch with a wireless remote that I can also plug in a cable if the remote battery is flat, and with a Blue Seas 500A magnetic latching switch that I can switch on/off from inside my vehicle, (switch is in the glovebox), I don't have the worry of live 450A wiring to the front of my vehicle every time the ignition is on, with the added bonus that if I do need to use the winch when I am stuck in a deep boghole, I can activate it without opening the door to lift the bonnet. If you read the landrover instructions on the install, you'll see that they have a current overload interrupt on the positive lead, and the electrician needs to run a bunch of cables from near the winch itself up to the ignition. The instructions tell you to cut a spool to splice into the ignition and cranking signal. DO NOT CUT any spools, use a piggyback fuse instead. Also the reason for the cranking signal is cut supply to the winch in the very unlikely event that someone is trying to start the engine and winching at the same time as this will draw up to 1000 amps and cook your wiring under the seat. Actually, the battery only provides about 650 CCA so it probably wouldn't even crank over if the engine stalled and you tried winching under load while starting the car simultaneously. Anyway, I wouldn't recommend trying it. As mentioned above, the official install scenario provides 12V (up to 450A fused) power whenever the ignition is on as you won't be able to reach the button on the Warn Platinum Zeon once you put everything back together. I didn't want that so I fitted a remote (with manual override) switching isolator up near the terminal box. I also fused this lead with a 450A inline fuse, and conduited and wrapped in electrical tape both the positive and negative leads from the winch to the terminals. The official instructions are a good guide for routing, but you shouldn't need to remove the headlight. On my install, the only leads running to the winch tray are the two heavy gauge red and black (conduited and sealed in tape) leads and the only time these are live is when the ignition is on AND I have activated the switch. The remote switch gets its 12V from the ignition fuse (piggybacked) and the wiring is insulated and cable tied neatly in the channel duct from the bonnet fusebox through the open vent, under the cabin air filter and into the glovebox. If you shine a light into the fully opened glovebox you can squeeze a route around the cabin air filter that will not affect the sealing flap when the recirc button is switched on. No drilling or cutting required! If you are undecided on a winch model, you can fit it at a later stage, however there is a lot to take off the front and some cutting of plastic. I considered a variety of winch makes and models instead of the recommended Zeon Platinum 10S and I settled on the Warn Evo 12S for the following reasons: 1) It's still a WARN 2) Wireless remote with wired cable option to plug in on right side of control box, same side as the clutch 3) IP68 rating 4) It doesn't have a switch on the control box 5) Dimensions - it's slightly smaller than the Platinum Zeon and fits better into the cradle 6) I sometimes tow a camper, for which 10000lb may not be enough 6) Reasonably priced
Some photos below. Isolator with remote switch and manual override installed on aluminum angle bracket Isolator with wiring installed and terminal covers Hand sized section cut out to access manual clutch or plug in remote if required. Wrap the cut metal with black PVC edge trim.
I agree with GrouseK9 that VillaDazzler's photos and comments will be valuable in one of the winch install threads, so I am copying and pasting this posting there.
Not this is the easiest way to do it , but it will work, I hope.
11-23-2022, 05:41 PM
