[Rubi22]

'04 TJ Rubicon with 2 KCs straight off the battery. now i'm looking into getting a winch (probably M8000 or similar). now i'm wondering, (because i'm not electrical-savy), should i look into getting a yellowtop/redtop/bluetop (i don't know the difference) or will my stock battery be able to handle the combo of lights and the winch. if i should, which one should i get?

thanks, and i'm a newb, so bare with me.

[GDog984]

Just leave the car running when you use the winch and you should be fine.

[hauganater2315]

you probably could get away using the stock battery but i would say it would be in best interest to get either a yellow or blue top optima

[CheapJeep888]

I have pretty much the exact same set up, I just leave the jeep running during winching (Also turn off non essentials like the Amp) and everything works fine. But in the future i'm sure once more lights are added i will be upgrading to a yellow top. So i guess its a upgrade now or upgrade later kinda thing.

[5artist5]

You alternator can't come close to keeping up with a winch. I guess it's a good idea to keep it running because if you drained the battery to 0 winching you wouldnt be able to start it again. But you are limited with your winch pulls to how much your battery will put out and then you need to wait till it charges up again. This is really a great application for a deep cycle such as a yellow/blue top.

[HipCheck_1]

Originally Posted by 5artist5

You alternator can't come close to keeping up with a winch. I guess it's a good idea to keep it running because if you drained the battery to 0 winching you wouldnt be able to start it again. But you are limited with your winch pulls to how much your battery will put out and then you need to wait till it charges up again. This is really a great application for a deep cycle such as a yellow/blue top.

How much are you limited?

I have never used a winch personally but it doesn't seem like the winch would be running more than a few minutes. Do most people shut off the engine when they use the winch?

[Jeepguy1977]

Just to clarify....neither an Optima Yellow nor Blue Top is a true deep cycle. They are hybrid batteries. This means essentially that they can do either job passably but aren't the absolute best for either (oddly enough, they work better as start batteries than most of what you find on the market).

Blue top also comes in a "deep cycle" and a start battery. The blue simply designates it as a marine application battery. The case colors on the blue tops are light gray and dark gray and I can't remember which is which.

Just thought I'd clear that up.

[tctrjeep]

Depending on how far you want to go, you might want to consider a dual battery system and a high-output alternator. We put a Wrangler NW Dual Battery Tray in our Project Jeep. It uses two Odyssey PC-925 batteries that handle lights and heavy winching well. We also installed one of their alternators.

http://www.commtechreview.net/jeep/nwpdualbatt.htm

[figbush1]

speaking of which does anyone here know about that battery tray looking thing on the other side of the jeep (near the break master cylinder)? Is that a battery tray (it could be used for one if i want) I just wanna know if jeep had that foresight.

It's kinda smaller than a regular tray..anyone know


Oh BTW anyone try the new diehard platinum that weighs like 90000000000000X10^1000000 Tons?!

[jmcbroom2]

Just get a hydraulic winch - problem solved !

[figbush1]

Originally Posted by jmcbroom2

Just get a hydraulic winch - problem solved !

hehe Mmmm hydrolic sandwich...MmmmmGlrlrllrlrlrr

[jmcbroom2]

The tray on the other side of the bay is for the ABS system, I've also hear of it as the place where Rubi compressors went, but I think they moved the compressor to the t-case skid in later years.

[figbush1]

so where to auxiliary batteries go on those who have ABS?

[jmcbroom2]

Check out the Mean Green dual battery tray. It mount the second battery under the wasted space under the primary battery.

http://www.quadratec.com/products/17004_100.htm

[Jerry Bransford]

Just stick with the battery you have now for winching, the lights, etc. until it finally goes bad. Then you can upgrade to a battery better suited for winching like either an Optima Blue or Yellow Top, Odyssey PC1200, Exide Orbital, or ProComp (forget which ProComp is meant for winching but it's a good battery too).