[lboodge]

So i just purchased this 2020 zforce 800 with 250 km on it thinking i got a great deal, going over the machine today i notice the previous owner disconnected the negative cable for the winch at the battery it was just hanging there, hooked it back up and it seems to work fine, any reason someone would do this?

[NMKawierider]

So i just purchased this 2020 zforce 800 with 250 km on it thinking i got a great deal, going over the machine today i notice the previous owner disconnected the negative cable for the winch at the battery it was just hanging there, hooked it back up and it seems to work fine, any reason someone would do this?

None I know of unless the contactor has a sticking problem where it sticks on sometimes. I would reel-out the cable and run it back in flipping it on and off many times to see if it ever gets stuck. I would also be ready to remove that cable fast if it happens.

[lboodge]

ok so the reason i was looking at battery in first place was to put on pigtails for battery maintainer, i put the maintainer on the battery and i just went back to check it and it had a red light which is not good possible load on the battery, bad battery , short circuit etc. up until now it was starting fine and  lights all worked, guess i have to check if winch is drawing a load when off.

[lboodge]

so here is an update for any electrical gurus out there, i disconnected the negative cable at the winch itself and had the same issue, so i disconnected the winch negative at the battery and the maintainer charged the battery and is showing a green light ?  Problem in the negative wire leading to winch? Possible short?

[NMKawierider]

More likely a bad controller/contactor..maybe got water inside..or just failed.. it is Chinese, and their components are the lowest grade possible. Just Ohm test it.

[lboodge]

I guess it would have to be in the 3 prong contactor on the dash, because it's doing it without the remote hooked up?

[NMKawierider]

I guess it would have to be in the 3 prong contactor on the dash, because it's doing it without the remote hooked up?

No...the contactor/controller...NOT the remote. The thing the two battery cables go to.