Quick Electrical Question
 

I just installed a winch and snow plow on my ATV. The winch is a 3,000 lb Warn XT30. Installation went smooth as silk, and it worked perfectly during some final testing.

Well, yesterday I plowed about 15 inches of snow for about 3 hours. Everything went well, despite the ATV and all of its components being completely covered in snow from all the pushing and plowing.

Now, on to the question/issue. About an hour or so before finishing, I noticed that the handelbar switch that operates the winch actually switched directions!! In other words, when I pushed the "in" button, the winch actually started paying out the cable, and when I pushed the "out" button, it actually started retrieving the cable!! It was working the other way (the correct way) for the first two hours.

Beyond that, there were no other symptoms of a defect. Any idea what could be causing this? Could the snow packed around the electrical connections be causing a short? Would that explain this type of behavior? Can anyone provide any insight or explain technically how this reversal of polarity could happen without making any changes to the wiring?

Thanks!

JA

The take-up drum is probably still turning the same way it always did. Sounds like the cable got tangled up in itself and got on the wrong side of the drum. Used to happen to mine all the time. Run all the cable all the way out off the drum and then reel it back in, making sure there are no tangles.

Yes! I bet that is it! I'll check it....thanks!!!

JA

Yep, that was it, wdfifteen!! Thanks.

JA

I forgot to ask for your billing address. ;)