X-BULL Winch Solenoid Relay Controller 500A DC Switch 4WD 9500LBS-17000LBS 4x4

Hundreds of amps have to travel from the battery to the winch motor, and something has to switch them. That job belongs to the contactor, which corrodes quietly in an engine bay for years and then has to work perfectly on the worst day of the trip. This is a 500 A replacement for winches listed at 9500 to 17000 lb.

What the 500 A figure does and does not tell you

The published contact rating is 500 A at up to 80 V DC, with a 250 V AC figure alongside it. Those are contact ratings. They are not a statement of how long the unit will hold that current, and no duty cycle, on-time limit or continuous rating appears anywhere in the supplier data. Ratings in this class of contactor are almost always intermittent. The sheet does carry a line reading "Operation regulation: Continue", which is machine-translated and cannot be relied on as a continuous-duty rating, so it is not presented as one here.

The electrical detail worth checking first

Coil rated voltage is given as 6-110 V DC while the feature list calls the unit a 12 V solenoid, so confirm the control voltage against what arrives before wiring it. Coil draw is 15 W. Mechanical life is quoted at 100,000 operations against an electrical life of 50,000 — that gap is normal, and it tells you the contacts wear out long before the mechanism does. Switching frequency is listed at 10 Hz to 200 Hz, operating speed at 60 to 100 per minute, and mounting orientation is stated as unrestricted.

Terminals and cable are yours to work out

No terminal or stud size is published, which is unfortunate because it is the one dimension needed to order lugs in advance. Measure the studs on your existing contactor, or hold off crimping until the unit is in your hand. Cable has to be sized to the actual load and to the length of the run rather than to whatever was fitted before; undersized winch cable heats, drops voltage and becomes a fire risk. This is high-current work on a permanently live feed from the battery, and it belongs with a qualified auto electrician.

Key features

• 500 A contact rating: the supplier's figure, quoted at up to 80 V DC.
• Sealed body: described as sealed and corrosion resistant, which matters where it lives.
• Remote compatible: listed as suiting wireless remote kits; no remote is supplied with this listing.
• Mounts any way up: installation direction is stated as unrestricted, useful in a crowded bay.
• Wide coil range: 6-110 V DC on the specification sheet.

Specifications

• Contact circuit rating: 80 V DC max, 250 V AC, 500 A (as stated)
• Coil rated voltage: 6-110 V DC; the feature list separately describes it as a 12 V solenoid
• Coil operating power: 15 W
• Mechanical life: 100,000 operations
• Electrical life: 50,000 operations
• Environment temperature: written in the source as "-40C -85C"; the sign of the upper limit is not made explicit
• Frequency: 10 Hz - 200 Hz
• Speed: 60-100 per minute
• Duty cycle: not published; the sheet's "Operation regulation: Continue" is not a continuous-duty rating
• Suits winches: 9500-17000 lb, series wound and permanent magnet (supplier's fitment guide)
• Terminal and stud sizes: not published
• Mounting orientation: unrestricted
• Pack contents: not stated by the supplier

Before you wire this in

• Disconnect the battery before touching any winch wiring, and have the installation done by a qualified auto electrician.
• Size the cable to the load and to the length of the run, and support and protect every high-current lead.
• Inspect the winch line, its hooks and every shackle before each use, and take anything cut, cracked or corroded out of service.
• A dampener goes over the line for every pull, without exception.
• Bystanders stay well back from the line and from the path it would take if it broke.
• Recoveries come off rated recovery points, nothing else.
• Never use a shackle to join one strap to another.
• Steel or synthetic, a loaded winch line carries stored energy that has caused fatal injuries.

Check your coil voltage and measure the studs, and this is a straightforward swap for a tired contactor.