First off hello to all. I like to build thangs and couse of that it makes me thank of what I can build on the cheap side and still be of good quallity.



So heres my question. I have a 12 v winch on my atv it has a handlebar mounted rocker switch to controll the contacter. This setup works awsome as long as you are on the machine. My problem is sometimes I need to operate the winch when I'm off of it. For instance if I'm moving a downed tree or hooking to a buddys stuck quad.


I have seen on ebay where different companys make a key fob type remate that can turn on or off the wireless controller and also spool the winch cable in or out. The problem that I cant solve is how to keep the remote farly small, about the size of a pack of smokes.



Any help would be wonderful.

Thanks in advance, Dustin

 

This is a case where, if you can find it (and it doesn't have to be directly made for this application) it is much cheaper to buy than to make. Probably safer too.

Ask yourself what are the controls you need, whether they are switches or knobs, and double check it. This will tell you how many channels you are going to need.

 

Operating a winch with a homemade wireless system is inherently dangerous and is a very bad idea. Not once in the poster's description did he mention any concern about safety.

If remotely operated, you will need a very secure system that will be immune to spurious signals, unintentional keying of the key fob, and electrical noise from the ATV. It is not a simple garage door.

John

 

I had the same thought, but failed to verbalize it.

With combat robotics it is part of the rule set that if the transmitter shuts down so does the RC stuff being controlled. A typical heavy weight is a 500 pound instrument of mayhem, unlike a crane. You really do not want to save too much money here.

 

I didn't want to get into the details, but I think any safe system would have to have handshaking between controller and winch. Continuous transmission as you mention for robots might be OK, but key fobs and garage door remotes don't do that.

John

 

To all that responded,


Thanks for the input. I havent had any experince with this side of the electrical world. About the safey I had not thought about anything trying to interfear with the signal. Kinda like the way my hoped up nitro rc trucks would act kinda funny sometimes. Upon further thought do to the responce from eveerybody I thank I will just buy a quilty built wireless kit. Sometimes you get what you pay for and I really like ALL of my fingers and do not want to have them riped off by a winch cable doing something that i do not want it to do.


Again thanks to all, Dustin