Something to keep a winch warm in winter

[cdestuck]

Something to keep a winch warm in winter — UPDATE

My garage has a second floor and in cold weather I have a heavy trap door to cover the opening at the top of the stairway. I have a 110v HF winch mounted above the door to open and close it. I’ve mounted the switch at the bottom of the stairs. Well in very cold weather I guess the grease in the winch firms up making the winch almost impossible to move and I fear burning up the motor.

I thought perhaps a heating pad secured to the winch would keep it from freezing and easily moving. I’ve looked at regular heating pads but wondering if there are any other products out there that might be good for heating the winch. Of course I’m also hoping to find something easy on the wallet to use. This would be constantly plugged in during cold weat. Tks.

UPDATE

So I have solved my problem with some scrap wood and 13 dollar drag light. I built a box around the winch with a hinged door. Mounted a drag light inside with a 50 watt incandescent bulb for heat. I ran the cord to a real close outlet and hooked it to a timer. Light comes on about 5am, goes on and off a couple times throughout the day and off at 7pm. Working well. Love it.

 

[Pruittx2]

I use a sweater to keep my wench warm!



or you can relube with synthetic grease

 

[Kevin54]

I use a sweater to keep my wench warm!

 

[Firebrick43]

Go to your local farm dealer and get OO grease (pronounced double ought), some call it corn head grease. It will stay fluid in cold weather.

 

[tarmy]

My dock winch sits out in the snow and rain and freezing temps and runs every time I use it. Get a better winch...maybe consider an outdoor version designed to work in inclement conditions....

 

[nadogail]

An incandescent lamp (light bulb) makes a considerable amount of heat.

Depends on the cost of electrical power.

Low temp grease sounds logical.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

Light grease is probably a better solution. Also check the geometry of the cable. I would imagine a door doesn't weigh much relative to the strength of the winch.
maybe wrap it in self regulating heat tape (normally used to keep pipes from freezing).

 

[firebirdparts]

Traditionally, people just used a 100 watt light bulb for that. Cost about 10 cents, 90% of the power used went to heat, no problem. when you want a point source on something, a winch being a great example, they were the best option.

These days, of course, 100 watt light bulbs have been outlawed, but you could still consider something similar.

 

[AKCJ]

Silicon heating pad would work well and be safer than a light bulb. Like we use on oil pans. They are in stock at NAPA around here. Put it on a timer so it doesn’t run up your electric bill.

 

[bad_idea]

I would look into relocating the winch into the climate controlled garage. A couple pulleys should be able to reroute the cable through the ceiling.

 

[cdestuck]

Tks for the ideas guys. Moving the winch really not happening as I’d have cables and pulleys all over the place to route a cable to the first floor. And the light bulb, not too sure I’d be able to contain the heat around the winch enough to make much of a difference.

Will look into changing the grease to see what happens. Then after that either the heat cable or heating cable will be be my next try. Will put them on a timer as it wouldn’t be needed during evening and nighttime hours.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I use a battery blanket on my compressor. I work in temps down to -16C. Plug it in about 15 minutes before starting work. Perhaps you can figure out a timer?

 

[Kaizen]

Tks for the ideas guys. Moving the winch really not happening as I’d have cables and pulleys all over the place to route a cable to the first floor. And the light bulb, not too sure I’d be able to contain the heat around the winch enough to make much of a difference.

Will look into changing the grease to see what happens. Then after that either the heat cable or heating cable will be be my next try. Will put them on a timer as it wouldn’t be needed during evening and nighttime hours.

I used the same winch to raise walls and trusses in the winter. I had the same issue. I just put a hair dryer under it for ten minutes and worked it back and forth a few times and it was fine. Unless you use it daily I wouldn’t keep it heated. You could box it in with a slot for the cable and a lightbulb inside and before you need it just plug in the light from downstairs. I don’t like leaving any electric heat source on and unmonitored


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[NUTTSGT]

How heavy is this door that you need a winch to open it ?

Could you put a counterweight on it to make it easy to open by hand ?

 

[Spareparts]

2 part the winch line, a little slower to raise but twice the lifting capicity and less strain on the winch

 

[rlwhitetr3b]

If you try the light bulb for heat, a LED or compact florescent will not do the trick. I do not think you can buy incandescent ones any more.

 

[Hilltopmasonry]

I use a sweater to keep my wench warm!







or you can relube with synthetic grease

Yea my wench is always cold hearted too....

We are talking about x spouses right?

Haha


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[cdestuck]

If you try the light bulb for heat, a LED or compact florescent will not do the trick. I do not think you can buy incandescent ones any more.

Incandescent bulbs are quite available. The only ones not made anymore are the 40,60, 75, and 100 watt normal bulbs. All the special types such as candle shaped etc are still made. Even the old style in 150, 200 watt etc. But unless I can box this winch in a bulb just won’t work.

 

[cdestuck]

2 part the winch line, a little slower to raise but twice the lifting capicity and less strain on the winch

It’s not the weight at all as I have this thing on a counterweight to nearly no weight. Just the cold grease holds things up unless I up and down the switch. And hate to loss the motor doing this.

 

[cdestuck]

How heavy is this door that you need a winch to open it ?

Could you put a counterweight on it to make it easy to open by hand ?

I did the cement in the pvc pipe and not very heavy. Actually just did the motor to help out the wife. And of course a project to do. Ha.

 

[cdestuck]

I used the same winch to raise walls and trusses in the winter. I had the same issue. I just put a hair dryer under it for ten minutes and worked it back and forth a few times and it was fine. Unless you use it daily I wouldn’t keep it heated. You could box it in with a slot for the cable and a lightbulb inside and before you need it just plug in the light from downstairs. I don’t like leaving any electric heat source on and unmonitored


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I do have concerns for a unattended head pad or something. But thinking about a 6’ heat cable on a timer to just be on during the hours I might be using the door.

 

[HoosierMark]

What about wrapping some heating tape around it like people do with water lines under trailers. It would turn on and off as the temp changed. They also make a temp sensor you could plug a small heater into. If you put the cord on a timer, you could have the heater come on when it was cold and only during the hours you might use the winch.

 

[gungatim]

I don't know why people say incandescents aren't available, the only ones I have trouble finding are 75 watt. 60 watts are available everywhere, and 100 watts are available at all the dollar stores. 100 watts seem more common than any other size outside of Menards or something. I can still get 300 watt incandescents for my shop lights though I recently switched to 300 watt equiv. LED's. $30 apiece but amazingly bright light...point is, hit up dollar tree and load up on bulbs there if you want incandescent....

 

[Falcon67]

I do have concerns for a unattended head pad or something. But thinking about a 6’ heat cable on a timer to just be on during the hours I might be using the door.

I use two pads in the race trailer all winter. To the OP - if your HF model is the 2500 unit, get a better winch. I just tossed one, as it got harder and harder to pull rolling a 1600 lb dragster into a low slope trailer. Something I could push into the trailer by rolling the rear tires. It doesn't take much to strain that bitty motor apparently and they don't hold up well. The HF 3500s are OK, but I went back with a Champion 3500 + wireless remote in the trailer. Better unit, better warranty.

 

[MarlynOC]

Box in with plywood and run a 40 watt bulb inside. We used to heat the well water pump in a box with 100 watt all winter in a crawlspace in south NJ. Used extension cord and bulb in car to keep engine warm enough to start in cold weather.

 

[Pruittx2]

Easiest to try, would be light grade grease.

 

[kbs2244]

For something this small you can get by with a night light sized bulb for heat.

Put it under the winch and make a sheet metal cover for it.
Put on a switch so you can turn it on while you get your coffee before using it.

 

[Sureshot]

If the grease doesn’t work you can get magnetic heaters or a stick on pan heater in various sizes. To get fancier you could install a line volt thermostat so it doesn’t run continuously. Smart heat tape would also work. Any of these ideas in conjunction with wrapping it with silver back insulation will do wonders. A light bulb for this task is a long outdated idea.


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[Millwrong]

Never could I ever imagine someone needing to keep a winch in Pennsylvania warm enough to open a trap door. Like seriously, is something wrong with it? Is it filled with paraffin wax instead of grease? Have you measured the current draw when it's "cold"?

 

[ace10]

Never could I ever imagine someone needing to keep a winch in Pennsylvania warm enough to open a trap door. Like seriously, is something wrong with it? Is it filled with paraffin wax instead of grease? Have you measured the current draw when it's "cold"?

Agree.
Treat the cause, not the symptoms.

 

[cdestuck]

Update and happy

 

[Bert_]

If you try the light bulb for heat, a LED or compact florescent will not do the trick. I do not think you can buy incandescent ones any more.

The general use lamps from ~40-100w can't be produced anymore. Anything larger is completely unaffected and specialty lamps like rough service are also still produced in all sizes. Halogen lamps are also being made that can replace 60,75 and 100w incandescent.

I have been using some cheap rough service lamps for general use and have been using 150W lamps in places that I don't want the reduced light of the rough service lamps.

 

[cdestuck]

The general use lamps from ~40-100w can't be produced anymore. Anything larger is completely unaffected and specialty lamps like rough service are also still produced in all sizes. Halogen lamps are also being made that can replace 60,75 and 100w incandescent.

I have been using some cheap rough service lamps for general use and have been using 150W lamps in places that I don't want the reduced light of the rough service lamps.

See my first post to see this and several pics to my solution.


So I have solved my problem with some scrap wood and 13 dollar drag light. I built a box around the winch with a hinged door. Mounted a drag light inside with a 50 watt incandescent bulb for heat. I ran the cord to a real close outlet and hooked it to a timer. Light comes on about 5am, goes on and off a couple times throughout the day and off at 7pm. Working well. Love it.