Winch wireless remote controls

[kid4lyf]

Does anyone have one of these? I have to get a new control for my Ramsey worm drive winch. I planned on also wiring in a switch to control it from inside the truck. Then the idea hit me to use a wireless unit so I could use it from inside or out. The question is how well do these units work? The last thing I want is a control that works so so, cuts out, or needs to be in just the right position to work.

[Jerry Bransford]

I've seen Ramsey's wireless remote and didn't like it due to one shortcoming I saw... that it creates a slight delay from when you toggle the switch one way or the other. It doesn't give instant response like the hardwired controller does. I wouldn't want any delay whatsoever on what I want my winch to do. Warn's official position on it is that they don't recommend its use.

[mrblaine]

Originally posted by Jerry Bransford
I've seen Ramsey's wireless remote and didn't like it due to one shortcoming I saw... that it creates a slight delay from when you toggle the switch one way or the other. It doesn't give instant response like the hardwired controller does. I wouldn't want any delay whatsoever on what I want my winch to do. Warn's official position on it is that they don't recommend its use.

As much as Warn has me as a customer for life based on their outstanding customer service, I have had occasion to question their "official positions".

Specifically their anti synthetic rope stance and then to offer one of their own at a later date. They didn't redesign the winch to move the drum brake. What changed?

Especially since the logic they used at one point was the heat sink supposedly provided by the wire rope and it's role in cooling the drum after use.

Do the drums now magically cool themselves?

My point is that I wouldn't let their official position on something deter me from it's use and I haven't.

That said, I have an in cab remote mounted switch hardwired to the winch and rarely if ever use my controller.

[Jerry Bransford]

Originally posted by mrblaine
As much as Warn has me as a customer for life based on their outstanding customer service, I have had occasion to question their "official positions".

Specifically their anti synthetic rope stance and then to offer one of their own at a later date. They didn't redesign the winch to move the drum brake. What changed?

Especially since the logic they used at one point was the heat sink supposedly provided by the wire rope and it's role in cooling the drum after use.

Do the drums now magically cool themselves?

My point is that I wouldn't let their official position on something deter me from it's use and I haven't.

That said, I have an in cab remote mounted switch hardwired to the winch and rarely if ever use my controller.

Yes Blaine but you're talking about a hard-wired remote switch and he was asking about a wireless controller.

Ramsey's wireless controller induces an additional time delay in what the winch does in response to input from the hand control, which is sure not something I would want.

[Stu Olson]

Jerry, I do not believe Blaine was for or against the remote or any of its properties. I believe he was simply focusing on the point that just because Warn does not recommend using something other than their own product does not mean that "other product" is not good. It would seem that Warn may only want you to continue spending your hard earned money with them and not their competition.

I am sure we all agree that having any delays in a winch control would not be a desireable thing.

[Phil Howell]

I tried the wireless Patriot and was disappointed. There is a slight delay, as mentioned, but you get used to that. IMO, the design of the wireless system is bad. You have a wireless receiver that you mount somewhere, usually under the hood. This receiver is almost as large as Warn's (or Ramsey's) solenoid pack for the low profile winches. You also have a magnetic antenna that you need to stick somewhere (they recommend on top of your dirty hood) when you need it. You then plug in the wireless receiver in the same place you would plug the wired controller. Ramsey says you can NOT leave the system plugged in when not in use.

It's much easier to plug in a wired controller and use it. It's also simple to hard wire a switch like you want to do and like Blaine mentioned.

Check out the Ramsey wireless system yourself. I think you'll be amazed that anyone would want to use it.