Today I am installing a WARN 62132 Power Interrupt Kit in my 2014 Jeep JK Wrangler.
This switch will cut the power to the winch unless it is engaged. I am doing this because realistically I don’t need power constantly run to my winch unless I’m using it. I installed this switch mostly because that 24/7 live power is a potential fire hazard in the event of an accident, but also recently installed an in-dash winch in/out control switch that works regardless if the controller is attached or not. Thus this interrupt switch acts as a safety measure to make sure that my winch doesn’t get accidentally engaged by my coffee cup or more likely by my two-year-old.
I went with the warn branded interrupt switch kit however this is simply a 12 volt solenoid switch with a simple rocker switch to activate and some wiring and I’m sure it could be pieced together for much less money than the warn branded kit but I am lazy and it was worth it for the few extra bucks to have everything that I needed in one purchase. Under my jeep JK’s hood is very crowded with the dual battery system, air compressor, inverters, switch pods, and solar controllers so it was a bit of thinking to find a spot where it could be mounted.
I eventually landed on putting it directly onto the Genesis dual battery system bracket as it keeps things nice and tidy and all in one spot. I did have to move my MPPT solar controller to the top of the fuse box and do some rewiring there, but all in all it fits quite nicely all snug and out of the way in a place that seems pretty protected from the elements.
Installation was quite easy once I had decided where to put it. You basically just place it in line between your main winch 12v + power cable and the positive terminal on your battery or in my case positive terminal on my dual battery system. This switch simply interrupts the flow of power from the battery to the winch unless it is engaged with the small rocker switch which is also included in this kit.
The rocker switch is a simple 3-pin switch that gets wired with any 12 volt key on accessory power from somewhere under your dash, a ground wire to a good known ground, and a yellow wire which runs up through the firewall to the solenoid switch under the hood. And the only other wire is a supplied green ground wire that goes from the Interrupt switch to the ground on your battery or dual battery system.
All in all fairly easy install with not a lot that can go wrong but for all you folks out there that don’t like adding any complexity to something that can get you out of a bind like a winch, it is easily bypassed by just pulling the main power cable from the winch and reattaching it straight to the battery.
Keep a lookout as I am will post a video about how I installed the in-dash winch controller as well as how I had to reroute some of my solar panel wiring and the solar controller.