H1 Winch issues

[ULELUZE]

Hi everyone

I am a new member here, I recently picked up a 1995 Hummer with a supercharged 350 gas engine. So far I am really enjoying the vehicle and last weekend I went for what was meant to be a basic trail ride. I got completely buried in the snow, but knew my winch would get me out. That is when I found out the winch doesn't work very well. Here is what happened, I pulled the winch cable out and to a tree and started pulling it in, once the weight of the truck was on the winch it really does down and eventually couldn't move the truck unless I left it for about 20 minutes at which time I could get about 2 more inches ahead. I noticed my voltage would drop down to 8 when the winch was on and figure the battery or alternator is the issue. The battery is a new interstate 800 CCA battery and as it is gas I only have one battery. Could you help point me in the right direction. I was thinking of replacing the battery with a sears die hard platinum deep cell but don't want to was waste 250.00 if this would be caused by something else.


Thanks

[shotgun-cam]

Winches are a very high draw on any vehicle Rhino carries a 10500 lb winch used on March 6th to recover Tanky from deep snow. Anytime the winch is used we keep the engine running. Even the best batteries have problems we just killed a yellow top optima battery just on its 3 year warrranty anniversery. (they replaced it).  CHECK THE WINCH FIRST it may have some damage ( gears shorts, bent parts) . Several times a year unspool cable/ line to check cable and operation. P.S. Rhino is an H3 Alpha so is a 5.3l v8 with a single battery. 

[Roy]

May need to have a dual battery hookup and a heavier alt. Winch may have issues as well. What make of winch? how heavy?You need at least a 10000 # winch for a H1, and sometime you need to block the cable to get more pulling power.

[ULELUZE]

The winch is a mega winch 12000 lbs winch. It looks like this company doesn't exist anymore, but it has a low speed and high speed setting and both draw my appease down to 8 or 9 even without any load on it. Does the Hummer alternator have the power required to run a winch like this. If not is there an aftermarket brand that could do it.

How do I test to see if it is the winch thats an issue over the alternator. I have an amp and 6 auxiliary lights and the truck doesn't drop down in a per age with all of that on at the same time.