I'm looking into purchasing a winch that is powered by 12V DC. It's a 1 horse power winch, so I assume it requires just over 700 Watt to function at max load. Right?
I want to use it at home, so I somehow need to convert 110V AC to 12V DC. When I look for 110V AC to 12DC coverter online nothing comes even close to 700 Watt.
Am I on the right track or what I'm trying to do doesn't make sense? Why are there no converters for that?
Do the math. 12 V at 700 W means 60 A. That's going to require a thick and expensive cable, and/or significant losses in the cable, and/or a short cable.
This is why winches of this power are 12 V only when they are for automobile systems where that's the only option. At 110 V, it only takes 6.4 A to deliver 700 W. That's much more manageable with common cables and with less loss.
If you want to be able to use this winch sometimes at home and sometimes with a car, then dedicating a 12 V car battery for it at home is one way to go. You get a 12 V, or "12 V battery charger" power supply, and connect it to the battery. The charger won't be able to keep up with the current demand of the winch when on, but it will charge the battery to catch up whenever the winch is off.
Let's say the charger can deliver 20 A. That means the battery is being discharged by 40 A whenever the winch is running, then charged with 20 A as soon as the winch is shut off. The battery should be able to run the winch for minutes at least while sourcing 40 A. In the long run, you're not going to run the winch continuously, so this system will probably work well enough.
Another thing to consider is that even though the winch may be rated for 700 W, it's not going to draw all that except under full load. When the winch isn't pulling with its full force, it isn't drawing the full 60 A from the battery either.
Also note that this 700 W is the continuous rating. Electric motors draw a lot more current when starting or when stalled. If the winch ever gets stalled, it will probably draw, or try to draw, more than 60 A.
You will have to decide for yourself whether a 12 V winch plus car battery plus charger is cheaper or otherwise better for you than a 120 VAC winch. If you might want to use the winch with just a car, then the former is probably the better tradeoff.
No, what you are trying to do does not make much sense. Mobile gadgets are designed for vehicle use where the power is limited to 12V DC. But for use where common utility AC power is available, it makes no sense to use a very high current 12VDC motor. A power solution to convert mains power to 12V DC @ 60A will cost more than simply getting a mains-powered winch. And it will be more fiddly to wire and switch such very high current DC power.
You are on the right track. I suggest you look for 12 volt DC power supply instead of converter. Just don't expect it to be cheap.
In general, electrical power is most efficiently transmitted at high voltage and low current. As a result, 1 HP motors are most commonly run at considerably higher voltages. Providing wires for 60 amps is not a lot of fun. Such wires are expensive, heavy and stiff. A lower current is a very good idea.
The big exception is appliances for vehicles, such as the winch you bought. Historically most vehicles have run off 12 volt batteries, so making a vehicle winch run at 12 volts also is a good idea. The wiring is quite short, so the cable losses aren't too bad, and since the cable harness is fixed in place its weight and stiffness really don't matter.
As for finding a power supply, that is easy enough. Go to any online electrical distributor such as digikey, Mouser, Allied or Newark and search on power supplies. Get set for a shock though. Expect something on the order of 300 to 400 dollars.
Alternatively, go on eBay and search for 12 volt power supplies, Getting a supply direct from China will set you back about 150 bucks. Of course, you won't get brand names and you may well get junk, but that is the chance you take. Caveat emptor is the name of the game on eBay.
If you didnt bought the whinch yet, you should at first look for prices of AC powered whinches and DC power supplies for 60 amps and more. I guess the AC whinch alone is more expensive, but the power supply is so expensive that you can save a lot of money with the AC whinch.
