Comparison TITAN PAL5500 vs TITAN PAL4500

Own pulling force of the hoist/winch. For models equipped with an external moving unit (or allowing its use), the characteristics of the unit itself are given; data taking into account the block are indicated separately (see below).

In general, the load capacity of modern hoists and winches can be either small or quite significant - in some models it exceeds 5 tons. However, when choosing, it is worth considering that a more powerful device is at least more expensive. In addition, in the case of electric units, an increase in load capacity inevitably leads to an increase in power consumption, and many “high-torque” models no longer require 230 V, but 400 V. And when evaluating manually driven devices (lever hoists and winches, hand hoists, drum winches) , you need to keep in mind that the load capacity in them is indicated based on a healthy adult who is able to provide sufficient force when working with the mechanism.

The general rules for choosing this indicator are as follows. To move objects vertically, the unit’s carrying capacity must be at least 10–15% greater than the maximum weight of the intended load - this will provide an additional guarantee in case of malfunctions and unforeseen circumstances. Movements on horizontal and inclined surfaces have their own specifics; here it is better to refer to detailed recommendations set out in special sources. And if a winch is purchased for an SUV, its pull must be at...least 2 times the total weight of the car; only in this case can the resistance of mud, slush, etc. be effectively overcome.

Let us emphasize once again that in this case we are talking about lifting capacity without an external moving unit; so the rules stated above are relevant only if the unit operates without such a device. When using a block, you should focus primarily on the load-carrying capacity with the block, which is directly stated in the characteristics. If this data is not indicated, but the unit has a block (or allows its use), you should proceed from the following. The moving block allows you to double the actual traction force (at the cost of reducing the speed and range of movement); However, the unit's own limitations must also be taken into account. The fact is that individual parts (cable/chain, drum, etc.) may simply not be designed for the weight that the winch/hoist in combination with the block can theoretically handle. For example, a model with its own pull of 2 tons when using a block gives a force of 4 tons, but the complete cable can be designed for only 3 tons. These details can be clarified in the manufacturer’s documentation.

The working length of the cable, chain or strap supplied as standard with the machine. Usually, the length of the cable / chain corresponds to the height of the lift without a pulley, however, manufacturers can quote both parameters in the specifications. This can be done for various reasons — for example, in the expectation that the cable will not necessarily be pulled vertically, and the term "lift height" is not entirely correct. And in the characteristics of automobile and lever winches, in general, only the length of the cable / chain can be given — they were not originally designed to lift the load vertically.

The diameter of the cable supplied as standard with the device; or, for chain traction mechanisms (see above), the diameter of the wire from which the individual links of the chain are riveted.

On the one hand, the strength of the traction element directly depends on this indicator; on the other hand, a thicker cable / chain will weigh more (ceteris paribus). It is worth noting that manufacturers usually select this parameter so that the cable / chain provides at least the claimed load capacity (see above), and often also has some margin. Therefore, paying attention to this indicator and specifically looking for a thicker chain or cable is primarily in cases where it is important to have a good margin in case of emergency situations — for example, if you have to work in strong winds and the lifted load can sway, creating additional loads.

Nominal power absorbed by the motor of the electrical unit (see "Drive").

The torque developed by the engine directly depends on the energy consumption. Thus, higher power allows high tractive forces and/or high working speeds (depending on the gearbox used, see "Gear ratio"). On the other hand, a powerful motor will have more weight and dimensions, and it will consume more energy — the latter can be critical when running on a car battery, when the energy supply is limited, and can also put forward additional requirements for connection features. And high tractive effort can be achieved with a relatively weak motor on a good gearbox. Accordingly, it is worth specifically looking for a unit with high power in the case when a combination of good load capacity with high speed is important. And even in these cases, it is worth looking first of all at the speed and load capacity, and assessing the connection requirements by the power consumption.

The gear ratio of the gearbox or lever (see "Drive") installed in the unit. For models with more than one speed (see below), this paragraph usually indicates the maximum gear ratio, at minimum speed.

Reducers as such are used in winches (see "Device") equipped with their own engines — electric and hydraulic. The gearbox reduces the speed of rotation of the winch drum relative to the speed of rotation of the engine — due to this, the traction force provided by the drum increases proportionally. And the gear ratio indicates how many times the speed of rotation of the drum is reduced by this gearbox. For example, a value of 159 means that the motor must make a full 159 revolutions to fully rotate the drum.

Thus, the higher the gear ratio, the “slower” the gearbox, the more it reduces the speed of rotation of the drum and the more thrust the unit is able to provide with the same engine power and drum diameter. If we compare models of the same carrying capacity, but with different gearboxes, then a mechanism with a large gear ratio will work more slowly at low and medium loads, but faster at high, close to maximum. Accordingly, it is worth choosing based on how often it is supposed to use the winch in "heavy" modes.

If we talk about lever drives, then in them the gear ratio is the ratio of the weight of the load to the force on the lever. For example, in a device with a gear ratio of 20, a load of 120 kg will give a lever force of 120/20 = 6 kg. Here,...however, it is worth considering that if there is a block in the kit (see below), the gear ratio can be given to work with the block; in normal mode, it will be twice as low.