A Harken electric winch needs more than the winch itself. The correct electric winch accessories — including controls, electrical protection and control electronics — all form part of the installation, and choosing the correct components can initially appear complicated.
For current Harken electric winches, however, the system is relatively straightforward. All new electric Radial, Performa and Captive Reel winches are supplied with the appropriate Harken Dual Function Control Box, leaving the customer primarily to choose the required controls and circuit breaker.
Older Harken installations may be different, particularly where the winch predates the Dual Function Control Box. If you are replacing or upgrading electric winch accessories on an existing winch, it is therefore important to establish which control system is already installed before ordering components.
The Dual Function Control Box
The Harken Dual Function Control Box sits at the heart of a current Harken electric winch installation.
It combines winch control with built-in load monitoring, simplifying the installation and reducing wiring and connection points compared with earlier systems. Harken programs the control box with cut-off loads appropriate to the particular winch and its different operating speeds. If that load is reached, power to the electric winch is temporarily interrupted to protect it against overload.
Each winch requires its own correctly matched control box. With a new electric Radial, Performa or Captive Reel winch, the appropriate box is already supplied, so it does not normally need to be ordered separately.
The Dual Function Control Box also provides the interface between the winch and its controls, supporting either Harken analogue switches or Digital System Switches (DSS). The two control types cannot be mixed on the same control box.
For most new installations, you can therefore think of the system as:
Electric Winch + supplied Dual Function Control Box + Controls + Circuit Breaker
Harken electric winch system showing the main installation components, including the Dual Function Control Box, circuit breaker and Digital System Switch controls. Control configuration can vary depending on the winch and number of control positions.
So which electric winch controls should you choose?
Option 1 – Harken Analogue Winch Switches
Harken's traditional analogue switches provide a simple and proven method of controlling an electric winch.
A standard two-speed electric winch requires two analogue switches – one controlling the first speed and another controlling the second. Harken offers waterproof remote switches designed specifically for electric and hydraulic winch installations.
The main advantage is simplicity. Each button has a single clearly defined function, making analogue controls particularly suitable where a conventional two-button installation is preferred.
With a current electric winch, these switches connect through the supplied Dual Function Control Box.
Option 2 – Harken Digital System Switch (DSS)
The Harken Digital System Switch provides a more compact alternative.
Instead of requiring separate buttons for each winch speed, a dual-function DSS combines two functions within one switch. For a two-speed winch, this allows slow and fast operation from a single control.
The DSS is also illuminated, making the controls easier to locate and operate at night or in poor light.
For a new Harken electric winch with its supplied Dual Function Control Box, a single DSS can connect to the control box without requiring a separate Decoder.
This makes the DSS particularly attractive for new installations: one neat deck-mounted control can replace the two individual analogue switches required for a conventional two-speed arrangement.
What If I Want Electric Winch Controls in More Than One Position?
Additional control positions are possible, but the control arrangement changes when more than one DSS is required.
Harken's current installation guidance states that a single DSS can be connected without a separate Decoder, while installations using two or more DSS buttons require a Decoder. This may apply, for example, where the same winch needs to be operated from more than one position on the boat.
The Decoder provides the interface for these multiple digital control positions. Because the exact wiring arrangement can vary with the winch and control configuration, the relevant Harken Dual Function Control Box installation diagram should be checked before installation.
As a general rule:
- One DSS + Dual Function Control Box: no separate Decoder required.
- Two or more DSS controls: Decoder required.
Electric Winch Accessories for Older Harken Winches
This is an important distinction when upgrading an existing installation.
The guidance above assumes the winch has a Harken Dual Function Control Box, as supplied with current electric Radial, Performa and Captive Reel winches. Older installations may use a different control arrangement.
A Digital System Switch can also be used with systems through the appropriate Harken Digital Switch Decoder, which translates the digital switch input into outputs for the controlled equipment. The DSS and Decoder therefore provide an upgrade route where the switch cannot interface directly with a current Dual Function Control Box.
If you are retrofitting controls to an older electric winch, we recommend identifying the existing winch and control system before selecting DSS components.
Choosing the Correct Electric Winch Circuit Breaker
Every Harken electric winch installation also requires a correctly rated high-amperage circuit breaker.
Harken offers panel-mounted circuit breakers for 12V, 24V and 48V DC installations. The correct breaker depends on both the winch size and system voltage, so it should be selected according to the requirements of the particular winch rather than simply choosing a breaker by voltage.
The circuit breaker is separate from the overload function built into the Dual Function Control Box. Both form part of the complete electrical installation.
Harken's component selection table identifies the appropriate circuit breaker for each winch size and voltage, making this a straightforward choice once the winch has been selected.
Choosing the Correct Electric Winch Accessories for Your Harken System
For most new Harken electric winch installations, specifying the additional components is therefore relatively simple.
The winch already includes its matched Dual Function Control Box. You then choose between two conventional analogue switches or one Digital System Switch, followed by the correctly rated circuit breaker for the winch and operating voltage. Harken summarises the same basic requirement as one control box, one circuit breaker and either two analogue switches or one DSS per electric winch.
More complex installations – particularly multiple DSS control positions or upgrades to older electric winches – may additionally require a Digital Switch Decoder.
The key point when selecting electric winch accessories is that the controls, control electronics and circuit protection must all be compatible with the particular winch and installation.
If you are unsure which Harken controls or electrical components are required for your winch, contact us with the winch model, operating voltage and the number of control positions required, and we can help identify the appropriate components. However, if you would like to see our full range, please click below:
and then Add to Home Screen.
Harken Electric Winch Accessories – Controls, Switches & Circuit Breakers Explained